1. The Close of the Sixteenth Century

2. Developments in the Italian madrigal Scoring — increase in number of voices (five to six common) Rhythm — subtle treatment of diction Melody — wider ranges for more expert singers Harmony — more chromaticism for expressive effects Form — follows text Text treatment – more elaborate in word painting — melodic, rhythmic, textural devices – expression of feeling — harmony

3. Genres in Italian vocal music Canzonetta — light mood, simple style Balletto — dance-based – familiar style — simple and rhythmic – strophic with “fa-la” refrain Villanella — comic – employs compositional simplicity and crudity to suggest rustic classes Madrigal dialogue — madrigal with dialogue text, using subdivided ensemble to represent change of speaker Madrigal comedy — a cycle of madrigals (more likely villanelle) featuring contrasting ensembles and constituting a story

4. Vocal music in England at the end of the sixteenth century Affected by Italy after period of isolation and conservatism — Nicholas Yonge, Musica transalpina (1588), acquainted English musicians with the latest Italian styles Growth of English poetry — period of Shakespeare Modeled on Italian genres – madrigal — style of best Italian madrigalists – Canzonet – Ballett Songs for voice and instruments – lute song – consort song

5. French mannerism — focused on diction rather than expression Pléiade poets (named for Greek poets of third century BCE) — most famous was Pierre de Ronsard (1524?–1585) – promoted French over Latin for literary art – humanist interest in imitation of ancient literature Jean-Antoine Baïf (1532–1589) founded Académie de poésie et de musique in 1570 – applied strict interpretation of Classic long and short syllables to poetry to produce vers mesurée Musique mesurée — musical rhythm follows long and short syllables exactly, not necessarily regulated by equal measure lengths

6. French songs for voice and lute Vaudeville (from voix de ville, “city voice”) — more popular Air de cour (court song) — courtly setting and sentiment

7. A “Venetian” scoring Cori spezzati (spaced-out choirs) — polychoral scoring – remember antiphonal liturgical singing? – popular in northern Italy in general from fifteenth century — for special occasions Associated with St. Mark’s basilica in Venice – Adrian Willaert (ca. 1490–1562) — Netherlander, maestro di cappella – Andrea Gabrieli (ca. 1510–1586) organist; polychoral works published by nephew Giovanni in 1587 as concerti – Giovanni Gabrieli (ca. 1553–1612) — nephew of Andrea; organist

8. Questions for discussion How did nonmusical events in history contribute to the new stylistic trends of the late sixteenth century? What purely musical forces shaped the development of these styles? What aspects of the national character of Italy and France are embodied in the particular musical styles developed in each of those countries in the late sixteenth century? Why is the term mannerist sometimes applied to the music of this period?