A BAND STUDENT S GUIDE TO MUSIC HISTORY Renaissance Music (1400-1600 AD) Jump to Music
THE RENAISSANCE
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What traits distinguish medieval from Renaissance music? What was the relationship between humanism and music? What new harmonies did Renaissance Composers employ and why? What invention fundamentally changed the way music was performed and consumed? How did church politics affect the development of Renaissance Music?
RENAISSANCE The rebirth (Fr.) Revival of the ideals of classical antiquity Philosophy Technology The Arts "Man is the measure of all things." Sandro Botticelli, Magnificat, 1480 81, tempera on panel, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
ROAD TO THE REBIRTH Implications of the Black Death Italian Origin Medici Family Fall of Constantinople Migration of Greek and Roman scholars Adoption of humanism Emphasizes the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and affirms their ability to improve their lives through the use of reason
SCIENCE Inventions: Printing Press Telescope Mechanical Clock Microscope Eyeglasses Gunpowder Alchemy Ancestor to chemistry Astronomy Move from geocentric to heliocentric Geography Cladius Ptolemy
THE AGE OF DISCOVERY Why? Colonialism Mercantilism Colonization of Americas, Southern Asia, Africa Drove discovery at great ethical expense
RELIGION Turmoil in the papacy Reformation Martin Luther Protestant led to others Counter-reformation Council of Trent Martin Luther, shown in a portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder, initiated the Protestant Reformation in 1517.
ART
CLASSICAL ORDER
LINEAR PERSPECTIVE Pietro Perugino's use of perspective in this fresco at the Sistine Chapel (1481 82) helped bring the Renaissance to Rome.
FORESHORTENING
LEONARDO DA VINCI Polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Writer, poet, playwright
ISAAC NEWTON Scientist: Theory of gravity, laws of motion
GALILEO GALIEI Scientist: Astronomer, physicist, troublemaker
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS Explorer, navigator, colonizer
MUSIC IN SOCIETY Secular Cultural Capital Courts and capella Composers more mobile Sacred Large patronage Resident composers
HUMANISM AND HARMONY Judgement of ears over tradition Guido de Arezzo Musicus vs. cantor Ramos de Pareja Guido was perhaps a better monk than a musician 3rds & 6ths: CONSONANT One example of the Guidonian hand, from a Bodleian Library MS
THE CONTENANCE ANGLOISE The English guise Lively consonances Dominated by 3rds, 5ths, 6ths The Triad John Dunstaple Quam pulchra es 100 Years War
DEPARTURES FROM MEDIEVAL STYLE Pervading imitation More homogeneous textures More lyrical melodic lines Conjunct Increasing use of instruments
SACRED VOCAL MUSIC The Mass Cyclic mass Cantus firmus Large-scale Motets Smaller-scale Polyphonic Word painting Orlando de Lassus leading a chamber ensemble, painted by Hans Mielich
REFORMATION ERA Chorales Communal participation Anthems English evolution of motet Council of Trent Polyphony on the chopping block Music in service of text A session of the Council of Trent, from an engraving
SECULAR VOCAL MUSIC Leaning towards homophony Simpler harmonies Variations: Chanson (Fr.) Madrigal (It.) Lied (Ger.) Villancico (Sp.) English Madrigal Claudio Monteverdi in 1640 by Bernardo Strozzi. Monteverdi was the most influential composer of madrigals after 1600.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC Cornett Sackbutt Dulcian Bowed strings Shawm, bagpipes, recorder Organ, harpsichord Percussion
GIOVANNI PALESTRINA Polyphony + intelligible text Wrote mostly sacred music 105 masses 140 madrigals 300 motets Missa Papae Marcelli https://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=3n8xdkkrqg o
JOSQUIN DE PREZ 1611 woodcut of Josquin des Prez, copied from a now-lost oil painting done during his lifetime Cross-over composer Sacred and secular Wrote in all vocal styles of the age First master of the High Renaissance style El grillo Frottola