Music History: Renaissance

Renaissance Means “Reborn” Roughly 1400-1600 Cultural Movement Effects Art, Music, Science, Philosophy, Religion Starts in Italy, Moves through Europe Characterized by Humanism Humanism – importance placed on humans, their needs, and rational thoughts Moves away from the church and focus more on science

Important Figures Art Politics Writing Science Religion Discovery Leonardo Da Vinci (Mona Lisa) Michaelango (Statue of David, Sistine Chapel) Raphael Donatello Politics Niccolo Machiavelli (The Prince) Writing William Shakespeare (Romeo & Juliet) Science Nicholas Copernicus (Sun center of the solar system) Galileo (Telescope) Johannes Kelper (Planetary Motion) Religion Martin Luther (Protestant Religion) Discovery Christopher Columbus Ferdinand Magellan Invention Printing Press

Characteristics Vocal music > instrumental music Golden age of a cappella Italian for “In the manner of the church” or “In the manner of the chapel” Means no instruments, voices only Fuller sound than medieval: bass register created Music enhances the meaning and emotion of the text Word painting: musical representation of specific poetic images Moderate, balanced way of expression: no extreme contrasts of dynamics, tone color or rhythm Greater Polyphony: 4, 5 or 6 voice parts with equal melodic interest Imitation is common Homophonic texture is also used Different music lines move together

Motets Polyphonic choral work set to sacred Latin text other than the ordinary of the mass Sacred choral works performed in worship services Josquin des Prez (c. 1440-1521) Ave Maria – 4 Voice Motet Moderate balanced expression Little accent or emphasis on words Expression in the music is much more cultured and polite to fit the sacred settings; Harmonies tend to be very smooth and predictable Different voices never really overpower each other All singers echo and overlap one another to create more texture, while maintaining the identity of their singular voice in the music

Masses Mass – polyphonic choral work with 5 sections: Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Agnus Dei 20-30 Minutes Long Very ambitious piece of work Utilizes the canon Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina c. 1525-1594 104 masses and some 450 other sacred works For centuries, his masses are regarded as models of church music Guillaume Dufay c.1400-1474 Composed Motets & Madrigals as well

Madrigals New Italian polyphonic, secular, a capella vocal genre Late Renaissance’s entertainment music Motets & Madrigals are similar Secular topics of love, humor, and scenery presented at home or social gatherings May also depict topics of hate, grief, fear or shock May actually include dissonance (if a musical piece demands negative emotional expression)

Madrigals Word paintings Thomas Morley (c. 1557-1602) illustrate, emphasize, and interpret the special meaning of a word to make it clearer and more obvious than the words around it. A change in the tone, texture, volume, or range Expressive methods while also utilizing surprising harmony and dissonance EX: a rising scale of notes would place emphasis on the word "ascending" in a song A more complex word painting could illustrate the idea of spying or sneakiness by lowering the tone and volume of the voice to be soft and discrete. Main difference between Motets & Madrigals Thomas Morley (c. 1557-1602) Now is the Month of Maying Thomas Weelkes (c. 1575-1623) As Vesta was from Latmos Hill Descending

Instruments First body of solely instrumental Instruments mostly doubled the vocal parts when with voices Instruments alone used for dancing In solely instrumental music, the instruments usually played together as families Instrumental Families String : viol family, lute Woodwind : transverse flute, recorder Double Reed : shawm (ancestor of the oboe, bassoon, English horn); crumhorn (reed in the mouthpiece) Brass : cornets (trumpets), sackbutt (trombone) Percussion : tambour (hand drum), tamborine, finger cymbals Keyboard : organ, harpsichord