Humanism and Music

1. Humanism and Music

2. Imagination freed from authority • Decline in role of church — end of reliance on auctoritas • Pre-Christian civilization for models • Humanism • Empiricism replaces authority — realism replaces symbolism • new view of world — Columbus 1492, Copernicus pub. 1543 • da Vinci (1452–1519) — empirical observation leads to increased realism • balance supersedes elaboration

3. Interest in literature • Elevation of trivium — new concept of studia humanitatis (humanities) • Printing from movable type — Gutenberg, 1450s, increased literacy and thought

4. Political conflict • The Hundred Years’ War — England vs. France • Fought on French soil • mercenary soldiers lived off land when not actually fighting • Joan of Arc RESULT — decline of knights and chivalry

5. Late fourteenth-century music on the continent • Ars subtilior — mannerism • Very complex mensuration changes • Harmony can stretch the limits of the church modes

6. 100 Years’ War and music • “Contenance angloise” — Martin le Franc in Le Champion des dames (1442) • More empirical, less theoretical/symbolic • equality of parts • less dissonance, careful treatment — “panconsonant” • acceptance of imperfect consonances (as norm, except at cadences) from as early as twelfth century • Techniques • rota (rondellus if parts begin together) — voice exchange • “English discant” • C.f. in middle or lowest voice • Improvisation of parts in 6/3 and 8/5 relation to c.f.

7. John Dunstaple (ca. 1390–1453) • Probably mathematician and astronomer, probably in France with Regent John Duke of Bedford • Works (at least fifty) • Mass Ordinary movements • two secular pieces • motets — two styles • old c.f. style • cantus firmus • isorhythm • harmony full of imperfect consonances • new, freely composed style • English harmony • sometimes triadic melody • short sections based on text phrases • some cadences approached as in English discant style

8. The Burgundian composers • Burgundy — now northeastern France and Low Countries ca. 1400–1477 • Dukes related to French royal family, influenced but were not directly involved in 100 Years’ War • Fabulous court, center for music and other arts

9. Gilles Binchois (ca. 1400–1460) • Career • soldier • churchman • musician • Composed mostly chansons — very little sacred music

10. Guillaume Du Fay (ca. 1400–1474) • Career • singer and churchman • member of Burgundian court • well educated, traveled — Italy • Music — mostly familiar genres but with new traits in style • harmony — imperfect consonances • four-part texture — bass below tenor for support of harmony

11. Major Burgundian genres • Fauxbourdon hymns — based on English discant idea • c.f. on top • middle part improvised at parallel fourth below cantus • bottom voice in sixths and octaves below cantus • Motets — two types • old style — c.f. texture, isorhythm, mensuration, proportion • new style — freely composed nonimitative polyphony • Masses — unity of multimovement work • cantus firmus Mass – same c.f. (sacred or secular) for all movements • Secular music — chansons in formes fixes, but with new harmony • ballade • rondeau

12. Questions for discussion • Why might we regard the cultural division in music history around the beginning of the fifteenth century as one of the most decisive ones in music history? • How did the travels of individual musicians affect the history of music in the fifteenth century? • How did the aesthetic meaning and musical function of a cantus firmus change in the fifteenth century as compared to the preceding centuries?