The Renaissance followed on from the Middle Ages and was for musicians an era of discovery,

innovation and exploration - the name means 'rebirth'. It covers the music from 1400 to 1600.
In the Middle Ages, music was dominated by the Church.
The main characteristics of Renaissance music are (Fuller 2010): Music based on modes. Richer
texture, with four or more independent melodic parts being performed simultaneously. These
interweaving melodic lines, a style called polyphony, is one of the defining features of
Renaissance music.

Periods and eras of Western

A quick list of Renaissance classical music
instruments will include:

- Keyboard instruments.
- The stringed group: the lyra Early
(hurdy-gurdy), various forms Renaissance c. 14001600
of lute, viols, harp, psaltery, Common practice
dulcimer. Baroque c. 16001750
- The wind group: the oboe, the
flute, horns, bagpipes, trumpet,
clarion and trombone.
- Percussion instruments:
drums.
The Latin Mass is perhaps the most important type of
music from the Renaissance, particularly that of Josquin
des Prez. Most music written during this period is
intended to be sung, either as large choral pieces in
church or as songs or madrigals. But non-vocal music flourished too, as technology enabled
musical instruments to be more expressive and agile. Pieces could now be written specifically
for instruments such as the sackbut and lute.
In the early Renaissance, most composers came from Northern France or the Low Countries,
where the support provided by the courts was particularly strong. Later on, focus went beyond
the Alps as the heyday of the Italian city-state system took hold, and many northern composers
came south to find their fortunes.
Italian composers started appearing too. At the basilica of St Marks, Venice, Andrea and
Giovanni Gabrieli produced magnificent pieces for huge choirs and groups of instruments. In
Rome, Allegri and Palestrina were the last great Renaissance composers, writing huge, flowing
choral works that still enthrall the ears. Giovanni Gabrieli (c. 1554/1557 12 August 1612) was
an Italian composer and organist. He was one of the most influential musicians of his time, and
represents the culmination of the style of the Venetian School, at the time of the shift from
Renaissance to Baroque idioms.
A cappella

Musical style
A cappella music is specifically group or solo singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a
piece intended to be performed in this way. It contrasts with cantata, which is usually
accompanied singing.
Typical instruments: Vocals; vocal percussion; beatboxing; body percussion; live looping;
instrument mimicry

Cultural origins: Jewish and Christian worship

Stylistic origins: Church music; Gregorian chant; Madrigal
. The term "a cappella" was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony
and Baroque concertato style. In the 19th century a renewed interest in Renaissance polyphony
coupled with an ignorance of the fact that vocal parts were often doubled by instrumentalists
led to the term coming to mean unaccompanied vocal music. The term is also used, albeit
rarely, as a synonym for alla breve.
Religion
A cappella music was originally used in religious music, especially church music as well as
anasheed and zemirot. Gregorian chant is an example of a cappella singing, as is the majority of
secular vocal music from the Renaissance. The madrigal, up until its development in the early
Baroque into an instrumentally-accompanied form, is also usually in a cappella form. Jewish
and Christian music were originally a cappella and this practice has continued in both of these
religions as well as in Islam.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
As a young man, he was part of the choir of the Roman basilica of Santa Mara la Mayor. Later,
he was organist in the cathedral of his native city. When the bishop of Palestrina acceded to the
papal throne with the name of Julio III, named to him of teacher of the choir of the Cappella
Giulia of the Basilica of San Pedro. The following year he published his first book of Masses. A
later pope, Paulo IV, dismissed him from office, according to some who considered his marriage
status inappropriate, according to others for having written madrigals, unholy pieces.
In 1547 he married Lucrecia Gori. In 1555 he was named successor of Orlando di Lasso as
master of the chapel of St. John Lateran, where in 1560 he wrote his Lamentations. It passed
with the same position to Santa Maria the Major in 1561, and in 1563 published its first book of
motetes. With the death of his wife in 1580 I contemplate the possibility of taking habits. He
contracted marriage in second nuptials with Virginia Dormoli in 1581; A wealthy widow, which
allowed him to publish much of his work.
Palestrina was always dissatisfied with the reforms of the sacred liturgy dictated by the Council
of Trent, which made non-canonical some of his Masses and other early works, sprinkled with
profane interpositions alien to the official text. For this reason he resigned from his post to go
to the service of Cardinal Hippolytus II of Este, who maintained his own chapel. Finally he
returned to the direction of the Cappella Giulia, where he finished his days in the position
created for him of "Composer of the Papal Chapel".

On the other hand, Palestrina is seen as the most representative author of polyphonic works
adjusted to the new demands of the Counter Reformation. His works of those years stand out
for the clarity achieved, leaving the melody in the hands of the upper voice and precisely
adjusting the rhythm of the speech. With reason, it is considered with admiration the beauty
achieved by Palestrina.

Of its 104 Masses, more than 70 are composed on the cantus firmus of Gregorian melodies.
Perhaps the best of them is Miss Papae Marcelli in which he synthesizes the style of his
predecessors and contemporaries. Of his motets are celebrated, in addition to the Improperia,
the 29 motets on the text of the Song of Songs of Solomon. He is considered one of the most
eminent authors of Catholic religious music.
 Music 9

9-Ruby
Kathlene Anne B. Candido
Sir Nio Machica