Music in the Renaissance Era

1420-1600

First Generation Renaissance Vocal Polyphony

England and Burgundy 1420-1450

Part I:

England

Sacred Polyphony on Latin Texts• Faburden

– improvised polyphony– 3 voices, middle voice is

chant– 6/3, except cadences

• Cantilenas– Latin, not based on chant

• Isorhythmic Motet• Mass ordinary

• Carol– Polyphonic, 2 or 3 parts– Poetry in English and/or Latin– Religious subjects– Stanzas and refrain (burden)– 6/3, except cadences– Alleluia: A newë work

Faburden

John Dunstable (1390-1453) composer, astronomer, mathematician served several royal and noble patrons born in England Isorhythmic motets

3rds, 5ths, 6ths Mass Ordinary sections, chant settings, free

settings of liturgical texts Secular songs brought the English style “contenance

Angloise” to France Quam pulchra es; motet

3 equal voices homophonic: all parts in the same

rhythm Same syllables Consonant, except for brief suspensions 6/3 only leading into cadence

Burgundy

Gilles de Bins (Binchois) (ca. 1400-1460)• composer, singer, organist• court composer• International style

France—structure, rhythmic interest

Italian—lyrical melodies English—3rds & 6ths, controlled

dissonance secular: Chanson

polyphonic setting of a French poetry

formes fixes three voices

Cantus—main melody Tenor—contrapuntal support Contratenor—harmonic filler

De plus en plus; rondeau• sacred: mass movements,

magnificats, motets

DuFay and Binchois

Guillaume DuFay (ca. 1397-1474) court composer, traveled to Italy and Savoy

international style Secular: Chansons

Se la face ay pale; ballade Sacred:

Motets and Chant Settings 3 voices (like chansons)

Masses—cantus firmus Missa se la face ay pale

Gloria (start at 3:31) each movement like an isorhythmic motet cantus firmus from chanson 4 voices

Cantus (discantus, superius)—highest voice contratenor altus—above tenor tenor—structural voice contratenor bassus—lowest, harmonic foundation

Isorhythmic motets—for solemn public ceremonies Nuper rosarum flores—performed @ dedication of Brunelleschi’s

Dome in Florence

5 Ways Vocal Polyphony Changed During the Renaissance

Medieval Renaissance

1. Metercompound

triple ?

2. CadencesLandini Cadence

Double Leading-tone Cadence ?

3. Texture3 voices:melodic cantusslow tenorcontratenor filling in harmonies

?

4. Chansons

?

5. Masses

?

1420-1450 Dunstable, Binchois, DuFay

1450-1480 Ockeghem, Busnoys

1480-1520 Obrecht, Isaac, Des Prez

Renaissance Vocal Music

SECULAR

MASSES

Resveilles Vous DuFay•ballade, aabC•6/8•Landini, double-leading-tone cadences•3rds and 6ths, not @ cadences•3 voices, slow tenorMissa se la face ay pale DuFay•cantus firmus mass•3/4•Landini cadences•3rds and 6ths, not @ cadences•4 voices, cantus firmus tenor