Melodies of the Middle Ages: From Gregorian Chant to Ars Nova

1. MUSIC HISTORY TIME PERIODS • MIDDLE AGES • (450 fall of Rome – 1450 printing press invented) • RENAISSANCE (1450 – 1600 Birth of Opera) • BAROQUE (1600 – 1750 death of BACH) • CLASSICAL ( 1750 – 1820 death of Beethoven) • ROMANTIC (1820 – 1900 start of 20th cen. Industrial rev) • 20th CENTURY to 1945 (end of WWII) • 1945 to PRESENT

2. THE MIDDLE AGES • 2 types of music • Church & Secular • little of manuscript survives & has no tempos dynamics or instrument names • singers & instruments in paintings and literary descriptions but not certain exactly how

3. Gregorian Chant • for 1000 years official Roman Catholic Church music • Monophonic in LATIN sung to enhance parts of religious services • NAMED after POPE Gregory I (the great) who reorganized liturgy 590-604

5. Gregorian Chant • most melodies are fix and NOT to be changed but written around later • at first were handed down orally but after over 1000 chants notated to ensure uniformity

6. TWO types of services for chants • MASS – formal religious right (Last Supper) • THE OFFICE –everyday type pray & worship

7. CHURCH MODES • scales of the middle ages & renaissance • CHURCH Modes vs. Major & Minor Scales • Whole steps and half steps

8. Monks were some main musicians because could read/educated (men) • Church frowned on instruments because associated with pagan rites. • Pipe Organ only allow at special feast / occasions

9. long syllables with altered notes (small range) • FREE TIME (no indicators in manuscript most likely improvised or based off of soloist)

10. LISTENING JOURNAL • Alleluia: ANONYMOUS • form ABA • soloist & choir in unison

11. Hildegard of Bingen (bing –N) (1098-1179) • German nun • Abbess (a title of a mystic) of Rupertsberg • writer in Rupertsberg, Germany • 1st woman composer whose large number or works survive

12. LISTENING JOURNAL • O successors: Hildegard of Bingen • drone - constant note or notes under music • 1 to 4 notes per syllable / wider pitch range / wider leaps in pitch / motion towards climax • form is ABC

13. Secular Music • instruments used but mostly improvised based around common folk melodies • 1st large body of notated melodies in the 12th & 13th century by French • Troubadours & Trouveres

14. Troubadours & Trouveres = • nobles , dukes, ect.. • acts of chivalry written done about the • CRUSADES • LOVE • DANCE SONGS • SPINNING SONGS

15. Troubadours & Trouveres • vs. • Minstrels • Royalty vs. Scrubs

16. MINSTRELS • were lower class performers in castles, taverns, on the street. • Served as THE NEWS to common people • Played fiddles, harps, lutes.

17. LISTENING JOURNAL (ESTAMPIE) • Estampie = earliest example of instrumental music • melody with most likely improvised accompaniment (1650 Melodies of this survive) • drone has been added to imitate most likely simple dance accompaniment • In TRIPLE METER

18. Organum (dev of Polyphony) • 700-900 monks add second improvised note to chant • usually the 5th (power chords) • duplicated chant

19. Organum (dev of Polyphony) • duplicated chant • parallel motion • 1st type of harmony • note against note

20. Organum (dev of Polyphony) • 900A.D.-1200A.D. second line becomes more independent to create true polyphonic • contrary motion • its own melodic curve • 1100A.D. no more note against note restriction (dif melodically & rhythmically)

21. SCHOOL OF NOTRE DAME • (Measured Rhythm) • PARIS 1150 University of PARIS – cathedral of Notre Dame

22. SCHOOL OF NOTRE DAME • (Measured Rhythm) • successive choir masters LEONIN & PEROTIN used measured rhythm for 1st time • 1st composers of NAME

23. SCHOOL OF NOTRE DAME • (Measured Rhythm) • 1st to subdivide the music into 3 beats in honor of the Trinity • early medieval music considers triad sound of today harsh and not used but late medieval comes closer

24. ARS NOVA (new art in France) • 14th century • The Hundred Years War - France & England (1337-1453) • The Plague • Weakening Feudal System

25. ARS NOVA (new art in France) • literary & music became more secular • wrote polyphonic music not based on chants • 2 beat became popular • syncopation popular • new attitude

26. ARS NOVA (new art in France) • this end of middle ages music in France & Italy known as ARS NOVA

27. MACHAUT = best known of ARS NOVA Composers • 1300-1377 born Champagne , France • Both Musician & Poet

28. MACHAUT = best known of ARS NOVA Composers • spent many years in serve to royal families • traveled to many courts and on military campaigns

29. MACHAUT = best known of ARS NOVA Composers • he made many copies of music & poetry & presented them all over Europe to nobles • (reason his music survives)

30. LISTENING JOURNAL (PUIS QU’EN UOBLI : MACHAUT) Farewell to Joy • completely original piece • Fell in love late in life at age 60 with young noblewomen • age difference too much • relationship ended in disappointment • he immortalized their love in great narrative poem & 9 musical comps • CONT……….

31. LISTENING JOURNAL (PUIS QU’EN UOBLI : MACHAUT) Farewell to Joy • piece is a Rondeau has poetic refrain in lyric • music uses only two different lines AB • 3 beat • lead melody (lyric) • 2nd part accompaniment in low pitch • (no text to 2nd part but sung on our recording)

32. LISTENING JOURNAL (Agnus Dei from Norte Dame Mass : MACHAUT) • based on chant melodies • Norte Dame MASS • part of ordinary mass • 5 sung prayers that remain the same day to day • composers over the years change slightly their interpretation

33. LISTENING JOURNAL (Agnus Dei from Norte Dame Mass : MACHAUT) • Agnus Dei – a prayer for mercy and peace (last sung prayer of mass ordinary) • 4 voice parts / 3 beat / harmonies have dissonance / hollow sounds / and true full triads • form ABA’ / lyric is A A A’ / division sections 3 (trinity reference) / music to appeal to mind and ear in this era