medieval & renaissance
DESCRIPTION
Medieval & Renaissance. Medieval Church Music 800 – 1400. Plainchant/Plainsong The earliest written down music, sung in churches by monks & priests Monophonic texture Latin text Irregular rhythms, freely following text Often melismatic Modal. Modal. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Medieval & Renaissance
Medieval Church Music800 – 1400
Plainchant/PlainsongThe earliest written down music, sung in churches by monks & priests Monophonic texture Latin text Irregular rhythms, freely
following text Often melismatic Modal
Modal Modes came before major and
minor system of tonality They have NO sharps or
flats All medieval compositions are
based on plainchant which in turn are based on modes.
The Dorian mode was very common.
Try creating a chant-like melody using this mode
Developing into Choral composition
Music began to be written with 2 then 3 lines of plainchant, first in unison, then interweaving
These compositions were sacred and formed the basis of church worship. Every part of the service was sung.
Often 2 choirs would sing opposite each other and the music would imitate between the 2 groups creating ANTIPHONY, like an echo.
MASS
The mass is what the Christian Church originally called (and still do in the Catholic and Anglican Church) the service, where you worship God’s WORD and receive his Body & Blood in COMMUNION.
Music was written for each part of this service.
MASS The text was in LATIN and divided into these
sections: Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus & Benedictus Agnus Dei
There are normally many voices (SATB) singing in imitation
Motet
A Motet is a small scale, vocal work performed in church, separate from the mass. The voices are layered on top of each other, creating a polyphonic texture, with lots of IMITATION.
It can be Sacred and later secular.
It sometimes has accompaniment
It has LATIN text Later, composers mixed religious text with everyday
vocabulary, which annoyed the Church
The Reformation & Musical Development
By the renaissance, the Mass and Motet were still the most popular compositions, but more parts were written and there was more Chromaticism (adding accidentals to the modes)
Composers started to merge secular music with sacred
The Reformation meant that Protestants required music written in their own language rather than Latin
Musicians were performing in tavernsWhich lead to the development of secular
Songs and dances
Renaissance Sacred Music - Anthem
A religious small scale vocal work, performed in the Protestant church
Equivalent to a motet but the text is in ENGLISH
Mainly A Cappella Imitative and
Polyphonic texture
Renaissance Secular Music
Queen Elizabeth 1st is now on the thrown
Composers were writing songs for music in the court or at home
These are called madrigals and can have up to 4 different vocal parts, but only one voice on each part
MadrigalThere are 3 types of Madrigal
Madrigal (proper) Ballett Ayre
A Madrigal proper is very IMITATIVE
Very POLYPHONIC Uses word painting to
highlight the ENGLISH words
Madrigal – Ballett This is the most common type of madrigal
played in the exam. And the easiest to recognise!
It is Strophic (each verse is the same) It has a refrain (other name for a chorus)
which always includes ‘FA LA LA’ Mainly homophonic Dance-like rhythms Lighter style
Madrigal –Ayre
Solo voice with Lute/Viol accompaniment
Very expressive and often melancholy
Subject often covers love
Instruments
Consort
A consort is a group of
Same Instrument playing
Together. Most common
In Renaissance, were
Different sizes of VIOLS
VIOLS – early form of cello withoutA spike on the bottom. They
Came in varying sizes
RenaissanceDances
Dances
Pavane – Slow and Stately
Galliard – more lively with 3 beats in the bar
Dances were
Grouped in
Pairs and later
Made up a
suite
Main Characteristics
Most important music was Sacred Choral music – the oldest, written in the form of plainchant
All compositions were based on modes, but this slowly changed throughout the Renaissance as composers added more chromaticism
Later, secular music evolved with the Madrigal and dances
Test on concepts below
Plainchant Mode/Modal Mass Motet Anthem Madrigal Ballett Ayre
Pavane Galliard Suite Consort Polyphonic Monophonic Word Setting A Cappella Antiphony/ Antiphonal Lute/Viol