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Music History. Medieval to Renaissance. End of the Medieval Period. Music occurring in three main social spheres: Church, Court, & Village Court & Village music becoming more popular, BUT… Church music develops from monophony to polyphony!. Organum. Organum: Chant + 1 or more melodic lines
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Music History Medieval to Renaissance
End of the Medieval Period • Music occurring in three main social spheres: Church, Court, & Village • Court & Village music becoming more popular, BUT… • Church music develops from monophony to polyphony!
Organum • Organum: Chant + 1 or more melodic lines • Chant goes from strictly unison to parallel melodies at the fourth, fifth, and octave (9th—11th Century) • Began as improvisation, hard to know when it began because it was written down after the fact • Free organum (11th—12th Century) uses contrary motion, voices crossing, still highly improvised • Monophony v. Polyphony
Renaissance Culture (1450-1600) • Renaissance = Rebirth • Return to the classics (back to the Greeks!) • Humanism = Focus on human life and accomplishments • Sense of optimism and confidence • Invention of printing! • Composers start to become stars • Educated people studied music
Renaissance Musical Style • Church: Extension into choirs, still composing for the Mass • Court: Center of musical life • Town: Musicians paid more and enjoyed higher status • Vocal music still most important • Music enhances meaning and emotion of text (word painting) • Polyphonic • Composers thinking in terms of chords, all lines conceived together • Rhythm: Overall gentle flow, each line has rhythmic independence
The Madrigal • Genre of secular vocal music • Several solo voices, usually a cappella • Set to a short poem, usually about love • Word painting! • Language: in the vernacular
As Vesta Was Descending • Let’s listen…
Instrumental Music of the Renaissance • Not as important as vocal music • Accompanied voices or played music meant for singing • Polyphonic • Lute, shawm, recorder
Renaissance Dances • Important social pastime • Pavane • Galliard