Western Culture
• Traced back to Ancient Greece and
Rome
• Up to 476 AD
• Very “Classic” period. Structure,
balance, logic, reason.
Classic vs. Romantic
• Classic - form, symmetry, balance, emotional
detachment.
• Adoration of the Magi by Botticelli
• Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David
Adoration of the Magi by Botticelli
Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis
David
Classic vs. Romantic
• Romantic - freedom, emotion, drama,
individual
• Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek by
Peter Paul Rubens
• Traveler Looking Over A Sea of Fog by
Caspar David
Meeting of Abraham and
Melchizedek by Peter Paul
Rubens
Traveler Looking Over A Sea
of Fog by Caspar David
Common Practice Period
• 1600-1900
• Composers use the common language
of “tonality”
• Music is written using a central key or
“home sound”
• Can be both Classic and/or Romantic
Middle Ages
• 400AD to 1450
• Followed fall of the Roman Empire
• Church was the institution that
organized culture.
• Sacred - all of life revolved around the
church
Sacred
• Pertaining to the church or religion.
• Only those associated with the church
could read or write.
• Only written down sacred subject
material
• Does not mean that secular culture
didn’t exist, it just was not preserved.
Middle Ages
“Romantic” - not as concerned with the
“ideal” portrayal of life on earth,
structure, balance. Artworks are not
particularly realistic.
Middle Ages
Gregorian chant.
Cant- or Chant- singing / voice
Large body of music sung during the worship
service and other prescribed times.
Named for Pope Gregory (590-604)
Gregorian Chant
Musical features: narrow range, conjunct
intervals, little changes in dynamics,
nonmetric.
Rhythm and melody were based on the natural
flow of the Latin text.
Not "performance" music.
Melodies are not attributed to composers. It was not
about the composers, but giving glory to God.
Gregorian Chant
Hundreds of tunes that were appropriate
for different times and events of the
church calendar.
Tunes became very well-known.
Gregorian Chant
Tunes became very well-known.
Well-known tunes are perfect for adding
new things and trying something new
with it…
Gregorian Chant
Single melody that is well-known.
Add another melody higher or lower, the
same melody but at a “harmony”.
Gregorian Chant
Single melody that is well-known.
Add another melody higher or lower, the
same melody but at a “harmony”.
• Add yet another melody, maybe with some
contrasting direction?
Gregorian Chant
Single melody that is well-known.
Add another melody higher or lower, the
same melody but at a “harmony”.
• Add yet another melody, maybe with some
contrasting direction?
• OR distort the original melody, using it as a
“base” for a new melody in higher pitches.
Organum
Single melody that is well-known.
Distorted the melody, using it as a “base” for a
new melody with higher pitches.
Cantus Firmus “Fixed Song”. The base of a
song is in the chant melody, with a new
melody above.
Organum
Single melody that is well-known.
Distorted the melody, using it as a “base” for a
new melody with higher pitches.
Cantus Firmus “Fixed Song”. The base of a
song is in the chant melody, with a new
melody above.
Leonin is an early composer of organum.
Cantus Firmus
“Fixed Song”. The base of a song is in the
chant melody, with a new melody above.
Composers wrote many new works based on
chant melodies. Titles of the new works
would include the chant title.
Cantus Firmus
“Fixed Song”. The base of a song is in the chant
melody, with more new melodies added.
When more parts are moving together, it is important to
have a clear rhythm to keep everyone in time.
Perotin is a composer of more complicated organum
with more of an emphasis on rhythm.
Organum
The musical considerations of several melodies
together were based on if they went together
rhythmically.
Not as much emphasis on the actual notes used, and
the harmony that would result.
Sometimes, the different melodies would be in different
languages!
Motet (mot = word)
• An early example of a structured 3-part
vocal work. Bottom part was taken from
the chant melodies, and lower voices or
instruments “held” the note values.
• Middle part was often from religious
poetry and in Latin.
• Top part was sometimes in French and
a secular poem!
Development of Polyphony
• Chant melody (monophonic)
• Chant melody is used as basis for new
composition (cantus firmus)
(homophonic)
• Several more melodies are added along
with rhythm / motet (polyphonic)
Isorhythmic Motet
•
•
•
•
•
“same rhythm”
Rhythm and Melody.
Different lengths.
Overlapped at different times.
Compositional device, not a listener’s
method. Probably cannot hear an
Isorhythmic form.
14th Century
• The church was losing power in the 14th century.
• There were two popes, one in Rome and one in
Avignon (France).
• Avignon more of a secular capital, French composers
are more likely to experiment with rhythmic
complexity, syncopations, subdividing beats, etc.
14th Century
• The plague hit Europe during this time and wiped out
entire towns and cities.
• For the arts, the 14th century was fantastic.
• Music increased in energy and realism.
Ars Nova
• Recognized division of the beat from the
standard 3 to the new 2
• Duple meter was now acceptable.
• Triple meter continues.
Renaissance
• Renaissance means the rebirth of Classical Antiquity; a
reawakening of the human spirit; the beginnings of a
reawakening in Greek culture and Latin literature.
• Invention of the printing press. This transforms the Western
World by improving literacy; more people have the opportunity to
read with a better distribution of ideas and preservation.
• This is the time of Columbus (all the other explorations were
occurring at this time too). Celebration of maps.
•
This is also a great age for literature, chivalry, humanism.
Renaissance
• In the musical aspects, the instruments were not
given, but contemporary performers are interpreting
some of the parts as instrumental.
• We can see in some of the pictures and engravings
of the period the secularism...the ability to tap their
feet while playing, etc.
Renaissance
• 1450-1600
• Secular period (not as strongly guided
by the church, but rather more worldly
pursuits)
• Looked to Ancient Greece and Rome
as the model for society.
Renaissance Vocal Music
• Mass - sacred, a cappella vocal work. Text is
taken from the Mass (worship service)
• Motet - sacred, a cappella vocal work. Text is
religious, but not from the Mass
• Madrigal - secular, a cappella vocal work.
Text comes from poem or other non-religious
source
Church Music
• Council of Trent: 1545-1563 (18 years)
• met in Northern Italy to discuss abuses in church.
• After that long, the verdict is very general.
“everything impure or lascivious” must be avoided in
order that the “House of God may rightly be called a
house of prayer”.
• No technical points were included (polyphony,
secular imitation, etc) in any kind of ban.
•
Giovanni da Palestrina 1525-1594
• Approached Council of Trent to show that it was not
necessary to abolish polyphony, even with 6 voices,
the text can still be understood.
• He became the “savior of church music”.
• Wrote Pope Marcellus Mass 1555
Renaissance Timbre
• 4 or more voices of similar color. (Medieval) 3 dissimilar lines of
contrasting color.
• Ideal performing medium was unaccompanied vocal ensemble
(a cappella). The sound most composers had in mind ...it was
not always heard in actual performances. Doubling instruments
to help out.
• Bass is gradually given the function of a harmonic foundation.
• Music became more closely united with words (word painting)
and more independent of words. Unity was done in vocal
music, independence was gained by focusing on more
instrumental works, beautiful in their own right.
Renaissance vocal music
• text painting or word painting illustrating the meaning of words using
music. Ex. an ascending scale might be
used to illustrate "running up" a hill.
As Vesta was from Latmos hill
descending
• As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending,
• she spied a maiden Queen the same
ascending,
• Attended on by all the shepherds' swain,
• to whom Diana's darlings
• came running down amain,
• First two by two,
• then three by three together,
• Leaving their goddess all alone hasted
thither
Vesta (cont.)
• And mingling with the shepherds of her
train,
• with mirthful tunes her presence
entertain.
• Then sang the shepherds and nymphs
of Diana,
• Long live fair Oriana!
• Common Practice Period 1600-1900 in
Art Music. Music revolves around a
"central key" or "home sound".