music in the renaissance (1450-1600) projects in music theory mrs. safari pascack valley high school
TRANSCRIPT
Music in The Renaissance (1450-1600)
Projects in Music Theory Mrs. Safari
Pascack Valley High School
Renaissance Time Line
1450-1500
Josquin Desprez:Ave Maria…Virgo Serena (c. 1475)
Arts and letters: Botticelli, La Primavera (1477)
Historical events:Fall of Constantinople (1453)Gutenberg Bible (1456)Columbus reaches America (1492)
Renaissance Time Line
1500-1600Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina:
Pope Marcellus Mass (1563)Leonardo Da Vinci, Mona Lisa (c. 1503)Michelangelo, David (1504)Raphael, School of Athens
(1505)Titan, Venus and the Lute Player
(c. 1570)
Renaissance Time Line
1500-1600
Thomas Weelkes: As Vesta Was Descending (1601)
Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1596)
Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses, start of the Reformation (1517)
Council of Trent (1545-63)
Elizabeth I, queen of England (1558-1603)
Spanish Armada defeated (1588)
The Renaissance
Rebirth, or renaissance of human creativity
Period of exploration and adventure (Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan)
Curiosity and individualism (Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci). Interest in realism
Humanism
Catholic Church is less powerful than during Middle Ages – Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation
More books are printed in Europe
Music in the Renaissance 1450-1600
Every educated person is expected to be trained in music
Renaissance town musicians: higher pay and status
Flemish composers: parts of the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France. Germany, England and Spain – other countries with a vibrant musical life
Characteristics of Renaissance Music
Words and music
Vocal music is more important than instrumental
Music enhances the meaning and emotion of the text. Word painting: musical representation of specific poetic images
Moderate, balanced way of expression: no extreme contrasts of dynamics, tone color or rhythm
Characteristics of Renaissance Music
TextureChiefly polyphonic. 4, 5 or 6 voice parts with equal melodic interestImitation is commonHomophonic texture is also usedFuller sound than medieval: bass registerMild and relaxed: consonant chords.Golden age of a capella
Characteristics of Renaissance Music
Rhythm and melody
Rhythm is a gentle flow: each melodic line has great rhythmic independence
Melody usually moves along a scale with few large leaps
Sacred Music in the Renaissance
2 main forms: Motet and Mass
Motet – polyphonic choral work set to sacred Latin text other than the ordinary of the mass
Mass – polyphonic choral work with 5 sections: KyrieGloriaCredoSanctusAgnus Dei
Josquin Desprez (1440-1521) and the Motet
A Flemish composer from Belgium, contemporary of Leonardo Da Vinci and Columbus
Ave Maria…virgo serena: 4-voice motet
Texture is varied: polyphonic and homophonic
Duple/triple meter change
Palestrina (1525-1594)and the Mass
Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
104 masses and some 450 other sacred works
For centuries, his masses are regarded as models of church music
Palestrina’s Pope Marcellus Mass
A capella choir SATTBB
Kyrie – 1st section of the mass:
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
Secular Music
Vocal music: groups of solo voices with the accompaniment. Word painting was commonMadrigal – a piece for several solo voices set to a short poem, usually about love. Combines homophonic and polyphonic textures. More unusual harmoniesOriginated in Italy around 1520. Became popular in England. English madrigals are lighter and more humorous than ItalianAs Vesta Was Descending by Thomas Weelkes (1575-1623), and organist and church composer
The Renaissance Ballet (Fa-La)
A simpler type of secular vocal music
A dance-like song for several voices
Mostly homophonic in structure. Fa-la syllables are used as refrain
Now Is the Month of Maying (1595) by Thomas Morley (1557-1603), English composer
Each stanza:
AA – refrain – BB - refrain
Instrumental Music
Instrumental music becomes more independentMost music is for dance:
Pavane or passamezzo– duple meterGalliard – triple meter
Harpsichord, organ, lute, recorder, trumpet, cornett, sackbut (early trombone), viol, regal (small organ with reed pipes), shawm (ancestor of the oboe)Instrumental form of theme and variations
The Venetian School: from Renaissance to Baroque
16th century Venice – a center of instrumental and vocal music
Venetian School – music directors and organists of St. Mark’s Cathedral and their colleagues
Giovanni Gabrieli (1555-1612)and the Polychoral Motet
The most important Venetian composer of the late RenaissancePolychoral motets – motets for 2 or more choirs, often with instrumentalistsPlaudite (Clap Your Hands), 1597. Written for a large vocal and instrumental ensemble of 12 voice parts divided into 3 choirs: low, middle and high register choirsThe homophonic structure of this piece brings it closer to Baroque style