Reflection and Inference Time while listening
Renaissance Period Predictions
Begin Renaissance Period
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1400-1600
Cyclic Mass & Isorhythmic motet
Guillame Dufay (c. 1398-1474)
Conscious expression in music
Josquin des Prez (c. 1440-1521)
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Rebirth
Italy became the center for the arts after fall of
Burgundy
Period of religious turmoil
Henry VIII was king
Age of exploration
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Composers wrote music to enhance the
meaning and emotion of the text
Word painting – musical representation of
specific poetic images
Mainly polyphonic
A cappella – no accompaniment
City of Burgundy
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Had the best music
Basse dance – dance where the feet were kept low to
ground & made women look like they floated
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Hired by the church
Not a lot of freedom-demanded specific styles
of music
Wrote motets and masses
both are polyphonic now
Masses have fixed words (Kyrie elison, gloria,
pie jesu)
Motets are free words in Latin (usually a
biblical passage)
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1398-1474
Not born into high
class
Wrote the motet
based on a preexisting plainchant
First composer to use
a secular song as the
melody in the catus
firmus of a mass
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Career in the church
70 Secular pieces survived
Used imitation – hand the melody from one
section to another
Isorhythmic structure – single rhythmic pattern
that’s repeated
Cyclic Mass – mass using the same motive
through every movement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLwMEBl
BBB4
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Two main forms
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Motet – polyphonic choral work set to a sacred Latin
text other than the ordinary of the mass
Mass – polyphonic choral composition made up of
five sections
All voices became equal and singable
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1440-1521
Considered to be a
genius and greatest of
his generation
20 masses survived
Studied under
Ockeghem
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Developed the
deploration
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Intentionally expressed emotion through music
by creating different moods with music
Worked for secular rulers as well
Wrote “El Grillo” (the cricket) which was the
nickname of one of his singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKJgwLP
jmlw
Ave Maria
Gratia Plena
Dominus tecum,
Virgo serena.
Hail Mary,
full of grace
the Lord is with thee,
serene Virgin
Notice:
Each soprano phrase imitated in turn by alto,
tenor, and bass. Duple Meter.
Ave, cuius comceptio
Hail, whose conception
Solemni plena gaudio,
coelestia terrestria
nova replet laetitia.
Full of great jubilation,
fills Heaven and Earth
with new Joy.
Notice:
High duet imitated by three lower voices.
All four voices. Increased rhythmic animation
reflects “new joy.”
Ave, cuius nativitas
nostra fuit solemnitas,
ut lucifer lux oriens
verum solem
praeveniens
Hail, whose birth
brought us joy,
as Lucifer, the morning
star
went before the truth
Notice:
High duet imitated by low duet. Soprano phrase
imitated by alto, tenor and bass.
Ave, pia humilitas,
sine viro fecunditas,
cuius annuntiatio
nostra fuit salvatio
Hail, pious humility,
fruitful without a man,
whose Annunciation
brought us salvation.
Notice:
High duet imitated by low duet. High duet. Low
duet.
Ave, vera virginitas,
immaculate castitas,
cuius purificatio
nostra fuit purgatio.
Notice:
Triple Meter
Hail, true virginity,
immaculate chastity,
whose purification
brought our cleansing
Ave praeclara omnibus
angelic is virtuibus
cuius assumptio
nostra glorificatio.
Hail, glorious one
in all angelic virtues,
whose Assumption
was our glorification.
O mater Dei,
memento mei. Amen.
O Mother of God,
remember me. Amen
Notice:
Duple meter, high duets imitated by lower voices.
Brief pause. Sustained chords
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Protestant reforming
against the Roman
Catholic Church
Headed by Martin
Luther
Selling of Indulgences
Wanted more with
music than R.C.
church wanted
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Martin Luther
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTnrtOJLRFk
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A Mighty Fortress is Our God
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6k8DFb8fWs
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Council of Trent
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Group of Cardinals
Refined the instruments being used in the
church
Removed many of the motets and sequences
Wanted music to respect the integrity of the
sacred text
Hired a specific composer to rewrite the music
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1525-1594
104 masses
450 other sacred
works
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Thought to have convinced the Council that
polyphonic masses should be kept in worship
Reflects the council’s desire for a clear
projection of the sacred text
Written for a cappella choir of six voices parts
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Soprano
Alto
Two tenors
Two basses
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Written in 3 sections
Kyrie eleison – Lord have mercy upon us
 Christe eleison – Christ have mercy upon us
 Kyrie eleison – Lord have mercy upon us
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Text is short & words are repeated
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Expresses calm supplication (to ask humbly)
Rhythm flows continuously
Begins in a thin texture with only some of the
voices sounding
As others voices enter, the music become
increasingly full and rich
Time to correct tests – 15 minutes
Secular Music of the Renaissance
Give me the two different styles of sacred music
in the Renaissance and how can you tell the
difference between the two. (4 points)
1st printed polyphony/moveable type
Petrucci Odhecaton (1501)
A cappella master/Renaissance polyphony Giovanni Palestrina (1525-1594)
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Technology
Petrucci developed the printing press
 1501 published 1st polyphonic piece of music printed
with moveable type
 Harmonice Musices Odhecaton A
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Every educated person was expected to play an
instrument and read notation
Written for groups of solo voices and for solo
voice with accompaniment
Imitated natural sounds
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Much more freedom
Composed in common languages (English,
Italian, French, German)
Madrigals were the most popular
songs about nature, love
TEXT PAINTING-letting the music sound like
what the word means (birds, ascending)
Ballett-songs with fa la in them
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A piece for several solo voices set to a short
poem, usually about love
Combines homophonic and polyphonic
textures
Uses text painting (word painting)
Originated in Italy around 1520
1588 translated into English and English
composers began writing
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1575-1623
English madrigalist
Organist & church
composer
Wrote “As Vesta Was
Descending” in 1601
for Queen Elizabeth
Descending scales
As Vesta was from
Latmos hill descending
Ascending scales
Rapid descending
figures
She spied a maiden queen
the same ascending,
attended on by all the
shepherds swain, to
whom Diana’s darlings
came running down
amain
Two voices,
First two by two,
Three voices; all voices.
Then three by three
together
Solo voice.
Leaving their goddess all
alone, hasted thither, and
mingling with the
shepherds of her train
with mirthful tunes her
presence entertain.
Brief joyful phrase
imitated among voices;
long notes in bass
Long live fair Oriana!
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Simpler form than the madrigal
Dance like song for several solo voices
Mostly homophonic in texture
Melody in the highest voice
Same music is repeated for each stanza of the
poem
Syllables fa-la are used as refrain
Originated in Italy then went to England
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1557-1603
English composer
Best known for his
madrigals
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Now is the month of Maying, when merry lads are
playing! Fa la la la la!
Each with his bonny lass, a-dancing on the grass,
fa la la la la!
The Spring, clad all in gladness, doth laugh at
Winter's sadness! Fa la la la la!
And to the bagpipes’ sound, the nymphs tread out
the ground! Fa la la la la!
Fie! Then why sit we musing, youth’s sweet
delight refusing? Fa la la la la!
Say, dainty nymphs and speak! Shall we play
barley break? Fa la la la la!
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Largely adapted from vocal music
Used the harpsichord, organ, or lute
16th century people started writing
instrumental pieces
Developed instrumental forms
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Theme and variation
Intended for dancing
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Passamezzo – duple meter
Galliard – triple meter
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Shawm
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Kortholt
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Straight Cornet
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Sackbut
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Recorder
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Flute
Dulcian
Rauschpfeife
Hirtenschalmei
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Illustrate the Renaissance practice pairing
contrasting court dances in duple and trip
meter
Written by Michael Praetorius – German
composer and theorist
Passamezzo is a stately dance in duple meter
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Written for six unspecified instrumental parts
Consists of 3 brief sections (a, b, c) each ending with
a cadence and brief pause
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Helps to illustrate the duple and triple meters
Has essentially the same melody as the
passamezzo but is in triple meter
Written for 5 unspecified instrumental parts
It also is in three parts (a, b, c), each ending
with a cadence and a brief pause
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16th century – Venice became a center of
instrumental and vocal music
The focal point for music was St. Mark’s
Cathedral
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Employed up to 20 instrumentalists and 20 singers
for ceremonies
Music director and organist were Adrian
Willaert , Andrea Gabrieli & Giovanni Gabrieli
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Called the Venetian school
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2 seperated choir lofts
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Music was written for multiple choirs and
groups of instruments
Unlike most Renaissance music, Venetian vocal
music was written with exclusive instrumental
parts
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Each had an organ
This started to bring the music close the Baroque
style
Had a tendency toward homophonic texture
rather than polyphonic
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1555-1612
Wrote organ and
instrumental ensemble
works
Most important –
polychoral motets
(motets for two or more
choirs)
Sonata pian e forte is
most famous earliest
instrument ensemble
pieces
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Used dynamics
Used specified instruments
Music called for an enormous number of
performers
Brilliantly exploit contrasts of register, sonority
and tone color
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Polychoral motet
Intended for a joyful ceremony at St. mark’s
Cathedral
Latin text
12 voice parts divided into 3 choirs
Plaudite, Psallite,
Jubilate Deo
omnis terra:
Clap your hands, sing praises,
sing joyfully to God,
all the earth.
Alleluia,
benedicant Dominum
omnes gentes,
collaudantes eum:
Alleluia,
Let all the nations
bless the Lord,
together praising Him.
Alleluia,
Alleluia,
quia fecit nobiscum Dominus For the Lord hat acted in
His mercy with us.
misericordiam suam:
Alleluia,
et captivam duxit
captivitatem,
admirabilis et gloriosus
In saecula:
Alleluia.
And led captivity captive.
Admirable and glorious
He is forever
Alleluia
Alleluia
Listening example of Gabrieli
Extra Credit Question
Artists of the Renaissance Period
Exploratory
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How can you tell the difference between a
madrigal and a ballet?
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Renaissance Man (scientific discovery,
inventor, artist, mathematician)
Heavily influenced by nature to lead him in his
artistic endeavors
Most famous works: Mona Lisa and the Last
Supper
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Sculptor – free standing statues
Used marble and bronze, looked to new ideas,
Biblical characters for works
Most famous works David (made of Bronze)
and St. George
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Painter and Architect
Respect for antiquity (Greek/classics)
Innovations in architecture
No extremes (played it safe)
Works: School of Athens, Sistine Madonna
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Painter/Sculptor/Poet/Engineer
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Enjoyed dappling in the extremes
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Against Da Vinci. Art was not to reflect nature
but to do what nature could NOT do.
Works: Sistine Chapel, David, Pieta
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REBIRTH
---in science
---in exploration
---in arts and music
---in inventions
Reverting back to time of classics, inspired by
the Greeks
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From the perspective of a sacred composer
about a new piece you are writing and what a
normal day would be like
From the perspective of a secular composer
about a new piece you are writing and what a
normal day would be like
Hand in Stories
Chorale vs. Motet Style
In class exploratory
Listening Guide
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Who painted the
following picture?
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Chorale style was homophonic. It means all
the voices (usually 4 ) sing words at the same
time. They sing different notes, though!
Motet style was polyphonic. It means all the
voices (usually 4 ) sing words at DIFFERENT
times.
4 voices:
BASS-low male
TENOR-high male
ALTO-low female
SOPRANO-high female
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There are five sections around the room
Use the worksheet provided and the items in
each section of the room to complete the
worksheet
Once you have finished that, you may begin
working on your project
Work on your Renaissance Project
Review for your test on Friday
Jeopardy
Few minutes to look over your notes
Quiz
After Quiz…Ssh!!!!