Music in the Renaissance Period Renaissance French for birth -began in Italy and gradually spread over the

Western European World -it refers to a revival of interest in the philosophy and arts of the ancient Greece and Rome(in music it refers to on the style that predominated from the 1450 to 1600) - This was the time when man discovered that the world is round. -in 1450 paper and printing were invented -famous personalities in science were Galileo and Copernicus; -Humanism (intellectual movement) focused on human life and its accomplishments rather than on afterlife, heaven, or hell. -in arts, this was the time of Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael; -in music Palestrina, Thomas Morley, Machaut and Dufay -Guido d Arezzo devised the staff or stave (notes that occupy the lines and spaces, clef signs indicate the pitch) -Leonin (French Monk) compiled the Magnus Liber,a great book containing two- part plainsong for all the feast of the church -Wandering Minstrels entertained people throughout Europe (they sang songs with string instruments such as harp and viols) Jongleurs- acrobats as well as musicians Minstrels-(Romantic songs) were respectable than jongleurs Trouveres-minstrels in central and northern France Troubadours-minstrels in southern France Minnesingers/love singers-minstrels in Germany -perfectly describes the intellectual and economic changes that occurred in Europe from fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries. -Music was just like the visual arts, spacious, elegant, balanced, proportioned, and with careful regard for form -sacred music was used for the Roman Catholic Church (extension of Gregorian chant) -Instruments may have been employed, but music was written primarily for acapella choir -Estampie (Dance) was the first instrumental form during this period -Choir was the most important development of the period (polyphonic music) (If the voices imitate each other, the music is called imitative polyphony) Classifications of voices are: Soprano Alto Tenor Bass

Vocal Forms The Mass- is a performance of the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion), based on the words of Christ at the Last Supper. -Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei -Ordinary -Proper Guillaume Dufay (1400-1474) -he composed the L Homme Armme Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina - the greatest master of the Roman Catholic Church Music -Pope Marcellus Mass Motet- is a short polyphonic composition with sacred words and meant to be performed on religious or festive occasions -unaccompanied choral composition (unified piece with all voices singing the same text) Joaquin dez Prez(1450-1521)- known as the Prince of Music Secular Music Madrigal-an important secular vocal music of the Renaissance -piece for several solo voices set to a short poem, usually about love -combines homophonic and polyphonic texture -in vernacular language rather in Latin Frotolla -dance music