A journey in music through the
Medieval Period
Mrs. Heberer
Music
MF 1
February 14, 2012
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This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends
sometime in the early fifteenth century.
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The earliest Medieval music did not have any kind of
notational system.
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This form of notation only served as a memory aid for a
singer who already knew the melody.
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The music theory of the Medieval period saw several
advances over previous practice both in regard to tonal
material, texture, and rhythm.
Concerning rhythm, this period had several dramatic
changes in both its conception and notation.
Due to the outstanding advances, musicologists debated
often and feverishly.
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Troubadours – a composer and
performer from Northern France
during the Medieval Era
Trouveres – the Northern France version
of the Troubadour.
The music of was a dialect tradition of
monophonic secular song
The language was Occitan and Old French.
The period of the troubadours corresponded to the flowering of
cultural life in Provence which lasted through the twelfth century
and into the first decade of the 13th.
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Common topics of troubadour/trouveres song were war, chivalry,
and love.
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Most of the more than two thousand surviving songs show a
sophistication of music and poetry.
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1098 – September 17, 1779
German compooser
Bingen wrote theological, botanical and
medicinal texts in addition to music
Uncommon for women to be as well-known
Wrote the oldest surviving morality play,
“Ordo Virtutum”
Wrote sacred monophonic
music for voices and lute
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C. 1200 – DOB is relatively unknown
European composer
Also known as “Perotin the Great”
Wrote in the ars antigua, organa (early polyphony
music), and Gregorian chant styles
Most famous member of the Notre Dame school
of polyphony
Anonymous IV called him “magnus,” a mark of
esteem.
Works include Viderunt omnes, Sederunt
principles, and Alleluia, Posui adiutorium
He wrote for solo voices, a cappella music
C. 1300 – April 1377
 French poet and composer
 One of the first composers
with biological information
 Brother-in-law to a French King
 “The last great poet who was also a composer”
 Composed a wide range of styles including the
motet, rondeau, ballade, and polyponic forms
 Ars Nova musical movement dealing with love
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Messe de Nostre Dame, En un gardin, Zodiac
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Wrote mostly a cappella works
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Pan flute and gemshorm – made of
wood, side-blown or end-blown.
Member of the woodwind and ocarina
family. Possibly of Hellenic origin
String instruments – lute, mandore,
gittern, psaltery, dulcimers, zithers
Lyra – first recorded European bowed
string instrument
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Hurdy gurdy was a mechanical violin
Most instruments were usually played
alone, sometimes in small chambertype ensembles
Most instruments were 14-century
instruments, created during this time
period or a little earlier
Gemshorn
Hurdy-Gurdy
Gittern
Dulcimer
Jaw Harp
Vielle
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Gregorian Chant
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Ars Nova – new music
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Monophonic – one melody, no harmony
Vocal genre, no accompaniment
Sacred – used often in churches, liturgical
Very seldom were these chants written down
Created by Pope Gregory the Great
Still used today
Hildegard de Bingen wrote several chants
◦ Polyphonic – more than one vocal line
◦ Mostly secular (not in church) – French
◦ A movement wanting more new music
◦ Rejected by the Pope - The
monophonic chant, was becoming altered
◦ Merging secular music with sacred music
◦ Guillaume de Machaut
◦ Used instruments, some a cappella
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Motets
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Madrigal
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Varied topics, mostly sacred/some secular texts
“A piece of music Is several parts and words”
Motet – to move
Cantus Firmus – counterpoint
2 to 3 part songs, French, Latin, English texts
Chamber ensembles and a cappella
Guillaume de Mauchant
Secular vocal composition, partsongs
Varied voices, from 2 – 10, mainly 6
Italian through-composed
Funny topics, usually about love
Almost always a cappella
The Aria formed from Madrigals
Piertro Bembo and Petrarch
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Guillame de Machuat – Rose, Lis, Printemps,
Verdue
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPQjqZm6q0Q
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Machaut – Messa de Nostre Dame
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfFafi6OagM&fe
ature=fvsr
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Hildegard of Bingen – Spiritus Sanctus
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJEfyZSvg5c
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Various – Madrigals
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgwxnEs8yqY&f
eature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLE908FCCA
C5476BE2
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Brunette and Puerum – 2 motets
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLD7FiHaTqE
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Integral part of everyday life for the people of that time
period.
Music of the Middle Ages was especially popular during times
of celebration and festivities.
Music was often played during holidays and special parties.
On Mayday, dancers would dance to specially-prepared,
high-pitched music.
◦ It was believed that by doing so, the hibernating spirits
would be awakened and forewarned that spring had arrived.
People during the Middle Ages also ate to the sound of
traditional music during and between meal courses.
It was believed in those days that medieval music was not
only delightful to the ears, but it also helped in the digestion
of food, hence the reason for music at mealtimes.
The music of Medieval times was very important to the
listeners of that era, whether it be for special celebrations,
holidays, or for something as simple as eating a meal.