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The Middle Ages

The Middle Ages. “When God saw that many men were lazy, and gave themselves only with difficulty to spiritual reading, He wished to make it easy for them, and added the melody to the Prophet’s words, that all being rejoiced by the charm of the music, should sing hymns to Him with gladness.”

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The Middle Ages

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  1. The Middle Ages “When God saw that many men were lazy, and gave themselves only with difficulty to spiritual reading, He wished to make it easy for them, and added the melody to the Prophet’s words, that all being rejoiced by the charm of the music, should sing hymns to Him with gladness.” St. John Chrysostom

  2. 476-1450 • Sacred Music • Gregorian Chant • Melismatic • Syllabic • Neumatic • The Mass • Ordinary • Kyrie (Greek prayer for mercy) ABA form, representing the Trinity • Proper

  3. Rise of Polyphony850-1150) • The single most important development in the history of Western music • Brought about regular meters, because singers had to sing together • Development of precise notation • Rise of the composer (from componere, “to put together) • Organum – Adding one or two voices above a Gregorian chant melody (the cantus firmus)

  4. The Cathedral of Notre Dame Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries Leonin – Two-voice Perotin – Three-voice

  5. Notre Dame School Organum:Gaude Maria virgo • Organum in 3-voices • In the style of Perotin (3-voices) • For feasts of the Blessed Virgin • Responsory for one of the Offices • See p. 81-82

  6. The Motet • From the mot – means “word” in French • Top florid, melismatic line of organum • Often in two different languages (polytextual) • SO . . . Polytextual vocal composition, either sacred or secular, with or without instrumental accompaniment, often containing a countermelody (interestingly enough, sometimes a “racy” secular text is combined with a sacred one!)

  7. Anonymous: Mout me fu grief/Robin m’aime/Portare(Greatly grieved am I/Robin loves me/To carry)) • Secular motet (13th century) • Text: Polytextual • Polyphonic (2 voices/1 instrument) • See p. 84-85

  8. Secular Music in the Middle Ages • Music in the courts . . . And wandering minstrels (each have a different name, depending on the country and gender) • Texts based on idealized love and chivalry • Sung monophonically; often accompanied by instruments • Chanson – French “song”

  9. Around 1300 . . . Rise of instrumental music • Improvised, rarely written down; had no need to really know the notation; often decorated their music -- embellishments • Earnings of these musicians quite high • Estampie – Stately dance • Example, p. 88-89

  10. Renaissance Music 1450-1600) • Marks the passing of a highly religious society to a more secular one (scientific inquiry); life explored in the here and now, as well as the hereafter • Inspiration in Greek and Rome • Employment found in churches, cities, courts, printing and music publication, performance, church choirs • a cappella singing (without accompaniment) • Begins to sound more “normal” • Cantus firmus (many songs still built on) • Word painting (the text depicted musically): dissonance on the word death, heavens (a rising melody)

  11. Politically . . . . • Exploration • New construction . . . Palaces (Greek and Roman proportions) • Art: nudity considered beautiful, smiling Madonnas, dimpled cherubs • Many fine artists, philosophers, p. 363

  12. Renaissance Sacred Music • Played a large role in the rituals of the Church • The Mass – parts of the Ordinary • Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei) • Early “mass settings” based on a cantus firmus • Some cantus firmus chants were secular

  13. Du Fay: “L’homme arme Mass (The Armed Man Mass) • See p. 104-105

  14. Renaissance Motet • Sacred form with a single Latin text, for use in the Mass and other religious services • Motets in praise of the Virgin Mary popular • Written for 3, 4, or more voices were sometimes based on a chant or other cantus firmus

  15. Josquin des Prez“He is the master of the notes. They have to do as he bids them; other composers have to do as the notes will.” (Martin Luther on des Prez) • p. 106-107 • Composed over 100 motets, 17 Masses, numerous secular pieces • Some based on chant, some original • Beautiful blending of sounds

  16. Giovanni da Palestrina (1525-1592) • Rescued the Catholic Church after the “Reformation” (Council of Trent) – he “cleaned up” the lyrics and made them clear) • Wrote over 100 Masses • Pope Marcellus most famous • Written for 6 voice parts, (2 tenors/2 basses) • Probably performed a cappella • Sound is “restrained, serene, and celestial” • See page 109-110, Gloria, from Pope Marcellus Mass

  17. Monteverdi and the Madrigal • Madrigal poetry: exaggerated contrasts of delight and despair • Examples of word painting • Singing Ladies of Ferrara • Ecco mormorar l’onde (Here, now, the waves murmur), p. 118-119

  18. John Farmer • Fair Phyllis, p. 121 • Polyphonic, with varied textures • Monophonic at opening • Later Polyphonic • Then Homorhythmic • Obvious word painting

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