Renaissance (1450-16000)
• Awakening of awareness (rebirth)
• Gun powder ended knighthood around this time
• Characterized by explorers: Vespucci, Columbus, Ponce De Leon
• Gothic Architecture prevalent
• Donatello (sculptures)
• Leonardo paints pictures of the nude human body
• Body is more impersonally presented (Mona Lisa)
•Period signalled a new age of music, both sacred and secular.
1.
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) Was born in Cramon. He introduced instruments with a solo and duet voice. He was choir master at saint marks (in Italy) and he published 5 texts. His work is based upon:
I. Polyphony (smooth combination)
II. Reflection of text (
word painting)
III. 16th century freedom of expressive harmonies
IV. Dissonance
English Madricals: Elizabethan Era was different from the Italian Madricals which gave more attention to the structure. Italians were more expressive and dramatic in their compositions.
Thomas Moreley, Thomas Veelkes, and John Viiby all became popular because of the printing press. They were also well know because their songs were easy to sing
*written in triple meter- more characterized by a song or dance*
2.
Acapella:
music without instruments is introduced and is mainly found in sacred music (characterized by that of the church)
•Organs were also very popular church instruments (required bellows to pump air into them to make a sound)
Growth of solo instruments happened
• 3rd’s and 6th’s intervals are added as opposed to just perfect 4th’s and 5ths (The use of imperfect intervals, thus creating different sounds)
°
Word Painting: Process of making music correlate with the words (example: when talking about heaven music notes go up; when talking about hell music notes go down).
°
Cantus Firmus – A fixed melody .It is the basis for elaborate ornamentation and other voices.
3.
Gullamne Dufuy (1400-1474)
-He was a driving force in the push for vocal polyphony. There was a great period of mass fostered by Dufuy.
Belogna was the first to use secular tunes as a cantus firmus.
*The metaphorical wall between sacred and secular begins to deteriorate.*
Mass was one of the principle types of compositions from Burgundy. At the time everyone was writing for the church (1420)
The following were all a part of the
ORDINARY part of mass:
•
Quievie
• Gloria
• Credo
• Sancedus
• Angus Dei
Everything else is mass is a part of the
PROPER. Cantus Firmus was the unifying object.
4.
Josquin Desprez
– Man of the Motet (1440-1521) He lived in France. Made 18 masses, 100 motets, 70 chansons’ (solos) and many other secular works
Motet- Originated in the 13th century. It consisted of an accompaniment (not as fast) by the lead (quicker).
5.
Council of Trent: Consisted of a counter reformation in which they were trying to bring back holiness
- Did not make music more liberal.
.Pope Marsellas Mass- Church style which was standard for the 16th century
*Palestrina =Bach of the Renaissance*
•
Madricals (spirituals)- holy book: through composed setting of a short poem based on love
• No set form (4-5 voices which were imitative)
• It is similar to a motet: Incorporates word painting which was extremely popular in this time.
°Palestrina (1525-1594) was born in Palestrina. He tried to get rid of 3rd’s and 6th’s and wanted to incorporate more god. He wrote pop Marcela’s Mass. The Mass was written in demand for polyphonic church music (consisting of 6 voices), doubling the tenor and the bass.
Over the course of his life, he wrote 104 masses, 250 motets, 50 spirituals (all in Italian), Absolute Reflection.
Instrument Developement
•The majority of renaissance music is vocal because of the fact that many orchestral instruments were in their infancy.
•Some instruments existing include; recorder, crumhorn, lute, sackbutt, viol, harpsichord, and clavichord.
Famos Composers
Monteverdi, Dufuy, desprea, and Palestrina
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