MUSIC OF THE

RENAISSANCE
1450 - 1600

Music 2
Doctolero . Maroma . Pestano. Samson . Villena
Introduction

THE RENAISSANCE
PERIOD
 Renaissance
• In the history of music, the period
from 1450 – 1600 is known as the
“Renaissance”.
• The word Renaissance literally
means “rebirth”.
 Renaissance
• The humanism movement surfaced
during the Renaissance period.
• This movement focused on man and
his accomplishments.
• Christianity and Catholic Church
were rocked by the Protestant
Reformer, Martin Luther (1483 –
1546).
 The Renaissance Period
• In the renaissance period, a training
in music is considered a must for an
educated person.
• Everywhere, musicians worked in
towns, courts, and churches.
• The size of church choirs multiplied.
The choirs were predominantly male.
 During the Renaissance
Period…
• Although the church remained a patron of
music, the court became the center of
musical activity.
• Composers were in demand by kings, dukes
and princesses.
• The status of musicians was elevated and
they were paid higher.
• The leading composers came from the
Netherlands.
• Italy was the leading music center of the
Renaissance.
 Renaissance
• The Renaissance period is
sometimes referred to as “The
Golden Age of Polyphony”, because
vocal polyphony culminated to
perfection.
Moving on…

IMPORTANT EVENTS THAT

HAPPENED DURING THE
RENAISSANCE
 Events during the
Renaissance Period
• Literally meaning “rebirth”, the
Renaissance became a rebirth of
classical learning.
• The writings of ancient Greeks and
Romans were rediscovered and
reevaluated.
 Events during the
Renaissance Period
• The chaotic feudal system of the
Middle Ages was replaced by the
hierarchal state led by the urban
bourgeois or despotic nobles.
• European view of the world was
expanded by the conquest of
Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand
Magellan.
 Events during the
Renaissance Period
• There was a change in the views of the
Earth and the cosmos as evidenced by
the astronomical studies of Nicolas
Copernicus and later, Galileo Galilei.
• The technology of printing permitted
the wider distribution of the work of
musical composers and enabled the
public to take a closer look at their
musicality.
This is it.

MUSICAL CONTEXT OF THE

RENAISSANCE PERIOD
 Musical Concept of
Renaissance
• There has been no increase in
patronage of music greater than in
the Renaissance period.
• Music was supported to a degree
not previously seen by the civic
government and the rich courts.
Religious institutions also supported
music.
 Musical Concept of the
Renaissance Period
• There was an exchange of music
between the conquered and the
conqueror. The Renaissance period
experienced territorial expansions
by Europeans and increased wealth
to European nations.
 Musical Concept of the
Renaissance Period
• Colonial expansion resulted in the
flowing of great wealth in European
cities. An international musical style
was created due to travel and trade
of people to different European
countries.
 Musical Concept of the
Renaissance Period
• Due to the increased interest in
humanist learning, music became an
experience art. Because of the
development of the printing press,
music and its literature became
available to the people.
More on Renaissance Music

THE DISTINGUISHING
CHARACTERISTICS OF
RENAISSANCE MUSIC
 Characteristics of
Renaissance Music
• The repertoire of instrumental
music expanded and the invention of
new musical instruments abound.
The instruments of the period were
enhanced.
• Secular music was rising and was
more civilized, but spiritual music
still occupied a dominant position
during the period.
 Characteristics of
Renaissance Music
• Musical harmony was more
expressive and unrestrained during
the Renaissance as compared with
the medieval period.
 Polyphonic Technique
• An important polyphonic technique,
imitation, surfaced. Imitation occurs
when one musical line shares or
imitates the sung musical theme of the
preceding line. This gives the listeners
the ability to decipher the musical
composition’s structure. The
Renaissance period between Joaquin
Deprez and Palestrina was known as
the “golden age of the polyphony”.
 Vocal Polyphony
• Vocal polyphony culminated to a high
degree of perfection with equal
importance given to four or more
voices. The main forms of spiritual
polyphony are the masses and the
motets. Motets, madrigals, and songs
usually accompanied by a lute or a
small orchestra were the secular vocal
forms. Short polyphonics or dancing
music were the instrumental works of
the Renaissance period.
 Characteristics of
Renaissance Music
• The use of church modes or
modality still predominates sacred
and secular music.
• There is the prevalence in musical
compositions of clarity, balance and
euphony in moderation. There are no
extreme contracts in rhythm and
tone color.
 Characteristics of
Renaissance Music
• Musical literature flourished due to
the innovation of printing press.
• Acapella singing in the church music
developed. It is singing without
accompaniment or chorus without
instrumental backup.
More about Renaissance

THE VOCAL FORMS DURING

THE RENAISSANCE
 Motet
• It is one of the most important forms of
polyphonic music form in circa 1250 – 1750.
• A motet is an unaccompanied choral
accompaniment based on a Latin sacred
text and designed to be performed in the
Catholic service, chiefly at vespers.
• The renaissance motet is a unified piece
with all voices singing the same text. It is
serious and primarily designed for worship
services
 Mass
• Mass is a music for the Catholic church
worship. The leading Italian composer of
the Renaissance period was Giovanni
Pierluigu da Palestrina (1525 – 1594). He
wrote music for the Catholic church which
were highly regarded as models of church
music because of their serenity.
• One of Palestrina’s best masses was Pope
Marcellus Mass written for an acapella
choir of a soprano, alto, two tenors, and
two bases. The six voices imitate each
other and blend well.
 Madrigal
• The madrigal is an important secular
vocal music of the Renaissance period.
It is a musical composition for solo
voices. Its subject is sentimental and
erotic love. It is sung at social
gatherings in the court and meetings
of artistic and learned societies, unlike
the motets which are sung in church.
It is accompanied by a lute or a
harpsichord.
 Madrigal
• “April is in My Mistress’ Face” by
Thomas Morley is a well – known
English Madrigal.
• The madrigal began in Italy and
swept England.
Instruments

THE BASIC INSTRUMENT

OF THE RENAISSANCE
 INSTRUMENTS
• The singing of secular music is
accompanied by instruments.
 LUTE
• One of the most
popular instrumentals
of the Renaissance is
the lute which is
played by plucking.
• It has a pear – shaped
body, frets and a
varying number of
strings. Its peg is
slanted back sharply
from the rest of the
instrument.
 LUTE
• There are six notes
in a lute: so (g), re
(d), la (a), fa (f), do
(c) and sol (g).
• So (g) is the highest
note and it is played
in a single setting.
The other notes are
played in two strings.
Famous Composers of the Renaissance period

COMPOSERS
 Giovanni Da Palestrina
• Palestrina (1525 – 1594),
Giovanni Da Palestrina
an Italian, considered as
the prolific writer of
sacred vocal polyphony,
wrote masses, motels,
hymns, and other sacred
works for the Catholic
Church.
 Orlando di Lasso
Orlando di Lasso
• Di Lasso (1532 – 1594), a
Flemish composer, wrote
musical compositions of
sacred and secular nature.
He is subjective and
passionate in his creations.
Di Lasso wrote Italian
madrigals, Latin masses
and motets, and German
lieder.
• The Penitential Psalms of
David is a Lasso creation.
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi
• Monteverdi (1567 –
1643), an Italian
composer, composed
music for operas
utilizing chordal
accompaniment. Among
his works are the
Return of Ulysses and
The Coronation of
Poppea.
Renaissance Period

A QUICK REVIEW
 Lesson Review
• Renaissance Period is from 1450 –
1600.
• Renaissance means “rebirth”.
• Vocal forms are motet, mass, and
madrigal.
• The lute is the basic instrument of the
Renaissance period.
• The composers are Giovanni da
Palestrina, Orlando di Lasso and
Claudio Monteverdi.
 QUIZ ON
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
 IDENTIFICATION
1. This term literally means rebirth.
2. This is the basic instrument of the
Renaissance period.
3. Other term for the Renaissance period; This
was named so because vocal polyphony
culminated to perfection during Renaissance.
4. He was considered as the prolific writer of
sacred vocal polyphony. He wrote masses,
motels, hymns, and other sacred works for
the Catholic Church.
5. Leading music center of Renaissance.
 TRUE OR FALSE
1. (Motet, Mass or Madrigal)