History of Music
 
 
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.