Renaissance

1450-
1450-1600

Greensleeves
• Famous tune written during the Renaissance era
• Said to have been written by King Henry VIII

Gregorian Chant
• Sung in a cappella
• Religious music was very important in the Renaissance era
• Choral music was an extension of the Gregorian Chant

a cappella
• Vocal music without instrumental accompaniment
• Modern usage, a cappella often refers to an all-all-vocal
performance of any style
• Originally was, and still often is, used in religious music
 Lute

Giovanni Palestrina
• Wrote motets, madrigals, and masses
• One the Renaissance period's most important
composers
• Italian composer

Madrigal
• Polyphonic work, which means it has many musical lines of equal importance
• Performed in groups of four, five or six
• Usually love songs

Motet
• Work of four or five voice parts singing one religious text
• Similar to Madrigal, except these are religious works
 Masses
• Like a Motet only longer
• Followed religious order of Catholic Church
• Sung in specific order: sung Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus,
and Agnus Dei
• Performed in Latin

Masses
• Like a Motet only longer
• Followed religious order of Catholic Church
• Sung in specific order: sung Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus,
and Agnus Dei
• Performed in Latin