1. The Middle Ages
“When God saw that many men were lazy, and gave themselves only with difficulty to spiritual reading, He wished to make it easy for them, and added the melody to the Prophet’s words, that all being rejoiced by the charm of the music, should sing hymns to Him with gladness.”
St. John Chrysostom

2. 476-1450 Sacred Music Gregorian Chant The Mass Melismatic Syllabic
Neumatic
The Mass
Ordinary
Kyrie (Greek prayer for mercy) ABA form, representing the Trinity
Proper

3. Rise of Polyphony )
The single most important development in the history of Western music
Brought about regular meters, because singers had to sing together
Development of precise notation
Rise of the composer (from componere, “to put together)
Organum – Adding one or two voices above a Gregorian chant melody (the cantus firmus)

4. The Cathedral of Notre Dame
Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries
Leonin – Two-voice
Perotin – Three-voice

5. Notre Dame School Organum: Gaude Maria virgo
Organum in 3-voices
In the style of Perotin (3-voices)
For feasts of the Blessed Virgin
Responsory for one of the Offices
See p

6. The Motet From the mot – means “word” in French
Top florid, melismatic line of organum
Often in two different languages (polytextual)
SO Polytextual vocal composition, either sacred or secular, with or without instrumental accompaniment, often containing a countermelody (interestingly enough, sometimes a “racy” secular text is combined with a sacred one!)

7. Secular motet (13th century) Text: Polytextual
Anonymous: Mout me fu grief/Robin m’aime/Portare (Greatly grieved am I/Robin loves me/To carry))
Secular motet (13th century)
Text: Polytextual
Polyphonic (2 voices/1 instrument)
See p

8. Secular Music in the Middle Ages
Music in the courts And wandering minstrels (each have a different name, depending on the country and gender)
Texts based on idealized love and chivalry
Sung monophonically; often accompanied by instruments
Chanson – French “song”

9. Around 1300 . . . Rise of instrumental music
Improvised, rarely written down; had no need to really know the notation; often decorated their music -- embellishments
Earnings of these musicians quite high
Estampie – Stately dance
Example, p

10. Renaissance Music )
Marks the passing of a highly religious society to a more secular one (scientific inquiry); life explored in the here and now, as well as the hereafter
Inspiration in Greek and Rome
Employment found in churches, cities, courts, printing and music publication, performance, church choirs
a cappella singing (without accompaniment)
Begins to sound more “normal”
Cantus firmus (many songs still built on)
Word painting (the text depicted musically): dissonance on the word death, heavens (a rising melody)

11. Politically . . . . Exploration
New construction Palaces (Greek and Roman proportions)
Art: nudity considered beautiful, smiling Madonnas, dimpled cherubs
Many fine artists, philosophers, p. 363

12. Renaissance Sacred Music
Played a large role in the rituals of the Church
The Mass – parts of the Ordinary
Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei)
Early “mass settings” based on a cantus firmus
Some cantus firmus chants were secular

13. Du Fay: “L’homme arme Mass (The Armed Man Mass)
See p

14. Renaissance Motet
Sacred form with a single Latin text, for use in the Mass and other religious services
Motets in praise of the Virgin Mary popular
Written for 3, 4, or more voices were sometimes based on a chant or other cantus firmus

15. Josquin des Prez “He is the master of the notes
Josquin des Prez “He is the master of the notes. They have to do as he bids them; other composers have to do as the notes will.” (Martin Luther on des Prez) p
Composed over 100 motets, 17 Masses, numerous secular pieces
Some based on chant, some original
Beautiful blending of sounds

16. Giovanni da Palestrina (1525-1592)
Rescued the Catholic Church after the “Reformation” (Council of Trent) – he “cleaned up” the lyrics and made them clear)
Wrote over 100 Masses
Pope Marcellus most famous
Written for 6 voice parts, (2 tenors/2 basses)
Probably performed a cappella
Sound is “restrained, serene, and celestial”
See page , Gloria, from Pope Marcellus Mass

17. Monteverdi and the Madrigal
Madrigal poetry: exaggerated contrasts of delight and despair
Examples of word painting
Singing Ladies of Ferrara
Ecco mormorar l’onde (Here, now, the waves murmur), p

18. John Farmer Fair Phyllis, p. 121 Polyphonic, with varied textures
Monophonic at opening
Later Polyphonic
Then Homorhythmic
Obvious word painting