1. Music Theory I
Unit 1: Music History

2. What IS music theory?
The study of the practices and possibilities of music
How music is constructed

3. The Medieval Period From 400-1400 AD (1,000 years!)
Literally translated as the “middle” period
Three classes of people (the feudal system):
Nobility
Clergy
Peasants
The Medieval Period

4. Nobility First class citizens below the monarch Rich landowners
Mounted warriors who swore allegiance to the king/queen & swore to fight in exchange for a plot of land
Born into this class- usually didn’t move up or down

5. Clergy Second class citizens Priests and monks
Lived in and worked for the church

6. Peasants Third class citizens Most people belonged to this class
Poor farmers
Lived on nobles’ plots of land and worked for them (for terrible pay)
Born into this class
Average age of a peasant was 30 YEARS OLD!
Ate little more than black bread and turnips

8. Medieval black bread

9. Sacred Music Sacred music is the music of the church
Church was the central part of peoples’ lives
Church controlled the majority of society’s money
Church employed many different workers

10. Plainsong Sacred music of the Medieval Period was called plainsong
Consisted of one single melody, words in Latin
Words kept simple so everyone could easily understand
Words came from the Roman Catholic liturgy (bible verses)
Written down by monks on four-line staves using square notes called neumes
Most well-known form of plainsong is called Gregorian Chant, named in honor of Pope Gregory I

12. GREGORIAN CHANT

13. Secular Music Secular Music is non-religious music
Grew in popularity during Medieval Period
Minstrels traveled from castle to castle singing songs, telling stories, and performing tricks
Songs and stories about love, life, and chivalry

14. Secular Music Consisted of a single, simple melody
Usually sung in the common language, not in Latin
Tempo was faster than sacred music
Accompanied by string or percussion instruments

15. Psaltery
Lute

16. Shawm

17. End of the Medieval Period
Life began to improve and become more civilized
People began to focus less on religion and more on music and art
A new type of music emerged:
POLYPHONY (two or more melodies happening at the same time)