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Music in the Middle Ages
and Renaissance
Music 110:
Listening to Classical Music
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Medieval Sacred Music
Edict of Milan (313 A. D.): Emperor Constantine legalizes
Christianity.
Pope Gregory the Great (c.540-604 A.D.)
He is credited with helping to standardize the early chant repertory of
the Catholic Church and is also believed to be the composer of many
chants (hence, Gregorian chant).
Charlemagne (crowned Roman Emperor in 800 A.D.)
He recognizes that a unified Church could help solidify its authority
and empower it politically. Even though he could barely read or write, Charlemagne encouraged
education for the masses, and helped found many cathedral schools.
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Medieval Music
From c. 1000-1250, music was primarily
monophonic (one melody with no
accompaniment).
Sacred music: Catholic Church
Secular music (preserved): royal courts
Vocal music primary After 1250, music becomes more polyphonic
(more than one melody at a time).
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Gregorian chant (plainchant)
Written for the Catholic liturgy
Monophony (melody with no
accompaniment)
Latin text
Free meter
Limited melodic range Most are anonymous.
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In paradisum
(Genre: plainchant, 9th century)
In paradisum deducant te Angeli;
in tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres,
et perducant te in civitatem sanctamJerusalem.
Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat,et cum Lazaro quondam paupere
aeternam habeas requiem.
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In paradisum (translation)
May the angels lead you to paradise,
And the martyrs, when you arrive,
Escort you to the city of Jerusalem.
May the angel choir sustain you,
And with Lazarus, who was once poor,
May you be granted eternal rest.
Melisma: use of one syllable of text on multiple notes.
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Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)
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Hildegard of Bingens Life
Born into a noble family.
Entered a convent at age 7 and took her religious vows at age
16.
Experienced mystic visions all of her life. She would correspond with kings, popes, and other leaders,
and also became well-respected for her writings on science,
medicine, and theology.
She would eventually found an abbey in Bingen, Germany.
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Hildegards Music
She believed that music provided direct access to God.
She wrote both the music and text for chants performed at
her abbey.
The texts of her chants tend to be woman-centered (e.g., theVirgin Mary, St. Ursula).
The vocal range of her chants is much wider and more florid
than those written and performed for monasteries (monks)
and churches at the time.
The fact that we know what chants she composed
demonstrates how widespread her influence was.
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Hildegard, Columba aspexit
(chant, mid-1100s)
Columba aspexit
Per cancellos fenestrae
Ubi ante faciem eius
Sudando sudavir
balsamum
De lucido Maximino.
The dove entered
Through the window
Where, before its face,
Balm emanated
From incandescent
Maximus.
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Columba aspexit (cont.)
Calor solis exarsit
Et in tenebras
resplenduit;
Unde gemma surrexit
In edificatione templi
Purissimi cordis benevoli.
The heat of the sun
burned and dazzled
into the gloom, whence
a jewel sprang forthIn the building of the
temple
Of the most pure loving
heart.
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A Medieval Chantbook
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Medieval Secular Music
Troubadours (France): professional, traveling musicians associated with
the royal courts.
We believe that most troubadours also wrote their own poetry.
Secular monophony
The texts of troubadour songs are written in the vernacular (French) ina stylized, elevated language.
Considered monophony, but troubadour songs were likely performed
with instruments at times.
Melodic range is simple and limited.
Courtly love: code of behavior associated with the royal courts.
Most poems are written from a male perspective and idealize women.
Themes of love (often unrequited), betrayal, loyalty, etc.
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Bernart de Ventadorn (troubadour, c.1135-94)
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Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204)
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Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Troubadour Song
The first written-down songs in a European vernacular
language originated in Aquitaine (South-Central France).
Eleanor of Aquitaine was responsible for spreading the
troubadour repertory to northern France, and eventually
(through her marriage to King Henry II) to England.
Bernart de Ventadorn worked for her in Aquitaine.
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Ventadorn, La dousa votz
(troubadour song, 1100s)
Stanza 1:
La dousa votz ai auzida I have heard the sweet voice
Del rosinholet sauvatge of the nightingale
Et es minsel cor salhida and my heart springs up
Si que tot lo cosirer so that all the cares
Els mals traihz quamors me dona, and the grievous betrayals love has
Madousa e masazona. given me are softened and sweetened
Et auriam be mester in my ordeal
Lautrui joi al meu damnatge. by the joys of others.
Stanza 2:
Ben es totz om davol vida In truth, every man leads a base life
Cab joi non a son estatge who does not dwell in the land of joy
Stanza 3:
Una fause deschauzida One who is false, deceitful,
Trairitz de mal linhage of low breeding, a traitress,
Ma trait, et es traida has betrayed me and betrayed herself.
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The Renaissance (c.1400-1600)
(Re-birth)
Humanism: explore relationship between man and
world, and ones inner self.
Combine reason and observation (including a reliance on
the senses) in ways that challenged long-held authority. Life in the now vs. life in the hereafter.
Balance faith and reason
The humanist focus on life on earth became a direct threat
to church and political authority. Rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman culture.
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Medieval vs. Renaissance Belief
Rely on authority
Religion is primary
Man must serve God
The senses are BAD
Ok to challenge
authority
Balance faith and
reason Develop individuality to
uphold morality
Sensuality and pleasureare (within reason) ok
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The contrasts between Medieval and Renaissance
belief are very evident in the art of the eras:
Medieval art:
Flat and one-dimensional.
Lack of individuality and
personality in human portraits.
Renaissance art:
Clarity, symmetry, and realism.
Illusion of three-dimensional
depth.
Capture a sense of individuality in
portraits and, more generally, in
an artists own work.
New interest in human body:
admiration, sensuality, scientific
anatomy.
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Example of Medieval Art (anonymous):
Hildegard of Bingen (receiving a vision)
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Example of Renaissance Art:
Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna, Child, St. Anne, and a
Lamb (c. 1517)
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Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa (1506)
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Leonardo da Vinci, The Vitruvian Man (1487)
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Renaissance Art:
Michelangelos David(1504)
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Music in the Renaissance
Text expression (individuality): the madrigal
Rise of secular and instrumental music
Rise of professional musicians
Rise of amateur music-making as social
accomplishment
Music printing
Composers begin to sign their works! Polyphony (two or more melodies performed
simultaneously) is dominant.
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Josquin DesPrez (c.1440-1521)
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Josquins Life and Career
Spent much of his life and career in Italy (worked at the papal chapel in Rome), but
also moved around Europe, working for various royal courts.
Wrote about 22 masses, as well as other types of sacred and secular music.
Mass: a musical setting of the Ordinary of the Catholic Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo,
Sanctus, Agnus Dei): i.e., parts of the mass that are celebrated every day in the
church year. Many masses at this time were based on pre-existing chants. Missa Pange lingua (c. 1510)
Based on the original Pange lingua chant (Middle Ages)
Latin text
Chant appears freely in all four voices
Use ofimitation: voices enter in succession with the same musical idea atdifferent pitch levels.
Textural variety reflects emotional content of text.
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Josquin, Kyrie
(Pange lingua Mass)
Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.
Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy.
Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.
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Josquin, Gloria (excerpts)
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
Miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi,Suscipe deprecatione nostram.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
Miserere nobis.
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Gloria, continued
Quoniam tu solus sanctus,
Tu solus Dominus,
Tu solus altissimus,Jesu Christe,
Cum sancto spiritu,
In gloria Dei Patris.Amen.
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Martin Luther (1483-1546)
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Luther and the Protestant Reformation
Luther was a theologian (and composer!) who refuted key
teachings of the Catholic Church.
The Reformation began as a rebellion against the overriding
authority of the Catholic Church. It reached its height during
the 1520s and 1530s.
No more blind obedience to church authorities and dogma.
Luther also revised the Mass in order to get the congregation
more involved.
Use of the vernacular (German).
Wrote and promoted the performance ofchorales (simple German
hymns).
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The Catholic Church and the Counter-
Reformation
The Counter-Reformation (c. 1540s-60s) was the Catholic
response to the Protestant Reformation.
Key question: How would the Catholic Church retain and
continue to attract members while still holding true to
traditional church dogma?
Some musical results:
Latin remains the official language of the Church (and chants).
Make the texts audible and clear.
Stop inappropriate use of instruments in church (except for the organ).
Dissonance (harsh-sounding chords) should be used infrequently and
with restraint.
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Palestrina (c.1525-94)
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Palestrinas Life and Career
Born in Italy; would work in Rome for most of his life.
Like many composers, Palestrina started out as a choirboy, but he would
remain a layman throughout his life.
He would hold two prestigious posts (as singer, choirmaster, organist,
composer) at the Cappella Giulia(St. Peters Basilica; native Italians) and
the Cappella Sistina(Sistine Chapel; mostly foreigners).
Served several popes.
He wrote about 104 masses, plus hundreds of other sacred and secular
works.
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Palestrinas Pope MarcellusMass (1567)
Myth (now discounted): Palestrina wrote this mass to save
polyphony from Counter-Reformation reforms.
The works title refers to Pope Marcellus II, who Palestrina
briefly served.
Musical style:
Six voices
It does not use any Gregorian chant as its basis.
However, Palestrinas melodies are very chant-like in their stepwise
motion. Restrained use of dissonance.
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The English Madrigal
Madrigal: a polyphonic secular song (Italian or English).
The development of the English madrigal came from the late sixteenth-
century interest in Italian art forms and ideas.
Usually performed with voices only (males and/or females), but
instruments were occasionally used as well.
Associated with the royal court, in particular Queen Elizabeth I.
Musical style:
English text (NOT high literary quality, however, vs. the Italian madrigal)
Use ofword painting(the literal musical depiction of the texts words or content).
4-6 independent voices typical.
Thomas Weelkes madrigal As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending contains
loosely coded references to the great Queen Elizabeth, whose nickname was Oriana.
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Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)
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Queen Elizabeth I
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Thomas Weelkes (c.1574-1623)
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Weelkes, As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill
(Genre: English madrigal)
As Vesta was from Latmos Hill descending
She spied a maiden Queen the same ascending,
Attended on by all the shepherds swain;
To whom Dianas darlings came running down amain,First two by two, then three by three together,
Leaving their Goddess all alone, hasted thither;
And mingling with the shepherds of her train,
With mirthful tunes her presence did entertain.Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana:
Long live fair Oriana!
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Arcadelt (1505-68)
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The Italian Madrigal (optional)
Four voices (polyphonic)
Brief
Elevated poetry
Text expression and word painting primary
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Arcadelt (1505-68), Il bianco e dolce cigno (c. 1535)
Optional
Il bianco e dolce cigno The white and gentle swan
cantando more et io, dies singing, and I,
piangendo giungal fin del weeping, approach the end of
viver mio. of my life.Strane diversa sorte, Strange and diverse fates,
chei more sconsolato that he dies disconsolate
et il moro beato. and I die happy.
Morte che nel morire, Death, that in the act of dying,mempie di gioia tutto e fills me wholly with joy and
di desire. desire.
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Il bianco, continued
Se nel morir altro dolor If in dying I feel
non sento no other pain
Di mille mortil di sarei I would be content to die a
contento. thousand times a day.