Medieval Music

A Quick Overview

Overview

• Most of the music we have today comes from the Catholic church worship service.

• Q: Why might this be?• A: The ability to read and write was limited to

priests and monks. • Q: Most of the texts we have from that time are

in Latin. Why?• A: Latin was/is the official language of the RCC• Some examples of secular music exist, but not

many.

Types of Music from the Middle Ages:

• Sacred Music: Music used in the church services.

• Secular Music: Music played by the “common” people.

Sacred Music:

• Plain Song also called Gregorian Chant• Monophonic – steps, skips, repeated notes• Syllabic chant – each syllable gets a note• Neumatic chant – syllables receive 1 to 12

notes• Melismatic chant- syllabes have doz’s pitches • a capella – All music was done this way because

musical instruments were banned in the RCC. Organ especially bad.

• Byzantine – predates Gregorian - Only 8 scales

Music for the Mass:

• The Ordinary – always remains the same– Kyrie Eleison– Gloria in Excelsis Deo– Credo– Sanctus and Benedictus– Paeter Noster– Agnus Dei

Organum:

• Addition of a second vocal part (sometimes a third)

• Earliest motets

Secular Music:

• Troubadours – Southern France• Trouveres – Northern France• Minnesingers - Germany

• Strophic – verse format• Texts were usually poetic, but could be

serious or comic.• “Pop Music” of the middle ages