PART II
Medieval and Renaissance Music
“Hearing” from The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry (late 15th century)
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Prelude 2: The Culture of the
Middle Ages and Renaissance
Nothing exists without music, for
the universe itself is said to have been
framed by a kind of harmony of
sounds, and the heaven itself revolves
under the tone of that harmony.
—Isidore of Seville
The writer Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343–1400), as
depicted in a famous manuscript of his epic
Canterbury Tales (c. 1410).
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Prelude 2: The Culture of the
Middle Ages and Renaissance
•
Spans nearly 1,000 years
•
Early Christian church and state
•
Most patronage (sponsorship) from the church
•
Most surviving music is sacred
1450
476
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Prelude 2: The Culture of the
Middle Ages and Renaissance
The Medieval Church
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris
(1163–1235)
•
Universities were founded throughout
Europe
•
Construction of Notre Dame in Paris
(1163–1350)
•
Cities emerged as center of art and
culture as trade flourished
•
Literary masterpieces: Chanson de
Roland; Divine Comedy (Dante);
Canterbury Tales (Chaucer)
•
Crusades brought era of violence,
turmoil, and change
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Prelude 2: The Culture of the
Middle Ages and Renaissance
The Arts in the Renaissance
•
Age of humanism
•
Voyages of Columbus,
Vespucci, and Ponce de
Leon
•
Invention of printing (c.
1455)
•
Realism in visual arts
Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Prelude 2: The Culture of the
Middle Ages and Renaissance
Musicians in Medieval and Renaissance Society
•
Musicians were supported by public
institutions as well as aristocracy.
•
Employment in music-related fields
was abundant.
•
The merchant class emerged as a new
group of music patrons.
•
Most cultivated middle and upper
class were amateur musicians.
•
Music literacy increased due to the
invention of music printing.
The Concert (c. 1530–40)
Music 013L Music Appreciation
12. Sacred Music in the Middle Ages
Scene from the life of the Virgin, Giotto di Bondone (1267–1337)
•
Early Church Music
•
Liturgy
•
Gregorian chant
(plainchant,
plainsong)
•
Monophonic
•
Nonmetric
•
Latin text
Whitsunday Mass, Alleluia, emitte spiritum
Music 013L Music Appreciation
12. Sacred Music in the Middle Ages
Classes of Chant:
•  Syllabic
Psalm 94, Venite, exsultemus domino
•  Neumatic
•  Melismatic
Whitsunday Mass, Alleluia, emitte spiritum
Melismatic: many notes per syllable
Music 013L Music Appreciation
12. Sacred Music in the Middle Ages
•
Chant
– 3,000-plus surviving
melodies
– Oral transmission
– Early notation = neumes
– Scale patterns = modes
Manuscript illumination of Pope
Gregory the Great dictating to his
scribe Peter
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Early Church Modes
Lydian
Ionian (major)
Mixolydian
Dorian
Aolean (minor)
Phrygian
Locrian
Modal (old system) vs. Tonal (major/minor system used later)
Music 013L Music Appreciation
12. Sacred Music in the Middle Ages
The Mass
•  Two types of prayer in the daily
Offices and Mass
Proper
Ordinary
Music 013L Music Appreciation
12. Sacred Music in the Middle Ages
Life in the Medieval Cloister
•
Cloister
Monastery
Convent
Music 013L Music Appreciation
12. Sacred Music in the Middle Ages
The Music of Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179)
•
In 1150 founded convent in
Germany
•
Known for miracles and
prophecies
•
Works include collections of
visions and prophecies, music,
and scientific writing.
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
The Rise of Polyphony:
The Notre Dame School
•
Cathedral of Notre
Dame in Paris
•
Romanesque period
(c. 850–1150)
•
Notated rhythm and
pitch
Music 013L Music Appreciation
13. Secular Music in the Middle Ages
•
Medieval Minstrels
•
Secular music in courts
•
Aristocratic artists
•
France: troubadours (south)
and trouvères (north)
•
Germany: Minnesingers
•
Women: trobairitz
•
Idealized love and chivalry
•
Secular songs sung monophonically,
with improvised accompaniment
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Anonymous: Sumer is icumen in
(Summer is come) (Listening Guide)
•
One of the earliest examples of
polyphony from England
•
Set as a round
•
Composed around 1250
•
Text in Middle English
•
Lower voices sing ostinato.
The original notation of the canon
Sumer is icumen in (c. 1250)
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
13. Secular Music in the Middle Ages
The French Ars nova
Ars nova
Machaut: Nesque on porroit . . .
Ars antiqua
Gregorian chant: Whitsunday Mass . . .
Guillaume de Machaut
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13. Secular Music in the Middle Ages
Early Instrumental Music
Praetorius: Terpsichore, Volte (bas)
•
Central role in art music
reserved for vocal music
•
Instrumental music mostly
improvised
•
Soft (bas) or loud (haut)
instruments
•
Categorized by their use
(indoor or outdoor)
Praetorius: Terpsichore, Courante (haut)
Music 013L Music Appreciation
13. Secular Music in the Middle Ages
Early Instrumental Music
Early stringed instruments included:
•  Lute
• Mandolin
• Vielle
Music 013L Music Appreciation
13. Secular Music in the Middle Ages
Early Instrumental Music
Other soft instruments included:
dulcimer
psaltery
Loud instruments:
shawm
sackbut
Percussion instruments:
tabor
nakers
Music 013L Music Appreciation
13. Secular Music in the Middle Ages
Early Instrumental Music
•
Medieval organs:
– Large instruments
– Small instruments (portative,
positive)
– Use of authentic instruments
in recordings
Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man s Desiring
Music 013L Music Appreciation
14. Renaissance Sacred Music
We know by experience that song has
great force and vigor to move and inflame
the hearts of men to invoke and praise God
with a more vehement and ardent zeal. —John
Calvin
Music 013L Music Appreciation
14. Renaissance Sacred Music
•
Golden age of the a
cappella style
•
Polyphony based on
principle of imitation
•
Harmonies based on
“sweeter” sounds of
thirds and sixths
•
Use of fixed melody
(cantus firmus) and
triple meter
Palestrina: Missa in Festis Apostolorum I, Agnus Dei
Music 013L Music Appreciation
14. Renaissance Sacred Music
Josquin des Prez and the Motet
•
Single Latin text
•
Marian motets (Virgin
Mary)
•
Written for three, four, or
more voices
•
Cantus firmus
Josquin: Ave Maria . . . virgo serena
Music 013L Music Appreciation
14. Renaissance Sacred Music
Josquin des Prez and the Motet
Josquin des Prez (c. 1450–1521)
•  Called Josquin
•  Franco-Flemish origin
•  Italian career
Music 013L Music Appreciation
14. Renaissance Sacred Music
Josquin des Prez and the Motet
•
Patrons
– Milan, Cardinal Ascanio Sforza
– Ferrara, Ercole d Este
– Rome, papal choir
•
Humanistic writing
•
Sacred and secular music
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Josquin: Ave Maria . . . virgo serena
(Listening Guide)
•
Renaissance motet
•
Combinations of voices and textures
•
Imitative vs. homorhythmic sections
•
Final couplet: simple texture, example of humanistic spirit
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
14. Renaissance Sacred Music
The Renaissance Mass
•
The Ordinary or fixed portion of the mass was
set to music.
•
The five movements of the Ordinary are:
Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei
•
Originally sung in Latin, now the Ordinary is
recited or sung in the vernacular.
•
Settings of the mass are often based on fixed
voice or cantus firmus.
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
14. Renaissance Sacred Music
The Reformation and Counter-Reformation
•
Martin Luther (1483–1546): Reformation
•
Counter-Reformation (1530s–1590s)
•
Council of Trent
– Corruption of chant by embellishment
– Use of certain instruments in religious services
– Incorporation of popular music in Masses
– Secularism of music
– Irreverent attitude of church musicians
•
Pure vocal style that respected the integrity of the sacred texts
Music 013L Music Appreciation
14. Renaissance Sacred Music
Palestrina and the Pope Marcellus Mass
•
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
– (c. 1525–1594)
– Called Palestrina
•
Italian composer, organist, and
choirmaster
•
Sistine Chapel Choir
•
Wrote mostly sacred music
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Palestrina: Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria
(Listening Guide)
•
Foreshadows the strict demands of the Council of Trent
•
Probably performed a cappella
•
Written for six voice parts
– Soprano (sung by boys or male falsettists)
– Alto (sung by male altos or countertenors—tenors with high voices)
– Tenor I
– Tenor II
– Bass I
– Bass II
•
Opens with a monophonic intonation
•
Choral sections are polyphonic.
•
Text is clear and audible.
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
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15. Renaissance Secular Music
Music in Court and City Life
•
Professional musicians:
courts and civic functions
•
Merchant-class amateurs:
played and sang at home
•
Lute, keyboard instrument
•
Women and music
•
Chanson and madrigal
•
Word painting
The Prodigal Son among the Courtesans
Music 013L Music Appreciation
15. Renaissance Secular Music
The Italian Madrigal
•
Chief form of
Renaissance secular
music
•
Text: short poem of lyric
or reflective nature
•
Italian courts
Music 013L Music Appreciation
15. Renaissance Secular Music
The Italian Madrigal
•
Music: sets text expressively
•
Instruments double or
substitute for the voices
•
Three phases of the madrigal
– First phase (c. 1525–
1550)
– Second phase (c. 1550–
1580)
– Third phase (c. 1580–
1620)
Marenzio: La bella ninfa mia
Music 013L Music Appreciation
15. Renaissance Secular Music
Arcadelt and the Madrigal
•
Jacques Arcadelt (c. 1507–1568)
•
Italian composer
•
Published book of madrigals in 1538 that included Il
bianco e dolce cigno (The white and sweet swan)
Music 013L Music Appreciation
15. Renaissance Secular Music
The English Madrigal
•
English further developed the Italian madrigal
•  – Musica transalpina, 1588
•
Simpler and lighter in style
•
Refrain syllables (fa-la-la)
Weelkes: Welcome Sweet Pleasure
Morley: Those Dainty Daffadillies”
Since singing is so good a thing,
I wish that all men would learne to sing.”
—William Byrd
Music 013L Music Appreciation
15. Renaissance Secular Music
The English Madrigal
John Farmer (c. 1570–1601)
•
Active in 1590s in Dublin
•
Organist and master of choirboys
at Christ Church
•
Published one collection of fourvoice madrigals.
Music 013L Music Appreciation
15. Renaissance Secular Music
Instrumental Dance Music
•
Period of growth in
instrumental music
•
Published music
•
Played vocal music
•
Did not specify
instrumentation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
15. Renaissance Secular Music
Instrumental Dance Music
Popular dance types:
•
Pavane
•
Saltarello
•
Ronde
Praetorius: Terpsichore, Courante
Praetorius: Terpsichore, Volte
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Susato: Three Dances
(Listening Guide)
•
Set of three rondes from the 1551 Danserye collection
– Instrumental dances published by Tielman Susato
(c. 1515–c. 1571)
•
Performed by a loud wind band
– Loud instruments included: shawm, sackbut,
cornetto, tabor, tambourine
•
Binary form (A-A-B-B)
– Repeated sections with added improvised
embellishments
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation
15. Renaissance Secular Music
From the Renaissance to the Baroque
•
Texture of vocal works simplified
•
Rise of opera, cantata, and oratorio to follow
•
Development of purely instrumental forms
Gabrieli: Hodie Christus natus est
Music 013L Music Appreciation
Music 013L Music Appreciation