The Renaissance Era

1
The Renaissance Era

• 1450-1600

2
Key Points in History

• Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), painter/scientist.
• Fall of Constantinople (1453)
• Gutenberg Bible printed (1456) printing press.
• Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543), Polish
  astronomer.
• Michelangelo (1475-1564) painter, sculptor
• Martin Luther (1483-1546) religious reformer.

3
Key Points in History

• Columbus discovers the New World (1492)
• First music book printed in Italy (1501)
• Council of Trent begins (1545)
• Elizabeth I is crowned Queen of England (1558)
• William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
• Musica Transalpina published (1588)

4
The Renaissance Spirit

• The Renaissance was an era of exploration,
  scientific inquiry, artistic awakening, and
  secularization.
• Artists and writers found inspiration in the
  cultures of ancient Greece and Rome.
• Renaissance musicians were employed in churches,
  cities, and courts or in the trades of
  instrument building and music printing.

5
The Renaissance Spirit

• The name is misleading because it suggests a
  sudden rebirth of learning and art after a
  stagnate Middle Ages. However it is a
  continuation.
• It marks the passing of European society from a
  predominately religious orientation to a more
  secular one, and from an age of unquestioning
  faith and mysticism to one of reason and
  scientific inquiry.

6
The Renaissance Spirit

• The focus on human fulfillment rather than the
  hereafter a new way of thinking centered on
  human issues and the individual.
• People gained confidence in their ability to
  solve their own problems rather than rely
  exclusively on tradition or religion.

7
The Renaissance Spirit

• This awakening was called Humanism and was
  inspired by ancient cultures of Greece and Rome.
• Renaissance society embraced the ideas of ancient
  writers and philosophers, such as Plato and
  Virgil.

8
The Arts in the Renaissance

• The revival of ancient writings mentioned earlier
  along with the introduction of printing (1455-
  Gutenberg), had its counterpart in architecture,
  painting and sculpture.
• Lavish palaces and spacious villas were built
  according to harmonious proportions of the
  classical style.

9
The Arts in the Renaissance

• The development of the compass made possible the
  voyages of discovery that opened up new worlds
  and demolished old superstitions.
• Explorers were in search of a new trade route to
  the riches of China and the Indies, instead they
  stumbled upon North and South America.

10
The Arts in the Renaissance

• Nature entered painting as did a preoccupation
  with the laws of perspective and composition.
• Medieval painting had presented life through
  symbolism the Renaissance preferred realism.

11
Musicians in Renaissance Society

• Were supported by the chief institutions of their
  society-church, city, and state, as well as royal
  and aristocratic courts.
• They found employment as choirmasters, singers,
  organists, instrumentalists, copyists, composers,
  teachers, instrument builders, and music
  printers.

12
The Renaissance Musical Style

• Vocal forms of Renaissance music were marked by
  smoothly gliding melodies conceived especially
  for the voice.
• The 16th century has become known as the golden
  age of a cappella style.
• Polyphony in this genre was based on the
  principle of imitation.
• Most church music was written for a cappella
  performance. Why?

13
The Renaissance Musical Style

• Secular music, however, was divided between
  purely vocal works and those in which the singers
  were supported by instruments.
• The Renaissance also saw a growth of solo
  instrumental music, especially for the lute and
  keyboard.
• Harmony came into play during the Renaissance as
  composers leaned toward fuller chords.

14
The Renaissance Musical Style

• They turned away from the open fifths and octaves
  to more pleasing thirds and sixths.
• Word Painting- (making music reflect the meaning
  of the words)- was definitely favored in secular
  music.
• Dissonance was used to describe or highlight the
  word death, while an ascending line was used to
  portray heaven or the stars.

15
The Renaissance Musical Style

• Polyphonic writing offered the composer many
  possibilities such as the use of a cantus firmus.
• The preeminent composers of the early Renaissance
  were from northern Europe, present day Belgium
  and northern France.
• In later Renaissance we will see the emergence of
  Italian composers in both the sacred and secular
  realms of music.

16
The Early Renaissance Mass

• Mass sung in Latin, not vernacular (language of
  the country)
• Composers focused their polyphonic mass settings
  on the Mass Ordinary
• Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
• Kyrie- is a prayer for mercy. Follows an A-B-A
  form that consists on 9 invocations

17
The Early Renaissance Mass

• Gloria- (Glory be to God on high), a joyful hymn
  of praise.
• Credo- (I believe in one God, the Father
  Almighty), this is the confession of faith and
  the longest of the Mass texts.
• Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), a song of praise
  which concludes with the Hosanna in the highest

18
The Early Renaissance Mass

• Agnus Dei (Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins
  of the world), sung 3 times.
• Twice it concludes with miserere nobis (have
  mercy on us) and on the 3rd time with the prayer
  dona nobis pacem (grant us peace).
• All 5 movements are part of the Ordinary or fixed
  portion.
• Movements for special occasions (Proper) were
  added in between the Ordinary-see p.102

19
The Early Renaissance Mass

• Early polyphonic settings of the Mass were based
  on fragments of Gregorian chant (cantus firmus)
• It provided composers with a fixed element that
  they could embellish, using all the resources of
  their artistry, and when set in all the
  movements, it helped unify the Mass.
• Requiem Mass for the Dead
• Sung at funerals and memorial services
• Opening verse "Requiem aeternam dona eis,
  Domine" (Grant them eternal rest, O Lord)

20
Guillaumme Du Fay (c. 1397-1474)

• Part of the Burgundian School (Franco-Flemish).
• Music less complex than that of Ars nova
• Many of his works are built on a cantus firmus
• L'homme armé Mass, Kyrie
• Popular secular tune is the cantus firmus (found
  in the tenor voice)
• First part of the Mass Ordinary
• Non-imitative polyphonic texture (four voices)
• Ternary form

21
The Motet

• Renaissance motet had a single Latin text
• Majority of motets had a Marian (Virgin Mary)
  theme
• Typically motets were written for 3, 4, or more
  voices
• Sometimes motets were based on a cantus firmus
• Josquin des Prez of Northern France was
  considered one of the greatest Renaissance motet
  composers.

22
Josquin des Prez(c. 1450-1521)

• Franco-Flemish composer, made career in Italy
• Milan Court of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza
• Ferrara Court of Ercole d'Este
• Rome papal choir
• Humanism evident in his music (emotion over
  intellect).
• Composed sacred and secular music.

23
The Late Renaissance Mass

• Protestant revolt led by Martin Luther
  (14831546) Reformation
• Catholic response Counter-Reformation
  (1530s1590s)
• Council of Trent attendees sought to reform
  Catholic Church

24
The Late Renaissance Mass

• Concerns of Council of Trent
• Corruption of chant by embellishment
• Use of certain instruments in religious services
• Incorporation of popular music in Masses
• Secularism of music
• Irreverent attitude of church musicians
• Committee recommended a pure vocal style that
  respected the integrity of the sacred texts

25
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina(c. 1525-1594)

• Italian composer, organist, choirmaster.
• Director of the Sistine Chapel Choir (Pope Julius
  III).
• Wrote mostly sacred music.
• Pope Marcellus Mass met the new strict demands
  of the Council of Trent.
• Probably performed a cappella
• Written for 6 voice parts
• Soprano (sung by boys or male falsettos)
• Alto (sung by male altos or countertenors)
• Tenor I
• Tenor II
• Bass I
• Bass II

26
Secular Music

• In the Renaissance Era

27
Fact

• The Renaissance saw a rise in amateur
  music-making and in secular music (French
  chansons and the Italian and English madrigals).
• Instrumental dance music was played by
  professional and amateur musicians, who often
  added embellishments.

28
Fact

• The madrigal originated in Italy as a form of
  aristocratic entertainment.
• Monteverdi was a master of the Italian madrigal
  and of expressive devices such as word painting.
• The English madrigal was often simpler and
  lighter in style than its Italian counterpart.

29
Music in Court and City Life

• Professional musicians entertained in courts and
  at civic functions.
• Merchant class amateurs played and sang at home.
• Most popular instruments lute, keyboard
  instruments.
• A well-bred young woman was expected to have
  studied music.
• Some women achieved great fame as professional
  singers.

30
Music in Court and City Life

• Main Music genres chanson and madrigal
• Major literary influences
• Francesco Petrarch (13041373) Father of
  Humanism
• Pierre de Ronsard (15241585) Prince of Poets

31
The Chanson

• Favored vocal genre in Burgundy and France in the
  15th century.
• Usually for 3 or 4 voices.
• Set to courtly love verses.
• Freer poetic structures (without set repetition
  patterns).
• Premier composers Guillaume Du Fay, and Josquin
  des Prez.

32
Josquin Des Prez and the Chanson

• Written during the last year of the composer's
  life.
• Four-voice texture.
• Language of courtly love.
• Pain and suffering of leaving one's beloved.
• Uses an archaic sounding church mode (E)
• Varied texture homorhythm, imitation.
• Expressive text setting, using word painting.

33
Instrumental Dance Music

• 16th century was a period of growth for
  instrumental music.
• Published music was readily available.
• Publishing centers Venice, Paris, Antwerp.
• Instrumentation was unspecified.
• The occasion dictated the ensemble (indoor or
  outdoor).

34
Popular Dance Types

• Pavane stately court dance.
• Saltarello quicker Italian jumping dance.
• Galliard more vigorous French version of
  saltarello.
• Allemande German dance in moderate duple time.
• Ronde less courtly round dance, danced in a
  circle outdoors.

35
The Italian Madrigal

• Chief form of Renaissance secular music.
• Song form flourished at the Italian courts.
• Text short poem of lyric or reflective nature.
• Includes "loaded" words weeping, sighing,
  trembling, dying, etc.

36
The Italian Madrigal

• Music sets text expressively.
• Instruments double or substitute for the voices.
• Three phases of the madrigal
• First phase (c. 15251550)
• Entertaining for the performers (often
  amateurs).

37
The Italian Madrigal

• Second phase (c. 15501580)
• Art form in which music and words were clearly
  linked.
• Third phase (c. 15801620)
• Exhibited chromatic harmony.
• Dramatic declamation and vocal virtuosity.
• Vividly described emotion.
• Extended beyond the Renaissance into the Baroque
  Era.

38
The English Madrigal

• Composers in England further developed the
  Italian madrigal.
• English madrigalists included
• Thomas Morley, Thomas Weelkes, John Farmer.

39
The English Madrigal

• First collection of Italian madrigals published
  in England entitled.
• Musica transalpina (Music from beyond the Alps)
  1588.
• English madrigals were often simpler and lighter
  in style than Italian.
• New English madrigals were soon cultivated, some
  with refrain syllables ("fa la la").