Renaissance Period
1400-1600 A.D.
In the mid-1500s, a prominent bishop commented
that music composed
for the church should reflect the meaning
of the words so that the listeners
would be moved to piety. This concept
seems like a no-brainer today,
but it was a fairly new idea at the time.
To suggest that Medieval
composers had no desire to write "expressive"
music would be unfair.
But, it was the rediscovery of ancient
Greek ideals in the Renaissance that
inspired many musicians to explore the
eloquent possibilities of their art.
The increased value of individualism in
the Renaissance is reflected by the
changing role of the composer
in society. Unlike most of their Medieval
predecessors, the great masters of the
Renaissance were revered in their
own lifetimes. The technique of printing
music, while slow to evolve,
helped in the preservation and distribution
of music and musical ideas.
Sacred music was still
predominant, though secular music became more
prevalent and more sophisticated. The
repertory of instrumental
music
also began to expand significantly. New
instruments were invented,
including the clavichord and virginal
(both keyboard instruments) and
many existing instruments were improved.
Masses and motets
were the primary forms of sacred vocal polyphony.
Secular vocal forms included
motets,
madrigals and songs (generally
accompanied by lute or a small instrumental
ensemble or "consort").
Instrumental pieces were usually short
polyphonic
works or music for
dancing.
Compared with the Medieval
style, Renaissance polyphony
was lush and
sonorous. The era between Josquin Desprez
and Palestrina
is known as
"the golden age of polyphony."
Imitation--where
one melodic line shares,
or imitates the same musical theme
as a previous melodic line--became an
important polyphonic
technique. Imitation was one method composers
used to make complex music more easily
comprehensible and give the
listener a sense of structure.
Imitative polyphony can be heard in the
masses and motets
of composers
from Josquin onward and is featured in
instrumental
music by Byrd, Gibbons, and the Gabriellis.
Sound
-women added to songs
-men still sing
-instruments added for accompaniment
Texture
-Little thicker then Medieval
-polyphonic
-different parts weave in and out of each other.
-The parts interact.
-very linear
-homophonic
-all parts move with melody in same rhythm
-melody and accompaniment
Harmony
-harmony comes from the
melody
-it results from interaction
of melody
-harmonies are perfect octaves,
perfect fifths, and perfect fourths, (sometimes 3rds near cadence points)
-no complete triads
-harmony is introduced
-harmonies are modal
Rhythm
-Introduction of meter (from
rhythmic modes)
-Lots of syncopation- accents
on upbeats
Melody
-lots of notes
-larger intervals
than Medieval
-bigger range than Medieval
-Forms of Imitation of Melody-
1. Transposition- play same melody in different key
2. Cannon- start at different times
3. Augmentation- slow down note value; to make bigger, longer
4. diminution- to shorten tempo, play melody faster
5. Retrograde- play a melody backwards
6. Inversion- play upside down
7. Retrograde inversion- backwards and upside down
Form
-sacred
forms
-music was used for worship
-mass was a popular form
-a mass is a church service (from Catholicism)
-all music is written for the theme of the service
1. Kyrie- The first part of a mass
-Kyrie is Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy
-(Forgive me)
2. Gloria- The second part of the mass.
-(Godis great)
3. Credo- The third part of a mass.
-(Statement of beliefs.)
4. Sanctus- The fourth part of a mass
-Holy, Holy
-(bread and wine turn into Christ’s blood.)
5. Agnus Dei- The fifth part of a mass
-lamb of God
-(Have mercy)
6. Communion
7. Benedictus- The sixth part of a mass
-Go in peace.
-(You’re OK)
-Every week, musicians write different songs for each part of the mass.
-Types of Mass:
-plain song mass- composers rewrite monophonic
chant into polyphonic setting
(add parts)
-parody mass- composers take any existing music and put it into a polyphonic
setting.
-cantus firmus- one melody or chant was used for everything in the whole
mass
-Motet- a type of form
-separate part of sacred music.
-It is not part of the mass.
-Text comes from other stuff.
-Accompanied by instruments
-Isorhythmic Motet-
-rhythmic pattern repeated over and over by the instrument
-Hymn- another type of sacred form
-sung by congregation
-homophonic
-Secular
forms
-Madrigal
-basically English
-polyphonic
-sung after feast
Important Composers
Palestrina-
wrote a ton of music (c. 1525-1594)
-some people think he was the greatest composer of the Renaissance
Monteverdi-
He did a lot of instrumental work.
-He laid the ground work for Opera.
Gesualdo- Most people thought
he was possessed by Satin (1560-1613)
-extremely ahead of his time
-not afraid to use dissonance
Johannes Ockeghem (c. 1410-1497)
Josquin Desprez (c. 1440-1521)
Andrea Gabrielli (c. 1510-1586)
Orlande de Lassus (1532-1594)
William Byrd (1543-1623)
Giovanni Gabrielli (c. 1554-1612)
John Dowland (1563-1626)
Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
Miscellaneous
-period nicknamed "Ars Nova"- the new art
-added instruments
-added women
-added polyphony
-Renaissance means rebirth
-instrumental
music was written as if it were for voices.
Recommended Recordings