Music HistoryMedieval to Renaissance

End of the Medieval Period Music occurring in three

main social spheres: Church, Court, & Village

Court & Village music becoming more popular, BUT…

Church music develops from monophony to polyphony!

Organum Organum: Chant + 1 or more melodic lines Chant goes from strictly unison to parallel

melodies at the fourth, fifth, and octave (9th—11th Century)

Began as improvisation, hard to know when it began because it was written down after the fact

Free organum (11th—12th Century) uses contrary motion, voices crossing, still highly improvised

Monophony v. Polyphony

Parallel Motion/Organum

Contrary Motion/Free Organum

Renaissance Culture (1450-1600) Renaissance = Rebirth Return to the classics (back to the Greeks!) Humanism = Focus on human life and accomplishments Sense of optimism and confidence Invention of printing! Composers start to become stars Educated people studied music

Renaissance Musical Style Church: Extension into choirs, still composing for the Mass Court: Center of musical life Town: Musicians paid more and enjoyed higher status Vocal music still most important Music enhances meaning and emotion of text (word painting) Polyphonic Composers thinking in terms of chords, all lines conceived

together Rhythm: Overall gentle flow, each line has rhythmic

independence

The Madrigal Genre of secular vocal music Several solo voices, usually a cappella Set to a short poem, usually about love Word painting! Language: in the vernacular

As Vesta Was Descending Let’s listen…

Instrumental Music of the Renaissance Not as important as vocal music Accompanied voices or played music meant for singing Polyphonic Lute, shawm, recorder

Renaissance Dances Important social pastime Pavane Galliard