Renaissance(1450-1600)

The Renaissance (1450-1600) “rebirth” of human creativity

› Exploration and adventure Christopher Columbus (1492)

› Curiosity and individualism Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

Painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, scientist and musician

Humanism – dominant intellectual movement focusing on human life and accomplishments.› Not concerned with afterlife› Christians focused on the cultures of ancient Greece and

Rome› Influenced art – artists attracted to mythology as subjects

Middle ages – more religious symbolism with a flat surface Renaissance – realism with linear perspective

The Renaissance continued Catholic church far less powerful

› Due to Protestant Reformation by Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Church did not control education› Aristocrats considered education a status

symbol› 1450 printing invented assisted with

educational advancement

Music of the Renaissance Printing greatly assisted with the spread of music Every educated individual was expected to be musically

trained Even Shakespeare saw the importance of music

› Called for it over 300 times Church choirs grew

› Still all male Musical activity became a greater part of royal life (courts)

› Women were aloud to sing in Italian courts› 1 court may have as many as 60 musicians› Musicians traveled with nobility

Town musicians› Played for processions, weddings and religious services

Musicians gained social status during the Renaissance› Composers sought recognition

Characteristics of Renaissance Music Vocal music more important than instrumental

› Words and music have a close relation› Music wrote to enhance meaning of text

Medieval composers did not do this› Word painting – musical depiction of specific words

Renaissance music – polyphonic› Choral pieces contained 4-6 parts equal to the melody› Imitation was common – each presents the same melodic idea› Homophonic texture used with chordal successions

Dances› Greater amount of texture compared to Renaissance music› Bass register used› Sound was stable with the use of consonant chords› No need for instrumental accompaniment

Golden age A capella – unaccompanied voices When instruments were used they duplicated the melody

Instruments were rarely used in Renaissance choral music

Gentle flowing rhythms with a defined beat› Melody moved generally in steps with few leaps

Sacred Music in the Renaissance

Two main forms› Motet – polyphonic choral work set to sacred

Latin text› Mass – longer composition that is a polyphonic

choral compositions made up for the five sections of the mass

Josquin Desprez and the Renaissance Motet

Josquin Desprez (about 1440-1521) Master of Renaissance music International career Born in Belgium

› Spent most of his life in Italy Served in duke’s private chapels Louis XII of France was in patron later in life Works – masses, motets, secular vocal

pieces Praised by music lovers

Ave Maria…virgo serena(Hail Mary…serene virgin; c. 1475by- Josquin Desprez

Four-voice motet Latin prayer to the Virgin Mary Polyphonic imitation Varies texture – amount of voices heard

at once Changes from duple to triple to duple

meter Tempo moves between calm to

animated to calm

Palenstrina and the Renaissance Mass

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (about 1525-1594)› Devoted his work to the Catholic Church› Rome› Music director at St. Peter’s› 104 masses and 450 other sacred works› Wrote during the Counter-Reformation

Council of Trent (1545-1563) Felt church music had lost its purity

Some wanted return to monophonic texture Council ruled – music to composed “to give empty pleasure

to the ear,” but to inspire religious contemplation

› Palestrina’s works followed these constraints

Pope Marcellus Mass (1562-1563)by- Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Most famous mass› Thought to convince Catholic leaders to keep polyphonic works in

the church We know this not true, but this mass was an example to what the

church desired› Dedicated to Pope Marcellus II – reigned in 1555

Written for a cappella choir› 6 parts

Kyrie› Rich polyphonic texture› Imitation within parts› Curved melodies› Upward leaps with downward steps› Short text› Starts with a thin texture and with added voices thickens› 3rd section is faster and louder

Secular Music in the Renaissance

Secular vocal music very popular Music set to poems in various languages Music printing assisted with the spread of

music Music written for solo voices or solo voices

with the accompaniment of one or more instruments

Rapid shifts of mood

Secular Music in the Renaissance

Renaissance Madrigal› Madrigal – piece for several solo voices set to a short

poem Typically about love

› Homophonic and polyphonic textures› More word painting and unusual harmonies› Originated in Italy around 1520› Famous composers – Luca Marenzio and Carlo

Gesualdo› During Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeares

time many were published Golden age of English music and literature English madrigal much lighter mood than Italian model

As Vesta Was Descending (1601)by Thomas Weelkes

Thomas Weelkes (about 1575-1623)› English Madrigalist, organist and church

composer 6 voices Represents Vesta – Roman goddess of the

hearth, Diana – Roman goddess of chasity, hunting and the moon, and Oriana the maiden queen (Queen Elizabeth)

Light mood Word painting

Secular Music in the Renaissance

The Renaissance Lute Song› Solo song for voice and lute

Lute – a plucked strong instrument with a body shaped like a half pear› Versatile

Popular in England from the late 1590s – 1620s

Homophonic in texture

Flow My Tears (about 1600)by John Dowland (1563-1626)

Popular during Shakespeare’s time Represents someone’s happiness that

has been suddenly shattered Poem written by Dowland 3 sections A, B, and C

› Immediately repeated AA, BB, CC Slow tempo, minor key, descending 4

note melodic pattern

Secular Music in the Renaissance

Instrumental music – became somewhat more important during the Renaissance› Accompanied vocalist› 16th century brought the emancipated from

vocal music More instrumental forms Instruments only used in specific purposes Instrumental music intended for dancing

Secular Music in the Renaissance

Musicians separated instruments into different classifications by how loud or soft they were.

Instruments now are much louder with a brighter sound today

Important instruments of the time: recorders, shawms, cornetts, sackbuts, lutes, viols, organs, regals, and harpsichord.

Composers did not specify instruments› Todays standardized ensembles did not exist

Passamezzo and Galliard by Pierre Fancisque Caroubel from Terpsichore (1612)by Michael Praetorius

Pairing contrasting court dances in duple and triple meter

Terpsichore – collection of over 300 dance tunes› Greek Goddess of the dance

Dances originated in Italy › Popular in the 16th and early 17th centuries

Passamezzo› Stately dance, duple meter

Guilliard› Quick dance, triple meter

The Venetian School: From Renaissance to Baroque

16th century Venice was a center of instrumental and vocal music

St. Mark’s Cathedral› Colorful and wealthy› Employed up to twenty instrumentalists

and thirty singers› Music directors were some of the finest

during the era Venetian school – Adrian Willaert, Andrea

Gabrieli, and Giovanni Gabrieli

Giovanni Gabrieli and the Polychoral Motet

Giovanni Gabrieli (about 1555-1612)› Native of Venice

Most important Venetian composer of the late Renaissance› Works: organ and instrumental ensemble works and

polychoral motets Polychoral motets – motets for two or more choirs

and instruments› Sonata pian e forte (1597) first instrumental ensemble

piece with dynamics and instrumentation given by the composer

› 2-5 choirs Large amount of performers

› Wide range of register, sonority, and tone color

Plaudite (Clap Your Hands; 1597)by Giovanni Gabrieli

For a joyful ceremony Latin texts Large vocal and instrumental ensemble

› 12 parts in 3 choirs› Instrumentation is left to performers