The Renaissance

1. The Renaissance c. 1600-1750

2. The RenaissanceThe Zeigeist • The Renaissance era was an age of secularization. • The humanist movement looked to ancient cultures for inspiration. • Significant historical events of the Renaissance include • the invention of printing (and music printing); • the exploration of the New World; • the Protestant Reformation (Martin Luther); • Art changed its focus toward the human form. • Major figures of Renaissance art include • da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticello, Titian, Donatello. • Institutions of music in society were the church, city, state, and court. • Renaissance musical style was characterized by • a cappella singing; • polyphonic textures featuring continuous imitation; • works based on a fixed tune (cantus firmus); • use of word and text painting.

3. The RenaissanceThe Zeigeist • Reflecting on the culture of the Renaissance • Secularisms permeated the society of the Renaissance. • Humanism was a strong force in the Renaissance arts and culture. • Musical literacy increased radically as did home music-making. • During this era, there was little cross-cultural influence between the music of the New World and the music of the Old World.

4. The RenaissanceDiscovering Sacred Music • Major Renaissance sacred genres are the Mass, motet, and hymn. • The motet had a Latin text, often dedicated to the Virgin Mary. • The movements of the Mass divide into the Ordinary and the Proper. • The Ordinary included: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei. • Polyphonic Masses were often structured on a cantus firmus (fixed tune). • The Counter-Reformation brought about major changes in church music: • recommended by the Council of Trent; • no secular tunes or references; • a focus on the words; • Palestrina was a model composer in this new style.

5. The RenaissanceHearing the sacred music of the Renaissance • Listen to the motet Ave maria . . . virgo serena by Josquin • The motet is for four voices (SATB). • Boys sang the top parts in church performances. • The text is a rhymed poem to the Virgin Mary. • The verses are couplets (2 lines) and quatrains (4 lines). • The form is largely based on imitation (paired voices and points of imitation). • The texture changes from polyphonic to homophonic for important words. • Listen to the Gloria movement from Palestrina's Pope Marcellus Mass • The Mass is set for six voices (but not all parts sing at once). • Boys sang the top parts in church performances. • The texture is largely homophonic, allowing the words to be heard. • The performance is a cappella.

6. The RenaissanceDiscovering Secular Music • The era saw a rise in amateur performers who could read music. • Instrumental dance music blossomed in this era; favorite dances types were • pavane, galliard, saltarello, allemande, and ronde. • The major genres of secular music are • French chanson; • Italian madrigal; • English madrigal. • The English adopted the madrigal from Italy, preferring its lighter and pastoral forms. • Claudio Monteverdi was the greatest master of the Italian madrigal. • The Ensemble of the Ladies was famous for their expressive abilities in singing madrigals.

7. The RenaissanceHearing the secular music of the Renaissanceher • Listen to the Italian madrigal A un giro sol by Monteverdi • The work is for five voices and was sung by women and men. • The madrigal was possibly written for a famous ensemble of women singers. • The text is formal and courtly in tone. • Word painting is used throughout to depict the imagery of the text. • Listen to the English madrigal Fair Phyllis by Farmer • The English text is pastoral rather than courtly. • Word painting is used throughout ("all alone," "up and down"). • The texture changes between monophonic (at opening), polyphonic, and homophonic (in triple meter). • The work is sectional, with each part repeated.

8. The RenaissanceListening Guide