Transcript Part 1 The Materials of Music

MUSIC HISTORY
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
MUSIC OF THE RENAISSANCE
DATES:
1400AD to 1600AD
MAJOR EVENTS
THE RENAISSANCE
• Renaissance means “rebirth”
• Was a time of great cultural
awakening called “humanism”
• Considered to be the bridge
between the Dark Ages and
Modern History
• Great strides in the Arts & Sciences
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
• Development of the compass made
voyages of discovery possible that
opened up new worlds (Columbus,
Vespucci, Ponce de Leon, etc.)
• Invention of printing press (c. 1455) by
Johannes Gutenberg
• Michelangelo’s David
• Great and lavish palaces exemplified the
ideals of order and balance
PROMINENT FIGURES
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Leonardo da Vinci – Painter – 1452 to 1519
Michelangelo – Sculptor – 1475 to 1564
Martin Luther – Religious Reformer – 1483 to 1546
Machiavelli – Italian Statesman – 1469 to 1527
Galileo – Scientist – 1564 to 1642
Shakespeare – Writer – 1564 to 1616
The Renaissance marks the birth of the
modern European spirit and of Western
society as we have come to know it.
Musicians in Medieval and
Renaissance Society
The Concert (c. 1530–40)
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Musicians were supported by public
institutions like churches and states
as well as aristocracy.
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Employment in music-related fields
was abundant (singers, composers,
music printers, teachers, instrument
makers, etc.)
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The merchant class emerged as a new
group of music patrons.
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Most of the cultivated middle and
upper class were amateur musicians.
•
Music literacy spread dramatically
due to the invention of music
printing.
RENAISSANCE MUSIC
Music of the Renaissance was both:
SACRED
and
SECULAR
Renaissance Sacred Music
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Music still played a very prominent role in the church
during the Renaissance
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Most church music was in a cappella style (vocal music
without instrumental accompaniment)
•
Polyphony based on principle of imitation – musical
ideas exchanged between vocal lines
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Harmonies based on “sweeter” sounds of thirds and
sixths as compared to the fifths and octaves of medieval
music
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Use of fixed melody (cantus firmus) and triple meter to
symbolize the holy Trinity
LISTEN: Palestrina - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqN-nFrtK-g
Renaissance Sacred Music
The Motet
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In the Renaissance the motet was used mostly for church
services and had a Latin text
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Most were Marian motets (in praise of the Virgin Mary)
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Written for three, four, or more voices
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Utilized a Cantus firmus (fixed melody)
Renaissance Sacred Music
Josquin des Prez (c. 1450 – 1521)
• Considered one of the great masters of
sacred music in the Renaissance
• Exerted a powerful influence on
generations of composers to follow…
• His music expressed emotion and was
characterized by beautiful melodies
with expressive harmony
• Wrote over 100 motets, 17 Masses,
numerous chansons and Italian secular
songs
Josquin des Prez: Ave Maria . . . virgo serena
(Hail Mary…gentle virgin)
LISTENING GUIDE
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Renaissance motet for four voices dedicated to the Virgin Mary
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Combinations of voices and textures
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Imitative vs. homorhythmic (all voices move together rhythmically)
sections
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Final couplet: simple texture, example of humanistic spirit
Renaissance Sacred Music
The Renaissance Mass
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Composers concentrated their musical
settings on the “Ordinary” or fixed
portion of the mass that was sung daily.
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The five movements of the Ordinary are:
Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
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Originally sung in Latin, now the
Ordinary is recited or sung in the
vernacular.
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Settings of the mass are often based on
fixed voice or cantus firmus.
MOVEMENTS OF THE MASS
Renaissance Sacred Music
The Reformation and Counter-Reformation
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Martin Luther (1483–1546) began the Protestant movement
known as The Reformation in 1517 with his Ninety-Five
Theses – a list of reforms he proposed for the church for
which he was excommunicated.
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Counter-Reformation – the response of the Catholic church
which focused on a return to sacred values.
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Council of Trent - meeting organized by the Catholic church
(longest meeting in history – 1545 to 1563) in an attempt to
regulate every aspect of religious practice. Took up the
following issues:
– Corruption of chant by embellishment
– Use of certain instruments in religious services
– Incorporation of popular music in Masses
– Secularism of music
– Irreverent attitude of church musicians
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Church leaders sought a pure vocal style that respected the
integrity of the sacred texts
Martin Luther
(1483 – 1546)
Renaissance Sacred Music
Palestrina and the Pope Marcellus Mass
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Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
– (c. 1525–1594)
– Called Palestrina
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Italian composer, organist, and
choirmaster
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Member of Sistine Chapel Choir
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Wrote mostly sacred music – over 100
masses and motets, most famous was the
Pope Marcellus Mass
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Music represents a pure a cappella style of
vocal polyphony
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Strove to make the words understood by
properly accentuating them to meet the
guidelines of the Catholic reform
Palestrina: Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria
(Listening Guide)
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Published 1567
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Foreshadows the strict demands of the Council of Trent.
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Probably performed a cappella
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Written for six voice parts (a typical setting for the all-male church choirs)
– Soprano (sung by boys or male falsettists – men singing in falsetto)
– Alto (sung by male altos or countertenors—tenors with high voices)
– Tenor I
– Tenor II
– Bass I
– Bass II
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Opens with a monophonic intonation
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Choral sections are polyphonic and balanced
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Text is clear and audible.
Renaissance Secular Music
Music in Court and City Life
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Musicians were hired to entertain at court and
civic functions.
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Secular music started to be played in the home
which utilized vocals along with instrumental
accompaniment (lute, keyboard)
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Study of music was considered to be part of
the proper upbringing for a young girl and
women began to have prominent roles in
music performance
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Two important genres arose as a result of the
fusion of poetry & music: the chanson
(French) and the madrigal (Italian and English)
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The start of “word painting” – the musical
depiction of words. This was a prominent
feature of the madrigal
The Prodigal Son among the Courtesans
Renaissance Secular Music
The Italian Madrigal
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A madrigal is a vocal piece set
to a short love poem of a lyric
or reflective nature – either
with or without instruments
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Most important secular music
genre of the Renaissance
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Flourished in the Italian
courts as well as homes
Concert in the Open Air, Anonymous
A stylized 16th-century painting of four singers performing
from music books.
Renaissance Secular Music
The Italian Madrigal
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Love and unsatisfied desire were often the
topics of the madrigal, though some had
themes of humor, satire, politics, and scenes
of city and country life, all set expressively to
music.
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Instruments would often double voice parts.
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Three phases of the madrigal:
1.
1525-1550 – composed for amateurs
2.
1550-1580 – expanded to 5 or 6 voices
3.
1580-1620 – increase in complexity leading
into the Baroque Era
Renaissance Secular Music
Arcadelt and the Madrigal
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Jacques Arcadelt (c. 1507–1568)
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Italian composer – highly influential in
the development of the Italian
Madrigal
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Published book of madrigals in 1538
that became the most widely printed
collection of the time period.
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His most famous madrigal:
Il
bianco e dolce cigno – “The White and
Sweet Swan”
Renaissance Secular Music
The English Madrigal
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English further developed the Italian madrigal
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Musica Transalpina (Music from beyond the Alps) was the first
book of English madrigals and was a translation of an Italian
collection
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Simpler and lighter in style
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Even with humorous syllables (fa-la-la)
Weelkes: “Welcome Sweet Pleasure” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sObuw2w1rIs
“Since singing is so good a thing,
I wish that all men would learn to sing.”
—William Byrd
Renaissance Secular Music
Instrumental Dance Music
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The sixteenth century was a time of
growth in instrumental music, resulting
from the invention of music printing
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Books of dance music were published for
solo instruments and small ensembles
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Instrumentation was not specified but was
chosen according to the occasion—loud
(haut) instruments for outdoor occasions
and soft (bas) instruments for indoors.
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Percussion parts were not written out, but
were improvised
Renaissance Secular Music
Instrumental Dance Music
Three Popular dance types:
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Pavane (a stately court dance)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXZrT4fMgFk
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Saltarello (a quicker, jumping dance)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBThcL-rK3o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU8QFeDZyvg
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Ronde (a lively romp performed in a circle)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a826x9x1oUs
Renaissance to Baroque Transition
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By the end of the Renaissance Era, composers looked to find
inventive ways to convey the text of vocal works through a single
melody rather than several interweaving ones…..this gave rise to a
variety of new genres which served as a transition to a new Era, the
Baroque era:
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The Baroque era saw the rise of the vocal genres of opera, cantata,
and oratorio.
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In addition, the development of purely instrumental forms in
music gave rise to both small and large ensembles.
IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE COMPOSERS
Thomas Tallis
(1510 - 1585)
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English composer, flourished as a
church musician, and is considered
one of the church's best early
composers
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Composed many styles of music, the
majority of which is arranged for choir
as Latin motets and English anthems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Yx-_XCOFX3g
IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE COMPOSERS
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Josquin Des Prez
(1440 - 1521)
Considered one of the great
masters of sacred music in the
Renaissance
Exerted a powerful influence on
generations of composers to
follow…
His music expressed emotion and
was characterized by beautiful
melodies with expressive harmony
Wrote over 100 motets, 17 Masses,
numerous chansons and Italian
secular songs
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=LUAgAF4Khmg
IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE COMPOSERS
Pierre de La Rue
(1460 - 1518)
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Repertoire consists entirely
of vocal music
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He preferred low voices
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His most popular work, the
Requiem, and one of the
earliest surviving Requiem
masses, emphasizes the
lower voices
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Rhythmic patterns and
long, flowing melodies are
main characteristics of La
Rue's music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
N5exSCwrpsM
IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE COMPOSERS
Claudio Monteverdi
(1567 - 1643)
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Much of Monteverdi's early years were
spent composing madrigals; nine
books in total
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Wrote first dramatic opera, Orfeo
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Wrote revolutionary music which
helped to Link the Renaissance to the
Baroque
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Quite famous in his lifetime
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=RajAq0Yd-s4
IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE COMPOSERS
William Byrd
(1543 - 1623)
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Considered one of the greatest
English composers of all time, with
hundreds of individual compositions
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Considered by many to be the first
"genius" of the keyboard
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Wrote many works for piano
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=HVoQy4M5pxo
IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE COMPOSERS
Giovanni Palestrina
(1526 - 1594)
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Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
– (c. 1525–1594)
– Called Palestrina
•
Italian composer, organist, and
choirmaster
•
Member of Sistine Chapel Choir
•
Wrote mostly sacred music – over 100
masses and motets, most famous was
the Pope Marcellus Mass
•
Music represents a pure a cappella style
of vocal polyphony
Strove to make the words understood
by properly accentuating them to meet
the guidelines of the Catholic reform
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f0iCn2KieA
•
IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE COMPOSERS
Orlando de Lassus
(1530 - 1594)
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Known for his smooth polyphonic
style and beautiful motets
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With over 2,000 written works for
all styles of music, including all
Latin, French, English, and
German vocal genres
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One of Europe's most versatile
composers
https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=FUSeiOa
TnsQ
IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE COMPOSERS
Giovanni Gabrieli
(1553 - 1612)
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Bridges the Renaissance to the
Baroque
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Preferred composing sacred works,
he was able to create stunning
musical effects
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Unlike those before him, Gabrieli
meticulously created and planned
the use of antiphone (a choir or
group of instruments first heard on
the left, followed by a response from
another group of musicians on the
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=yB96NymHfLQ