1. Medieval to Renaissance
Music History
Medieval to Renaissance

2. End of the Medieval Period
Music occurring in three main social spheres: Church, Court, & Village
Court & Village music becoming more popular, BUT…
Church music develops from monophony to polyphony!

3. Organum Organum: Chant + 1 or more melodic lines
Chant goes from strictly unison to parallel melodies at the fourth, fifth, and octave (9th—11th Century)
Began as improvisation, hard to know when it began because it was written down after the fact
Free organum (11th—12th Century) uses contrary motion, voices crossing, still highly improvised
Monophony v. Polyphony

4. Parallel Motion/Organum

5. Contrary Motion/Free Organum

6. Renaissance Culture (1450-1600)
Renaissance = Rebirth
Return to the classics (back to the Greeks!)
Humanism = Focus on human life and accomplishments
Sense of optimism and confidence
Invention of printing!
Composers start to become stars
Educated people studied music

7. Renaissance Musical Style
Church: Extension into choirs, still composing for the Mass
Court: Center of musical life
Town: Musicians paid more and enjoyed higher status
Vocal music still most important
Music enhances meaning and emotion of text (word painting)
Polyphonic
Composers thinking in terms of chords, all lines conceived together
Rhythm: Overall gentle flow, each line has rhythmic independence

8. The Madrigal Genre of secular vocal music
Several solo voices, usually a cappella
Set to a short poem, usually about love
Word painting!
Language: in the vernacular

9. As Vesta Was Descending
Let’s listen…

10. Instrumental Music of the Renaissance
Not as important as vocal music
Accompanied voices or played music meant for singing
Polyphonic
Lute, shawm, recorder

11. Renaissance Dances
Important social pastime
Pavane
Galliard