The Renaissance Period: Masses, Motets, and Madrigals

1350 Italy

3rd Interval of a third becomes accepted as a consonance

1370-1385 Kent, England Leonel Power

1390 England John Dunstable

1397

1430 Germany Guttenberg Invents the printing press

1430 St. Joan of Arc Burned at the stake

12/24/1453England John Dusstable dies

1455 Leonel Power dies

1450-1455

Birth of the Renaissance

Born; The style of his later works shows Power clearly moving towards the consonant, less rhythmically complex sound of the 'contenance angloise' ('English countenance'), typified by the music of John Dunstable and composers such as Bedyngham, Plummer and

Born. Known for the English Countenance style - full triadic harmony with thirds. He was the man whose 'contenance anglaise' influenced music for a century. He lived in France and Italy & manuscripts of his music exist there today.

Cambrai, Burgandy (France)

Guillame Dufay born

Burgundian School, franco flemish - most famous of his time. Dufay's large musical output contains masterpieces in every genre from cyclic masses to isorhytmic motets, a piece where a specific rhythmic and pitch patterns are repeated throughout the piece

Canterbury, England

Belgium/ France

Josquin des Prez

Born ; most popular musician of his time. Many works, including masses and chansons, survive. His popularity, no doubt, was a result of combining many contemporary styles of music, his originality, and his ability to unveil the meaning and emotions of a

1460 Pier de la Rue

1465 Germany First printed music

1474 Dufay dies

1485 England/France ends

1492 America Columbus "discovers" America

1492 Spain Pushes moors out of Spain & expells the Jews

1498 Italy paints The Last Supper

1502 Josquin de Prez Publishes First Book of Masses

1503 Italy paints the Mona Lisa

1509 Europe/ Africa Slave trade Between Europe and "the new world"

1510 England Thomas Tallis

1511 Rome Micelangelo Completes Cistine Chapel ceiling

born - all vocal music - emphasized lower male voices. As well as low voicing, various rhythmic patterns and long, flowing melodies are main characteristics of La Rue's music.

War of the Roses

Leonardo D'a Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

born; Served 4 monarchs, composed mostly choir music - Latin motets and English Anthems. Queen Elisabeth granted him and his pupil, William Boyd, exclusive rights to use England's printing press to publish music; a first of its time.

1514 composes Missa Pange Lingua

1515 Cpernicus Heliocentric theory

1517 Germany Martin Luther leads the Protestant reformation

1518 dies

1519 Magellan launches first round-the-word journey

1521 dies

1526 Italy

1530

1530 Secular tunes introduced into the mass

1533 Italy born: The Venetian School; used antiphone (left and right choirs)

1543 England William Byrd

1551 named music director at St. Peter's

Josquin des Prez

Pierre de la Rue

Josquin des Prez

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

born; The Roman School - affected the development in the music of the Catholic church. Because its voicing is extremely well balanced and beautifully harmonized, Palestrina's polyphonic music is smooth, pure, and transparent in sound.

Orlando de Lassus

born; His beautiful motets combined the rich northern style of polyphony, the superb French style text-setting, and the expressive Italian melody.

Giovanni Gabrieli

born; wrote My Ladye Nevells Book" and the "Parthenia.", Mastered all composition types of his era, was first keyboard "genius"

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

1553 First modern violin

1561 Italy Peri Born. Italian composer, pupil of Malvezzi, and singer.

1562 composes Missa Papae Marcelli

1567 Cremona

1579 Florence Peri Organist at Badia, Florence, 1579-1606.

1585 England Thomas Tallis dies

1585 Kostritz Heinrich SchutzBorn. German composer and organist, one of the greatest of Bach's predecessors. Studied law.

1588 Nicholas Yonge publishes Musica Transalpina and introduces the madrigal to England

1588 - 159 Italy Peri

1595 England writes Richard II and Romeo and Juliet

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Claudio Monteverdi

born; bridged renaissance and baroque; perfected the madrigal; wrote the first Opera= Orfeo. Wrote 9 books of madrigals: Book 8, Ottavo Libro, includes what many consider to be the perfected form of the madrigal, Madrigali dei guerrieri ed amorosi. bridged renaissance and baroque; perfected the madrigal; wrote the first Opera= Orfeo. Wrote 9 books of madrigals:

Entered service of Medici court 1588 and Mantuan court from early 1600s. Probably one of group of poets and musicians associated in Florence with Jacopo Corsi and Count Bardi in last quarter of the 16th century, and whose interest in reviving elements of German drama led to composition in monodic style of what is regarded as the first opera or musical drama, Dafne (1594-1598), to which Peri contributed the recitatives and some other items in collaboration with Corsi.

William Shakespeare

1594 dies

1600 Mass evolves into an unaccomanied contrapuntal style

1600 Italy Peri

1612 Italy dies

1623 England William Byrd dies

Baroque Music

1600 Europe

1600 Italy/Florence Peri

Heinrich Schutz Patron, impressed by his musical ability, sent him in 1609 to study in Venice with G. Gabrieli until 1612.

1613 Heinrich SchutzCourt organist, Kassel, 1613.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

This was followed by Euridice (1600), parts of which were composed by Peri's rival Caccini. Peri later wrote other operas, some in collaboration, ballets, madrigals, etc., only a few of which survive.

Giovanni Gabrieli

Baroque Period Name, meaning "irregularly shaped pear" applied later. Showed development of tonality, accent on solo voices for voice and instruments, and a much greater expression of emotion in the solo voices.

Probably one of group of poets and musicians associated in Florence with Jacopo Corsi and Count Bardi in last quarter of the 16th century, and whose interest in reviving elements of German drama led to composition in monodic style of what is regarded as the first opera or musical drama, Dafne (1594-1598), to which Peri contributed the recitatives and some other items in collaboration with Corsi. This was followed by Euridice (1600), parts of which were composed by Peri's rival Caccini. Peri later wrote other operas, some in collaboration, ballets, madrigals, etc., only a few of which survive. Organist at Badia, Florence, 1579-1606.

1609-1612

Kassel, Germany

Beginning of functional tonality.

1614 -38 Venice

Heinrich Schutz

1633 Florence Peri Dies.

Copenhagen Heinrich Schutz Spent three periods as court conductor in Copenhagen 1633-1645.

Venice

1643 VeniceMonteverdi died in Venice on November 29, 1643.

1645 1645 Heinrich Schutz

1653Nuremburg Born. German organist and composer.

1659 Henry Purcell

1632 Florence, Italy

Claudio Monteverdi

In his sixth, seventh, and eighth books of madrigals (1614-38) he moved away from the Renaissance ideal of equal-voiced polyphony toward the newer styles emphasizing melody, bass line, and harmonic support as well as personal, or dramatic, declamation.

1617-1657

Dresden, Germany

Kepellmeister, Dresden electoral court, 1617-1657. Spent three periods as court conductor in Copenhagen 1633-1645. Dresden with court orchestra from 1645. Composed first German opera, Dafne, 1627 (music destroyed by fire 1760). Revisited Italy 1628-1629. His special importance lies in his grafting of Italian choral and vocal style on to German polyphonic tradition.

1633-1645

1637 - 1642

Claudio Monteverdi

In 1637 the first public opera house was opened, and Monteverdi, stimulated by the enthusiastic response to opera, wrote a new series of operas, of which two remain, Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (The Return of Ulysses to His Homeland, 1641) and L'incoron

Claudio Monteverdi

In Dresden with court orchestra from 1645. Wrote magnificent settings of Passions, Christmas oratorio, 7 Words from Christ on the Cross, etc. Works published in 16 volumes 1885-1894.

Johann Pachelbell

Westminster, England

Born in Westminster (now London), Purcell was the son of a court musician and became a chorister in the Chapel Royal at the age of ten; when his voice broke, he was apprenticed to the keeper of the royal instruments and tuned the organ in Westminster Abbe

Jean-Baptiste Lully

Italian-born composer (French nationality from 1681). Self-taught violinist. At 14 went to France and worked as page to cousin of Louis XIV until prowess as dancer and mime was noted.

1653 near Milan Born. Italian violinist and composer. Studied in Faenza, Lugo

1653 Paris, FranceEntered service of Louis XIV 1653, composed instrumental music for the court ballets.

Paris

1659

BolognaStudies in Bologna.

1672 Dresden Heinrich Schutz Dies.

Vienna, AustriaDeputy organist, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, 1673-1676.

Paris

RomeBy 1675 was in Rome, where he became one of leading violinists

1677 England Henry Purcell Purcell was appointed composer for the court violins in 1677 upon the death of Matthew Locke.

1677 EisenachCourt organist Eisenach 1677.

Arcangelo Corelli

Jean-Baptiste Lully

1655 - 1662

Jean-Baptiste Lully

Some time before 1656 he became leader of 'les petits violons du Roi', a band of 21 players (an offshoot of the '24 violons du roi'), 'Instrumental composer to the King' 1653-61, 'Superintendent of Music and chamber music composer' 1661-2; 'music master t

Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Alessandro Scarlatti

Born. Italian composer, who helped to establish the Neapolitan style of opera that dominated 18th-century music. Born in Palermo, Sicily, he was probably trained in Rome under the Italian oratorio composer Giacomo Carissimi.

1666 - 1675

Arcangelo Corelli

1673 - 1676

Johann Pachelbel

1673 - 1687

Jean-Baptiste Lully

Having assimilated both Italian and French styles and tastes, from 1673 he turned to opera composition and obtained from the King exclusive rights to arrange operatic performances in Paris. For the next 14 years, working with the poet Quinault, he not onl

1675 - 1679

Arcangelo Corelli

Johann Pachelbell

1678 Venice, Italy Antonio Vivaldi

ErfurtOrganist, Protestant Predigerkirche, Erfurt, 1678-1690.

1679 RomeHis earliest known opera, L'errore innocente, was produced in Rome in 1679.

1680 England Henry Purcell

1681

England Henry Purcell

1684 Naples

1685 born

1685 Halle, Germany

RomeFrom 1687 was under patronage of Cardinal Pamphili

born. Italian composer and violinist. Son of violinist in orchestra of St. Mark's, Venice, under Legrenzi. Taught by father.

1678- 1690

Johann Pachelbell

Alessandro Scarlatti

He succeeded John Blow as abbey organist. later he was harpsichord player to James II. Purcell also taught music to the aristocracy, wrote ceremonial odes and anthems for royal events, and composed for the stage, church, and home.

Magdeburg,Germany

Georg Philipp Telemann

Born. German composer and organist. Self-taught by study of scores (especially those of Lully and Campra).

1682/1683

He became organist at the Chapel Royal in 1682 and was appointed composer in ordinary to the King's Musick (1683), a major post, under Charles II. Purcell is most famous for his theatrical music. His only true opera is Dido and Aeneas, a masterpiece base

Alessandro Scarlatti

In 1684 a more important work, Pompeo, was performed in Naples, and Scarlatti was appointed musical director at the Neapolitan court.

Eisenbach, Germany

Johann Sebastian Bach

Georg Friedrich Handel

Born. Son of surgeon/barber who opposed his musical aspirations but permitted lessons. Handel studied law and turned to music as a career after his father's death.

1687 - 1690

Arcangelo Corelli

Rome

1695 J.S. Bach

1695 England Henry Purcell He died in London on November 21, 1695, and was buried under the organ in Westminster Abbey.

Organist, St. Sebald, Nuremburg, 1695-1706.

1700 J.S. Bach becomes chorister at St. Michael's at Luneberg. Studied composition with Organist Georg Bohm

FlorenceIn 1702-3 he lived in Florence under the patronage of Ferdinand de Medici.

1703 Italy A. Vivaldi

1703 Arnstadt J.S. Bach Organist

1703 Hamburg G.F. Handel Goes to Hamburg to be second violinist at the Opera under the direction of composer Reinhard Keiser.

Rome

Scarlatti was assistant choirmaster at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome from 1703 to 1713.

1690 - 1692

Stuttgart, Germany

Johann Pachelbel

Court organist, Stuttgart, 1690-1692. His compositions influenced Bach. His church music, for long disregarded, has been highly revalued

1690 - 1713

Arcangelo Corelli

1690 under that of Cardinal Ottoboni. Lived in cardinal's palace and died a rich man with a fine art collection. His importance as a composer lies in his sonatas da camera and concerti grossi from which the solo sonata and the orchestra concertos of Händel and Bach evolved. His works are grouped under six opus numbers.

Ohrdruff, Germany

is orphaned and goes to live with his elder brother Joahnn Christoph, where he receives lessons in clavier and organ. Bach was a virtuoso organ solist. His works were considered old fashioned during his lifetime, and Telemann was much more famous and well thought of.

1695 - 1706

Nuremberg, Germany

Johann Pachelbell

Luneberg, Germany

1702-1703

Alessandro Scarlatti

Entered church, becoming priest, after 2 years never said Mass because of congenital chest complaint. Taught violin at orphanage (Ospedale della Pietà) from 1703 and gave recitals.

1703 - 1713

Alessandro Scarlatti

1713 Rome Dies.

1704 Leipzig G.P. TelemannOrganist, Neuekirche, Leipzig, 1704, having already written several operas.

1705 Hamburg G.F. Handel Writes his first Opera, Amira, which is performed there.

1706 Italy G.F. Handel

1707 Millhausen J.S. Bach Organist - marries cousin Maria Barbara Bach

1707 Florence G.F. Handel His opera Rodrigo was performed

Eisenach G.P. TelemannKapellmeister at Eisenach 1708-1712, moving then to Frankfurt.

Saxe-Weimar J.S. Bach

1709 Venice G.F. Handel His opera Agrippina was performed.

1709 Italy A. Vivaldi Published trio sonatas, Opus 1, 1705 and violin sonatas, Opus 2

1710 G.F. Handel

1712 G. F. HandelIn 1712 he received a pension of £200 a year for life from Queen Anne.

1713 Vincenza A. Vivaldi

Arcangelo Corelli

In 1706 Händel went to Italy in a prince's retinue, meeting Corelli, the Scarlattis, and other leading figures, and rapidly attaining mastery of Italian style in opera, chamber music, and vocal music.

1708 - 1712

1708 - 1717

Organist. Composes many of his great religious cantatas and organ works during this period. Leaves in disappointment at not being appointed Kappelmeister.

Hanover, Germany/ London, England

He was appointed court conductor in Hanover and was also invited to write and opera (Rinaldo) for London, where he quickly realized the possibilities for his own success and, after settling his affairs in Hanover, settled there permenately.

London, England

First opera, Ottone in villa, produced.

Naples A. Scarlatti

1714 Venice A. Vivaldi

1717 Anhalt-Cohten J.S. Bach

G. F. Handel

Rome A. ScarlattiFrom 1719 to 1723 he worked in Rome.

London/ Europe G.F. Handel

Italy A. Vivaldi

1720 Anhalt-Cohten J.S. Bach His first wife dies.

1721 Anhalt-Cohten J.S. Bach Marries Anna Maria Wilcken, aged 20, daughter of court trumpeteer, in December.

Hamburg G. P. Telemann

1713-1719

He reestablished himself in Naples in 1713, becoming musical director of the Austrian viceroy, and director of the Conservatorio di Sant' Onofrio. Scarlatti was one of the first opera composers to strongly differentiate the singing styles of aria and recitative. His opera overtures established the Neapolitan overture type, which has three movements, in fast, slow, and fast tempos. His cantatas, numbering more than 600, introduced many advanced harmonic procedures to the musical vocabulary of the time.

First Venetian opera, Orlando finto pazzo, performed.

Named Kappelmeister. Composes secular instrumental works per the direction of his sponsor. Composes the Brandenbergs, Composes klavier studies, probably for his children.

1717-1720

London, England

His pension for life being increased to £600 by King George I, his former ruler in Hanover, for whom in 1717 he composed the famous Water Music suite. From 1717 to 1720 Händel was resident composer to the Earl of Carnarvon (Duke of Chandos from April 171

1719-1723

1719 - 1727

Händel, in association with Giovanni Bononcini and Ariosti, was a music director of the so-called Royal Academy of Music (not a college but a business venture to produce Italian opera). Händel travelled abroad to engage singers and in the 8 years until th

1719-1725

Spent 3 years in service of Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt in Mantua, 1719 - 1721. Wrote operas for Mantua, Vicenza, Milan, and Rome 1721 - 1725. Among contemporaries who appreciated Vivaldi was J. S. Bach, who transcribed 10 Vivaldi concertos as harpsic

1721-1722

In 1721, went to Hamburg as Kantor of the Johanneum and musical director of the 5 main churces. When in 1722 an attempt was made to prevent his taking part in operatic performances, he retaliated by applying for the vacant post of Kantor at the Thomaskirc

1722/23 Leipzig J.S. Bach

1723 Naples A. Scarlatti He then returned to Naples and lived there until his death.

1727 London G. F. Handel

London G.F. Handel

London G.F. Handel

London G.F.Handel

Venice A. Vivaldi

1741 Vienna A. Vivaldi

1750 After becoming blind in the last year of his life, Bach dies.

G. F. Handel

applies for position of Kappelmeister at St Thomas, is not chosen but chosen party, Georg Telemann, withdraws. Bach performs St. Matthew's Passion at St. Thomas. Composes Mass in B Minor, Goldberg Variations, Christmas Cantata, etc.

For the coronation of George II, Händel wrote 4 anthems, including Zadok the Priest, wihich has been sung at every British coronation since then. The success of Gay's The Begger Opera and imitative works was the principle cause of the falling-away of sup

1729 - 1733

Back in London in partnership with Heidegger at the King's Theatre, Händel wrote Lotario (1729), Partenope (1730), and Orlando (1733).

1734 - 1740

In 1734 he moved to the new Covent Garden Royal Opera House, for which he wrote two of his greatest operas, Ariodante (produced January 1735) and Alcina (produced April 1735), but he recognized that the popularity of Italian opera was declining and began,

1737 - 1740

In 1737 Händel's health cracked under the strain of his operatic labours and he had a stroke. Following his recovery, he wrote a series of oratorios, including Messiah, produced Dublin, 1742. By this work his name is known throughout the world, yet it is

1737-1740

Production of a new Vivaldi opera at Ferrara was forbidden by papal authorities on ground that Vivaldi was a priest who did not say Mass and had a relationship with a woman singer. Despite intermittent disputes over the years, Vivaldi was still maestro a

He decided to leave Venice for Vienna, presumably in search of some court appointment, but died there, being buried in a pauper's grave.

Leipzig, Germany

Johann Sebastian Bach

1752 - 1759

London, England

For the last seven years of his life Händel was blind, but he continued to conduct oratorio performances and to revise his scores with the assistance of his devoted friend John Christopher Smith. His works were published by the German Händel Gesellschaft