Transcript get Assignment File - Valley R-6

Renaissance
1450-1600
Important People

Shakespeare (1564-1616)
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Copernicus (1473-1543)
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Magellan (1480-1521)
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Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Leonardo da Vinci
Printing Music!!!
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Printing from movable type
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C. 1450: “Gutenberg Bible”
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Ottaviani Petrucci (Venice): first to
apply this concept to music
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1501: 3 impressions (staff, notes,
text)
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1520: 1 impression
Renaissance Music
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Smoother, more homogenous sound
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Texture: Homophony with “points of imitation” (counterpoint)
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Instrumental music gradually gains in importance (more of this music is
preserved)
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Gradual use of greater chromaticism
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New tuning systems evolve
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More expressive music and text more closely aligned
English Music in the 1400s
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English music always tended towards homophony & a feeling of “sweeter”
tonality
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More use of 3rds and 6ths
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Carol: religious poem set in popular style
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Alternates between 2 and 3 voice texture
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When two voices: lots of parallel 6th
John Dunstable (c. 1390- December 24,
1453)
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Most important English composer
of this era
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His style: important influence on
European composers (He worked in
both France and England)
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Wrote: Isorhythmic Motets,
Settings of the Ordinary of the
Mass, other sacred & secular
compositions
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Quam pulchra es: Homorhythmic
and Triadic
Guillaume Dufay (c. 1397-1474)
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Most famous composer of the era
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Born near Brussels
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Illegitimate son of a priest & an
unmarried woman
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Worked in Italy & ended up as
Canon of Cathedral in Cambria (NE
France)
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Wrote: masses, isorhythmic,
motets, rondeau, ballades, secular
songs
“Burgundian” Masses
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Cantus Firmus Masses:
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Use the same melody in the tenor of each movement of the Ordinary of the Mass
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Tenor: could be chant OR the tenor of polyphonic secular song
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If the tenor was from a polyphonic song, the mass would often be called by the
title of the song.
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Thus Mass L’ homme arme
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Tenor: would be written in relatively long note values and could receive
isorhythmic treatment, except when it comes from a popular song in which case it
will retain the original rhythm, often in prolonged note values
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SATB
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Tends towards fauxbourdon textures
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Example: Ballade- Se la face ay pale; missa Sa la face ay pale
Josquin des Prez (c. 1450-1521)
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Born in N. France (near Belgium) (in
land controlled by the Dukes of
Burgundy)
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1470s: Worked for Duke Anjou
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Moved to Italy
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Worked for Sforza family, rulers of
Milan, in 1480s
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1489-1495: Member of the Papal
Choir
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1501-03: Worked for King Louis XII of
France
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1504: Provost of Church of Notre
Dame in native region (Conde sur
l’Escaut)
Josquin des Prez Music
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Motets
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Chansons (including instrumental works)
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Masses
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“Imitation” Mass (Imitating a pre-existing work) (“Parody Mass”)
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“Paraphrase” Mass: paraphrasing (using) pre-existing melodies in all four voices
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Homophonic sections alternate with imitative sections
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Use of “text depiction” (word painting) and “text expression” (overall mood)
Reformation
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Started with Martin Luther (1489-1546)
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Monk, priest, and “Doctor of the church”
(taught at University of Wittenburg)
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Posted his “95 Thesis” on the door of a
Church (initially, primarily opposed to the
sale of “indulgences”) on October 31, 1517
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Ultimately, came into conflict with the
Pope and was excommunicated in 1521
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This lead to the formation of the Lutheran
Church and the beginning of Protestantism
(“Reformation”), which spread rapidly,
especially throughout Northern Europe.
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Developed the Lutheran theology which
departed from Catholicism in a number of
ways
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Translated the Bible into the vernacular
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Wrote music that encouraged
congregational singing
Early Lutheran Church
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Retained much of Latin chant &
polyphony
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Some of the Latin: translated into
German
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German Mass: Published by Luther
in 1526
Lutheran Chorale
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Most important (musical) innovation of the Lutheran Church
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Originally, just a text and a tune (monophonic)
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Intended for congregational singing
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Strophic
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In German
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Simple rhythms (Syllabic)
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Many text & some melodies written by Luther himself
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“Ein Feste Burg:” one of the most famous
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Also, “Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland”
Reformation Music Outside Germany
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Calvin & other Protestant sects opposed Catholic liturgy, ceremony,
and music much more than the Lutherans
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Prohibited singing any texts or hymns
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Notable musical contribution: Psalter (Psalms used as texts for hymns)
Protestant Church in England
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England separates from Rome: 1534
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Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
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William Byrd (1540-July 4, 1623)
William Byrd
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English composer
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Remained a Catholic, wrote for both
Catholic & Anglican Churches
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Post with Chapel Royal
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In contact with the English court:
Queen Elizabeth (1533-1603; Reigned
from 1558-1603): Moderate Protestant;
enjoyed elaborate ritual & music
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Very influential composer
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Wrote 470 works
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Songs, Madrigals, Masses, Anglican
Church Music, Instrumental Music
(Consort Music)
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Students included Thomas Morley &
Thomas Tomkins
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Example: Sing joyfully unto God
Italian Madrigal
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Most important genre of Italian secular music in the 16th century
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Originated in Italy in the 1520s
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Characteristics
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Through composed
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Sung at aristocratic gatherings
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For mixed voices (Female and Male)
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Texts were poems of serious nature (Petrarch)
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In 4 and later 5 and 6 parts
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Intended for performance with one on a part
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Instruments could double or substitute for one or more parts
Cipriano de Rore (1516-1565)
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Franco-Flemish composer who
worked in Italy
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Leading Madrigalist of his
generation
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Also wrote Masses &
Motets/worked at St. Mark’s
Cathedral in Venice
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Taught by Franco-Flemish
composer Jacob (Jacques) Arcadelt
Instrumental Genres
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Dance Music
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Arrangements of vocal music
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Settings of existing melodies
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Variations
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Abstract instrumental works
Instrumental Usage
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Instruments often used in “blended” ensembles of matching instruments of
varying sizes
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Notion of a “family” of instruments playing together: “Consort” of
instruments
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Example: used for banquets
Notion also of “loud” (“haut”) vs. soft (“bas”) instruments
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Example: used for Queen Elizabeth going to sleep
Lute Family
Instrument Families
Crumhorn Family
Viola da Gamba Family
Recorder Family
Other Instruments
Vihuela
Sackbut
Virginal
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525/61594)
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Probably born in Palestrina (n. Rome)
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Organist & choirmaster at Cathedral in Palestrina (1544-1550)
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1550: Bishop at Palestrina: elected Pope (became Pope Julius III): 1550-1555
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Palestrina’s first & most influential patron
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Brought Palestrina to Rome
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1551: Appointed to Julian Chapel, Rome
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1555: Admitted to Papal Chapel
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1555: Next Pope: Pope Marcellus, who only reigned for 6 weeks

Palestrina ultimately dedicated one of his masses to this Pope: the “Pope
Marcellus Mass” that reputedly “saved” polyphony for the church
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Stays in Rome for the rest of his life, positions at Julian Chapel & other
churches in Rome
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1580: Wife died of the plague
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1581: Married a wealthy widow; continued to compose, publish his music, etc.
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Commissioned to revise official chant books in line with recommendations
from Council of Trent
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Wrote 104 Masses, over 300 Motets, many other scared liturgical works
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Early in his life, also wrote some secular madrigal
Palestrinian Style
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Known as the “Stile autico” or “Stile Palestrina:” imitated, studied, and held
as a model by many successive generations
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Used cantus firmus for a few of his compositions
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Tends towards 4 rather than 5 or 6 parts
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Avoids chromaticism
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Step-wise motion in voices (“chant-like”)
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Flowing melodies
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Dissonances resolved
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Rhythmic flow: gently marked feeling of cut time or common time
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Very transparent texture
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Use of homorhythm/imitation
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Text expression/text depiction
Council of Trent
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Catholic Church’s way of dealing
with Reformation
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Referred to as the “CounterReformation”
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Music had too much congregational
singing, couldn’t understand the
words, and there were instruments
and chromaticism
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Thought about going back to
chanting
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Palestrina’s “Pope Marcellus Mass”
saved polyphonic music