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Medieval/Middle Ages
and Renaissance Music
Your question to me….
Medieval/Middle Ages
c. 450-1450
Renaissance
c. 1450-1650
Just any old church door?
October 31, 1517
Martin Luther
95 Theses
Women (castrati)
Vernacular
The Culture of the Medieval/
Middle Ages
450 1450
Which are you?
Two Types of Chant
Syllabic: One note (or sometimes two) note(s) per
syllable.
Dies Irae
Cloister
Monastery (men)
Convent (women)
The place of women…
Where are the women in “classical” music?
Alleluia! Alleluia!
O virga mediatrix, O branch, mediator,
sancta viscera tua your holy body
mortem superaverunt overcame death,
et venter tuus and your womb
omnes creaturas illuminavit illuminated all creatures
in pulcro flore with the beautiful flower
de suavissima integritate born from the sweetest integrity
clausi pudoris tui orto. of your chaste honor.
Listen for…
1. Sacred Latin text, but…
2. Male voices
3. No harmony*
4. No rhythmic*interest
5. No dynamic* variation
6. Melismatic* and Syllabic* writing
7. Extended vocal range
8. A capella*
9. Various sections between solo* and tutti*
Which leads us to…..
Opera*
The Coronation of Poppea
Claudio Monteverdi
Voice assignments (including countertenors/castrati)
Multiple “voices”
Motets*
Sacred*, usually in Latin
Any number of voices*
Accompanied *
Spem in alium
I have never put my hope in any other but in you,
O God of Israel
who can show both anger
and graciousness,
and who absolves all the sins of suffering man
Lord God,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
be mindful of our humiliation
Madrigals*
Secular*
A cappella*
Vernacular*
Word painting*
Fair Phyllis
Fair Phyllis I saw sitting all alone
Feeding her flock near to the mountain side.
The shepherds knew not,
they knew not whither she was gone,
But after her lover Amyntas hied (sic),
Up and down he wandered
whilst she was missing;
When he found her,
O then they fell a-kissing.
Early Instrumental Music
Central role in art music reserved for vocal music.
Instrumental music mostly improvised.*
Soft (piano* or bas) or loud ( forte* or haut)
instruments.
Categorized by their use (indoor or outdoor) .
Vielle
Mandolin
Lute
Early Instrumental Music
Dulcimer
Psaltery
Medieval Organs
Small instruments (Portative)
Sound clip