IB Music/Music History/Renaissance Period

Characteristics

Society

1. Church less powerful because of reformation
2. Humanism
3. Printing press spread learning
4. Educated people all taught music
5. Musical activity shifted to courts
6. Composers sought credit for work
7. Rebirth of culture of ancient Greece and the Roman Empire

Words and music

1. Music to enhance meaning of text
2. Word painting

Texture

1. Chiefly polyphonic: 4-6 important voices
2. Homophony in dances
3. Bass register used: richer harmony
4. Stable chords with triads
5. A cappella—little accompaniment

Rhythm and melody

1. Rhythm a gentle flow, not sharp beat
2. Rhythmic independence between lines
3. Melody moves along a scale; few large leaps

Sacred music

Renaissance Mass

1. Less polyphonic than that of the late middle ages, so that the latin texts could be heard more easily. This was done for religious purposes.

Josquin Desprez

1. Flemish composer
2. Motet = polyphonic choral work set to a sacred Latin text
3. Wrote Ave Maria…Virgo Serena

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

1. 16th century Italian composer, music director for St. Peter’s
2. Wrote for Catholic church
3. Pope Marcellus Mass convinced polyphony okay
4. Famous for the Renaissance mass

Secular music

Vocal music

1. The Renaissance madrigal
   • Piece for several solo voices set to a short poem
   • First Italian, then English
   • Usually polyphonic with unusual harmonies
2. The Renaissance ballett
   • Also called a fa-la
   • Mostly homophonic

Instrumental music

1. Subordinate to vocal music
2. Mostly meant for dancing
3. Pavane, galliard, passamezzo some dances
4. Shawm, recorder, lute, cornett, sackbut, viol, organ, regal, harpsichord some instruments

The Venetian school

1. 16th century Venice became center of music, esp. St. Marco
2. Characteristic: parts written esp. for instruments, not voice
3. Giovanni Gabrieli
   1. 16th century Venetian composer, organist at St. Marco
   2. Wrote instrumental ensemble works and polychoral motets
   3. Cori spezzati