Music9Q1

The First Three Periods of Western Music History: Medieval, Renaissance, and
Baroque
| Medieval Period (700 - 1400)
- also known as the Middle Ages or Dark Ages.
- started with the fall of the Roman Empire.
➢ Monophonic Plainchant
- named after Pope Gregory I.
- although it was originally transmitted orally, scholars agreed to
put it in notation to assist dissemination of chants across
Europe.
➢ Pope Gregory I
- made the monophonic plainchant the approved music of the
Catholic church and made it popular.
++KNOWLEDGE++
1. During this time, the Christian Church influenced Europe’s culture
and political affairs.
➢ Characteristics of the Gregorian Chants:
1. Monophonic
2. Free meter
3. Modal
4. Usually based on Latin liturgy
5. Use of Neume notation
➢ Secular Music
- emerged during the latter part of the Medieval Period.
- not bound by Catholic traditions.
➔ Troubadours - group of musicians that performed most
of these songs across Europe.
➔ Troubadour Music:
1. Usually monophonic
2. Sometimes with improvised accompaniment
3. Tells of chivalry and courtly love
4. Originated in France

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5. Written in the French language

Famous Composer of the Medieval Period
❖ Adam de la Halle (France, 1237 - 1288)
- was also known as Adam le Bossu (Adam the Hunchback.)
- the son of a well – known citizen of Arras, Henri de la Halle
- received his education at the Cistercian Abbey of Vaucelles,
near Cambral.
- his patrons were Robert II, Count of Artois, and Charles of
Anjou, brother of Louis IX.
- was one of the oldest secular composers whose literary and
musical works include chansons and poetic debates.
- he was a trouvére, poet and musician, whose literary and
musical works include chansons and jeux-partis (poetic
debates) in the style of the trouveres, polyphonic rondel and
motets in the style of early liturgical polyphony.
● His works include:
1. Le Jeu de Robin et de Marion
- was considered the earliest surviving secular
French play with music.
2. La Chanson du roi de Sicile
| Renaissance Period (1400 - 1600)
- the term "Renaissance" comes from the word "renaitre" which
means "rebirth", "revival", and "rediscovery."
- is a period of looking back to the Golden Age of Greece and Rome.
- this era was also known as the "golden age" of a capella choral music.
HISTORICAL FACTS #1:
● During this era, 1) the actual position of earth in the solar system by
Copernicus, 2) the invention of compass creating a wider navigation
not only of the lands but also of the oceans, and 3) Martin Luther’s
Protestant reformation.

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➢ Printing
- the invention of printing in the 1400’s paved the way for a
wide distribution of renaissance compositions.
➢ Bourgeois Class
- with the emergence of the bourgeois class, renaissance music
became popular as entertainment and activity for amateurs
and the educated.
➢ Lute
- was the prominent instrument of the renaissance era.
DID YOU KNOW?
● the influence of the Roman Catholic Church started to decline as
the new music genre arose. Though sacred music was still of great
importance, secular music became more prominent in the
renaissance period.
➢ Characteristics of Renaissance Music:
1. Mostly polyphonic
2. Imitation among the voices is common
3. Use of word painting in texts and music
4. Melodic lines move in a flowing manner
5. Melodies are easier to perform because these move along a
scale with a few large leaps
➢ Vocal Music of the Renaissance Period
a. Mass – is a form of sacred musical composition that sets texts
of the Eucharistic liturgy into music.
● Characteristics of the Mass:
1. Polyphonic
2. May be sung a cappella or with orchestral
accompaniment
3. Text may be syllabic (one note set to each syllable),
neumatic (a few notes set to one syllable), or
melismatic (many notes to one syllable)
● Five Main Sections of Mass:

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1. Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy)

2. Gloria (Glory to God in the Highest)
3. Credo (I Believe in One God)
4. Sanctus and Benedictus (Holy, holy
and Blessed Is He)
5. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
b. Madrigal - a secular vocal polyphonic music composition
which originated from Italy.
- it is written and expressed in a poetic text and sung
during courtly social gatherings.
- it is the most important secular form during the
Renaissance period.
● Characteristics of the Madrigal:
1. Polyphonic
2. Sung a cappella
3. Through–composed
4. Frequently in 3 to 6 voices
Famous Composers of the Renaissance Period
❖ Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (Rome, 1525 - February 2, 1594)
- is said to be the greatest master of Roman Catholic Church
music during the Renaissance period.
- majority of his compositions are sacred music.
- he was committed to sacred music and has a keen interest in
satisfying the desires of church leaders in the sixteenth century.
● Palestrina’s Pope Marcellus Mass
- is held up as the perfect example of counter -
reformation style.
- Kyrie is part of the first two sections of the Pope
Marcellus Mass.
- Palestrina has two sons but lost them both during the plague
epidemic that struck Rome in 1570’s.
- he had planned to become a priest but eventually changed his
mind and married a wealthy widow. This improved his wealth

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and enabled him to pursue a musical career for the rest of his
life.
++KNOWLEDGE++
2. Palestrina also served as an organist in St. Agapito. His first book
Masses became popular and was greatly appreciated by Pope Julius
III.
❖ Thomas Morley (1557 – 1602)
- was born in Norwich, East England, the son of a brewer.
- he was a singer in the local cathedral from his boyhood, and he
became master of choristers there in 1583.
- was the most famous composer of secular music in his time.
- was believed to have studied music with William Byrd, an
Elizabethan composer of sacred music.
- he received his Bachelor’s degree in Oxford and became an
organist at St. Paul’s in London.
- he tried imitating Byrd in his early works but veered towards
composing madrigals that show a variety of color, form and
technique.
- most of his madrigals are light and easy to sing with some
aspects of Italian style.
● Musica Transalpina
- a collection of Italian madrigals fitted with English
text, was published in 1588 by Nicholas Yonge.
● His works include:
1. Fire, Fire, My Heart
2. Sing and Chant It
3. Fantasie
4. April Is In My Mistress' Face
5. It Was A Lover and His Lass

| Baroque Period (1685 - 1750)

- the word Baroque is derived from the Portuguese word "barroco”

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which means "pearl of irregular shape."

- some of the great composers of this time were George Friedrich
Handel, Johann Sebastian Bach, Claudio Monteverdi, and Antonio
Vivaldi.
- Major and minor tonality was also created in this period.
➢ Characteristics of Baroque Music:
1. Melodies sound elaborate and ornamental
2. Melodies are not easy to sing or remember
3. Primarily contrapuntal textures with some homophony
4. Dynamic contrast – alternation between loud and soft
5. Music genres—operas, oratorios, suites, tocatas,
concertó grosso, fugue
6. Orchestra consists of strings and continuous
7. Harpsichord and organ are the keyboard instruments
that are commonly used
● New forms:
1. Binary – AB
2. ternary – ABC
3. ground bass
4. fugue
➢ Music Genres of Baroque Music
1. Concerto – a form of orchestral music that employs a
solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra.
2. Concerto Grosso - a form of orchestral music wherein
the music is between a small group of solo instruments
called concertino and the whole orchestra called tutti.
3. Fugue - a contrapuntal piece, developed mainly by
imitative counterpoint
- it is usually written in 3 or 4 parts, with a main
theme called "subject."
- the entire piece grows mainly from a single brief
tune of strong musical character.

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4. Oratorio – a large scale musical composition for

orchestra and voices that incorporates narratives on
religious themes.
- this is usually performed without the use of
costumes, scenery, or action.
- it is usually written in the native language for the
intended audience.
Examples:
a. Handel's "Messiah," "amson," "Israel," and "Egypt"
b. Bach’s "Christmas Oratorio"
c. Haydn’s "The Creation"
5. Chorale – musical compositions that resemble a
harmonized version of hymnal tunes of the Protestant
Church during the Baroque era.
Famous Composers of the Baroque Period
❖ Johann Sebastian Bach (Germany, March 21, 1685 - July 28, 1750)
- J.S. Bach came from a family of musicians.
DID YOU KNOW?
● he was taught to play violin by his father who was then the town
musician in Eisanach. He entered school at age 7 where he was
taught religion and other subjects. He became orphaned at age ten.
His brother, a church organist provided for him. Bach’s beautiful
soprano singing voice helped him to be accepted at a school in
Luӥeberg. A few years later, his voice changed and Bach focused his
attention to playing the violin and harpsichord. Bach was a religious
man. His personal and deep faith is shown in his sacred music. He
was known for his compositions for organ, orchestra, and oratorio.
- his most important and long – term position was as "cantor” at St.
Thomas Church.
● His works include:
1. Concerto Grosso
eg. Brandenburg Concertos (concerto grosso)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw2dlZ8V4-0

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2. Masses
e.g. Mass in B minor
3. Cantatas
e.g. Cantata 208 and 211
4. Fugues
e.g. Fugue in G minor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1XD1MSES_8
Toccata and Fugue in D minor
5. Works for clavichord and harpsichord
e.g. Well-Tempered Clavier (one of his more well�known
ketboard improvisations)
❖ Antonio Vivaldi (Venice, March 4, 1678 - Vienna, July 28, 1741)
- Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, was nicknamed il Prete Rosso ("The
Red Priest") because of his red hair.
- an Italian Baroque composer, Catholic priest and a virtuoso
violinist.
- recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, his
influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe.
- Vivaldi is known mainly for composing instrumental
concertos, especially for the violin, as well as sacred choral
works and over forty operas.
- he entered the priesthood and was ordained in 1703.
- is well known for giving the strings a major role in his
compositions.
● The Four Seasons
- Vivaldi's most famous piece.
- this composition is a series of four violin concerti
depicting each of the seasons, "Spring," "Summer,"
"Autumn," and "Winter."
❖ George Friedrich Händel (Germany, February 23, 1685 - London, April 14, 1759)
- was the second son from the second marriage of a pastor.

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DID YOU KNOW?

● despite his father’s opposition, George secretly taught himself to
play the harpsichord. At age 7, he gained access to a church organ
and started to play. A Duke heard him play and insisted on giving
him a formal music education. Under Zachau, organist of Halle
cathedral, he studied counterpoint, canon and fugue. Händel is
remembered for his operas and oratorios.
- Handel became England’s favorite composer.
- he had given English audiences music that in variety and interest
rivalled anything they could remember.
++KNOWLEDGE++
3. Handel lost both of his eyesight in 1753. When he conducted his
oratorio, "Samson," a few in the audience were unaware that he had
lost his eyesight.
● The Messiah
- is Hӓndel’s most famous creation and the very well
known "Hallelujah" chorus is part of Hӓndel’s Messiah.
- The Messiah was written in the space of twenty four
days in London but it was in Dublin when The Messiah
was first performed and became an instant success.

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