the enjoyment of music 11th, shorter edition the middle ages & the renaissance unit 1 – part 2

The Enjoyment of Music 11th, Shorter Edition

THE MIDDLE AGES & THE RENAISSANCE

UNIT 1 – PART 2


PRELUDE 2: EARLY MIDDLE AGES

THE CULTURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES & RENAISSANCE


“Hearing” from The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry (late 15th century)

PRELUDE 2: MIDDLE AGES (476 – 1460) ALSO CALLED THE “MEDIEVAL PERIOD”

• Fall of Roman Empire

• Growth of Christianity (Roman Catholic Church)

• Fuedal Society – clergy, nobility, and peasant classes

• Illiterate except clergy (monks – monasteries, nuns - convents)

• “Patronage” (support, employment) for music by the Church

• Art style = symbolic, impersonal, iconic


Early Middle Ages (to 1000)


SACRED MUSIC IN THE MIDDLE AGES

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12. SACRED MUSIC IN THE MIDDLE AGES

• The Mass• Ordinary of the Mass• 5 parts of the worship service that do not change – EVER!

• Latin (Vatican II, 1932 – 1965)

• Proper of the Mass• 5 parts of the worship service that could be altered

• Would be changed according to feast days, holidays, baptisms, weddings, funerals, etc


ORDINARY OF THE MASS

• Kyrie (Greek) • Lord have mercy

• Christ have mercy

• Lord have mercy

• Gloria• Glory to God in the highest and in Earth, peace to men of

goodwill.

• Credo• Literally, “I Believe”


ORDINARY OF THE MASS

• Sanctus• Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.Hosanna in the highest.

• Blessed is He that comethin the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.

• Agnus Dei• Lamb of God,

Who takest away the sins of the world,have mercy upon us.Lamb of God.Grant us peace.


CHAPTER 12. SACRED MUSIC IN THE MIDDLE AGES

• First written music• Texture: Monophonic (choral with no accompaniment)• Rhythm: Nonmetric• Responsorial (soloist, then chorus)• Harmony: church modes (‘modal’)• Latin text - syllabic, neumatic, and melismatic


Gregorian Chant (plainchant, plainsong)

Hildegard of Bingen, Alleluia, O virga mediatrix


Gregorian Chant Notation

TEXT SETTINGS FOR CHANT

• Syllabic: one note for each word or syllable example – Row, Row, Row Your Boat

• Neumatic: two to four notes per syllable

example – higher range of middle section - Hildegard, Alleluia

• Melismatic: many notes per syllable example - ‘Gloria’ from Angels We Have Heard on High

example - opening of Hildegard, Alleluia (below)


Melismatic

HILDEGARD OF BINGEN

• German (Holy Roman Empire)

• Founded her own convent

• Scholar: writings on science, medicine, religion, philosophy, poetry, and music


(NOTRE DAME) ORGANUM

• Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris• First polyphonic music

(non-imitative)• The development of precise

rhythm and pitch notation• Often based on pre-existing chants

(“cantus firmus”)• 2-part music by Leonin,

3rd and 4th parts by Perotin


Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris (1163–1235)

Notre Dame School, Guade Maria virgo


PRELUDE 2: THE LATE MIDDLE AGES


PRELUDE 2: LATE MIDDLE AGES

• Feudal society ending• Modern Nation/States, developing (France, England, etc.)• Opening of East & West (trade, cultural exchange)• Crusades• Cities & first Universities (centers of art and culture)• Rising influence of Royal Courts – Second source of “patronage”



SECULAR MUSIC IN THE MIDDLE AGES

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 13. SECULAR MUSIC - LATE MIDDLE AGES

• Ars Nova (new art) – music style first in France, then Italy• Minstrels (ie: troubadours, trouveres, etc.)• Secular dance - instrumental, improvised, instruments not

specified• Secular songs (ie: chanson) – settings of poetry, may be

monophonic or polyphonic


MAUCHAUT

• French• Employed by church and royal courts• Composed “Notre Dame Mass” (First

complete polyphonic setting of Ordinary)• Sacred music and secular songs (chanson)


Mauchaut, Pius qu’en oubli (Chanson)


(continued on next page)


PRELUDE 2:THE RENAISSANCE


PRELUDE 2: THE RENAISSANCE1450 - 1600

• Renaissance – “rebirth” or “renewal” – began in Italy.• Destruction of Constantinople – scholars, artists fled west.• The “awakening of intellectual awareness” and the “beginning of

the modern era (in Western society)”• Humanism – focus on human achievements (science, discovery,

ideas, reasoning)• Secularization - focus on daily life, as opposed to religious ideas• Interest in ancient Greece and Roman culture, art, philosophy


PRELUDE 2: RENAISSANCE

• World exploration (ie: Columbus)• Scientific discovery (ie: Galileo)• Invention of Printing Press:

increased musical literacy,‘amateur’ musician’ - (merchant or middle & upper classes) music in home

• Art – realism (expressive face, poses) sense of motion and drama, the human nude in sculpture,(ie: daVinci, Michelangelo)

• Music as an ‘expressive’ art.


Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci


RENAISSANCE SACRED MUSICCHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14. RENAISSANCE SACRED MUSIC


• the Golden Age of “a-cappella” singing(choir or voices without instruments)

• imitative polyphony dominant (with other textures)

• some based on “cantus firmus” (pre-existing melody)

• harmony = modal but with fuller chords

CHAPTER 14. JOSQUIN

• Singer• Franco-Flemish (northern France)• Employed royal courts & church -

Duke of Ferrara – northern Italy,Papal Choir – Rome,late in life – returned to France

• *Motets, masses, and secular chansons


CHAPTER 14. MOTET

• Most important genre of early polyphonic music

• Sacred music (during the Rennaisance)

• Timbre: SATB choir – ‘a-cappella’

• Texture: mostly polyphonic (imitative)with some homorhythmic


14. RENAISSANCE SACRED MUSIC THE REFORMATION AND COUNTER-REFORMATION

• Text in the vernacular (common language)• More “congregational singing”• Hymn tunes - simple melodies, homophonic texture, (ie: Bach)

• Pure vocal music (no instruments)• Text in the traditional Latin• No secular tunes/influences• Clarity of text - simplified textures (ie: Palestrina)


(Protestant) Reformation (Martin Luther)

Counter-Reformation (Council of Trent)

CHAPTER 14. PALESTRINA

• Italian, organist, and choirmaster• Employed – St. Peters Basilica and Sistine Chapel• Mostly sacred music Mass –

the liturgical music of Roman Catholic Church,(approved by the Council of Trent) also motets, some secular madrigals

• Style: Timbre =‘a-cappella’ (5 or 6 voices in the choir)Texture = mostly polyphonic with other textures


Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria


RENAISSANCE SECULAR MUSICCHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 15. RENAISSANCE SECULAR MUSIC

• Professional musicians: courts and civic functions

• Merchant-class amateurs: music in the home

• Instrumental dance music (instruments not specified)

• Vocal music : Chanson and “Madrigal”


15. RENAISSANCE SECULAR MUSICTHE ITALIAN MADRIGAL

• Madrigals began in Italy

• Text: based on a secular poem

• Aristocratic court entertainment

• Timbre: a few solo voices (ie: quartet)

• “Word Painting” - music style reflecting the meaning of the text


WORD PAINTING EXAMPLESFROM MONTEVERDI “A UN GIRO SOL” (AT A SINGLE TURNING

GLANCE) • The breeze laughs all about

• The sea becomes calm

• The sky becomes more radiant

• I alone am sad and weeping, doubtless on the day you were born, so cruel and wicked, my death was also born.


CHAPTER 15. RENAISSANCE THE ENGLISH MADRIGAL

• “Elizabethan” age of literature (ie: Shakespeare)

• Simpler and lighter in style/story, cheerful, humorous

• Refrain syllables (fa-la-la)

• Word-painting (examples - Farmer “Fair Phyllis”)


CHAPTER 15. RENAISSANCETHE ENGLISH MADRIGAL

John Farmer

• Active in Ireland and England

• Organist and choirmaster

• English madrigals & songs


Farmer, Fair Phyllis

Typical pastoral scene, by Zick

SUSATO: THREE DANCES

• Susato: Belgium composer• Set of 3 rondes (rounds)

• Performed by a wind band (instruments not specified)

• Each section in Binary form (A-A-B-B) (C-C-D-D) (E-E-F-F)


15. RENAISSANCE SECULAR MUSIC


the enjoyment of music 11th, shorter edition the middle ages & the renaissance unit 1 – part 2

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