The RenaissanceThe RenaissanceThe RenaissanceThe Renaissance

What was the Renaissance?What was the Renaissance?

• Period following the middle ages (1400-1600)

• “Rebirth” of classical Greece and Rome

• Began in Italy

• Moved to northern Europe

• Period following the middle ages (1400-1600)

• “Rebirth” of classical Greece and Rome

• Began in Italy

• Moved to northern Europe

Causes of the RenaissanceCauses of the Renaissance

• Lessening of feudalism– Church disrespected– Nobility in chaos– Growth of Middle Class through trade

• Fall of Constantinople– Greek scholars fled to Italy

• Education• Nostalgia among the Italians to recapture

the glory of the Roman empire

• Lessening of feudalism– Church disrespected– Nobility in chaos– Growth of Middle Class through trade

• Fall of Constantinople– Greek scholars fled to Italy

• Education• Nostalgia among the Italians to recapture

the glory of the Roman empire

ObjectivesObjectivesDuring the middle ages

– Find God– Prove pre-conceived ideas

During the Renaissance– Find man– Promote learning

During the middle ages– Find God– Prove pre-conceived ideas

During the Renaissance– Find man– Promote learning

Northern and Late Renaissance

Northern and Late Renaissance

• RELIGION/POLITICS – Reformation; much RELIGION/POLITICS – Reformation; much political & religious violencepolitical & religious violence

• IDEAS – a skeptical HumanismIDEAS – a skeptical Humanism

• ART – a realism of everyday life: ART – a realism of everyday life: PORTRAITS, LANDSCAPES; oil paintingPORTRAITS, LANDSCAPES; oil painting

• MUSIC – conservative perfection (Palestrina) MUSIC – conservative perfection (Palestrina) & new approaches (madrigals)& new approaches (madrigals)

RenaissanceRenaissance

• 1st period to name itself and say nasty things about earlier times:“Gothic” & “Dark Ages”

• Term means “Rebirth”• Looking back to Classical culture –

Ancient Greece and Rome

• 1st period to name itself and say nasty things about earlier times:“Gothic” & “Dark Ages”

• Term means “Rebirth”• Looking back to Classical culture –

Ancient Greece and Rome

Middle Ages - people were parts of a greater whole; members of a family, trade guild, nation, or Church

Renaissance - human beings first began to think of themselves as individuals

Middle Ages - people were parts of a greater whole; members of a family, trade guild, nation, or Church

Renaissance - human beings first began to think of themselves as individuals

TimelineTimeline• Guttenberg Bible—1456• Columbus reaches America—1492• Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa—c. 1503• Michelangelo: David—1504• Raphael: School of Athens—1505• Martin Luther’s 95 theses—1517• Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet—1596

• Guttenberg Bible—1456• Columbus reaches America—1492• Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa—c. 1503• Michelangelo: David—1504• Raphael: School of Athens—1505• Martin Luther’s 95 theses—1517• Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet—1596

HumanismHumanism• Pursuit of individualism

– Recognition that humans are creative– Appreciation of art as a product of man

• Basic culture needed for all

• Life could be enjoyable

• Love of the classical past

• Pursuit of individualism– Recognition that humans are creative– Appreciation of art as a product of man

• Basic culture needed for all

• Life could be enjoyable

• Love of the classical past

Renaissance ManRenaissance Man

• Broad knowledge about many things in different fields

• Deep knowledge of skill in one area

• Able to link areas and create new knowledge

• Broad knowledge about many things in different fields

• Deep knowledge of skill in one area

• Able to link areas and create new knowledge

RealismRealism

That painting is the most to be praised which agrees most exactly with the thing imitated.

- Leonardo da Vinci

That painting is the most to be praised which agrees most exactly with the thing imitated.

- Leonardo da Vinci

• Names! Artists known by name – 1st contemporary art historian (1550)

• Individuality celebrated in this era

• Names! Artists known by name – 1st contemporary art historian (1550)

• Individuality celebrated in this era

Shakespeare Shakespeare

Part of a general revival of theater, which we Part of a general revival of theater, which we need to mention now, because OPERA is need to mention now, because OPERA is about to develop in the Baroque period.about to develop in the Baroque period.

HAMLET - 1602

• Church is still the biggest power structure

• Beginning of banking• Private fortunes & power• Starts in Italy – specifically Florence

• Church is still the biggest power structure

• Beginning of banking• Private fortunes & power• Starts in Italy – specifically Florence

REFORMATION

Josquin Ave Maria . . .

1500

Michelangelo

DonatelloDavid

Leonardo

Raphael

MichelangeloDavid

1400 1600

Renaissance timeline

Summary – Italian RenaissanceSummary – Italian RenaissanceSummary – Italian RenaissanceSummary – Italian Renaissance

• POLITICS – Italian city-states; power from money

• EARLY RENAISSANCE – Florence

• HIGH RENAISSANCE – Rome

• ART – Classical ideals revived; BIG 3

• IDEAS – Humanism returns

• MUSIC – Josquin & imitative counterpoint

The Old WayThe Old Way

Start with a bit of chant – a cantus

firmus

Add a nice active line that goes well with the cantus

firmus

Add a third active line that goes well with

the cantus firmus and the

other line

The Emerging Way?The Emerging Way?

Still very “linear” in conception, especially in its emphasis on IMITATIVE COUNTERPOINT, but more “vertical” in organization? (Careful control of dissonance; favoring triads.)

Basic structureBasic structure

• Words dominate

• Tone painting

• Words dominate

• Tone painting

• Printed in part-book or opposing-sheet format

• Intended for amateur performers (after dinner music)

• English madrigal

lighter & simpler

• Originated in Italy

Printing Printing

PrintingPrinting

JosquinJosquin(to the tune of the Beatles’ “Michelle”)

Josquin, the Man,

Wrote smooth counterpoint as no one can,

That guy Josquin.

Josquin DesprezJosquin Desprez

• 1st “Great Composer” glorified by contemporary and following generations

• new approach to composition?

a piece by Josquin

Musical NotationMusical Notation

• Invented to publish books of music

• Invented instruments

• Instrumental arrangements appeared

• Invented to publish books of music

• Invented instruments

• Instrumental arrangements appeared

The Reformation 1517The Reformation 1517• Martin Luther – a composer himself • Effort to reform creates new church• Sides with rulers against peasant

revolts• Printing press disseminates The Word• Boost to individualism• Consequences for music: Mass gone;

hymns

• Martin Luther – a composer himself • Effort to reform creates new church• Sides with rulers against peasant

revolts• Printing press disseminates The Word• Boost to individualism• Consequences for music: Mass gone;

hymns

The Counter-ReformationThe Counter-Reformation

Giovanni PalestrinaGiovanni Palestrina

• Adult life in Rome– Choirmaster, singer,/ director of music

• Reactionary period– Church suppressed music that did not enhance words of the

Mass– Polyphony was distracting

• Works were conservative

• Adult life in Rome– Choirmaster, singer,/ director of music

• Reactionary period– Church suppressed music that did not enhance words of the

Mass– Polyphony was distracting

• Works were conservative

Giovanni PalestrinaGiovanni Palestrina

• Wrote over 100 masses– Gregorian chant– Mass in Honor of Pope Marcellus

• Influenced later music

• Buried in St. Peter’s Basilica– “The Prince of Music”

• Wrote over 100 masses– Gregorian chant– Mass in Honor of Pope Marcellus

• Influenced later music

• Buried in St. Peter’s Basilica– “The Prince of Music”

Palestrina Palestrina

Chant a source of musical materials (revival & last gasp of cantus firmus technique)

Very refined; no text painting

Repetition avoided

“16th Century Counterpoint” still taught today – why? To teach control, focus & line

We usually celebrate innovators in history – Palestrina was a consolidator and perfecter of a soon-to-fade style

Palestrina – a storyPalestrina – a storyThe Church was about to ban polyphonic music from the church, because it obscured the sacred text.

In response, Palestrina then composed the Missa Papae Marcelli, which, depite its 6-part texture, features very clear text-setting.

The powers-that-be heard its merit & beauty and music was SAVED!

Charming story, often told, but alas not true.

Secular MusicSecular Music

• New instruments• Chansons favored in the

court– Courtly Love

• Madrigals– Poetry and Music

• New instruments• Chansons favored in the

court– Courtly Love

• Madrigals– Poetry and Music

Music at

Court

Music at

CourtDances Dances

• Instrumentation unspecified; usually a consort (group) of a family of instruments of uniform timbre

• Dances are collected into suites (Baroque) which evolve into symphonies (Classical)

• Instrumentation unspecified; usually a consort (group) of a family of instruments of uniform timbre

• Dances are collected into suites (Baroque) which evolve into symphonies (Classical)

Instrumental MusicInstrumental Music• Still subordinate to vocal music• Used more often to accompany voices• Sometimes played adapted vocal music alone• Published music stated that parts could be

sung or played• Dancing became ever more popular• Composers did not specify instrumentation

• Still subordinate to vocal music• Used more often to accompany voices• Sometimes played adapted vocal music alone• Published music stated that parts could be

sung or played• Dancing became ever more popular• Composers did not specify instrumentation

Music at Court

Origin of term obscure

A type of song for multiple voice parts

Text is a rhyming poem, usually with sections of repetition & is usually about

Love

MadrigalsMadrigals

Music at Court

MadrigalsMadrigals• Popular-at-court-&-wealthy-homes music

• In Italy and England

• Participatory, not passive music

• text-painting

• importance of words homorhythmic texture

• Popular-at-court-&-wealthy-homes music

• In Italy and England

• Participatory, not passive music

• text-painting

• importance of words homorhythmic texture