2 - Renaissance Flashcards
Renaissance
1450-1600
Rebirth
Indiv. Sought to free themselves from views of R.C. Church and turned to science
Church still important but limited to matters of spiritual
Mechanical reproduction of works possible because of printing press
music more widely avail = exchange of international styles
Leading centres for music publishing in renaissance(3)
Antwerp
Amsterdam
Venice
Continuous imitation
Polyphony assoc. with renaissance
Motive or theme passed from one voice to another
Homorhythmic texture
All voices sing same rhythm
Chordal texture
Clear text delivery, listener hears top voice most
Modal counterpoint
Polyphonic texture based on modes
Counterpoint
Word painting
Musical pictorialiazation
Music reflects meaning of the text
Chromaticism
Melodies that include all the notes available within the octave
Mass
Most important service in liturgy of r.c church
Includes prayers, readings, communion
began in church but moved to concert halls with composers like Bach and Beethoven
composers often used polyphonic settings of the 5 mvmts of mass to show their mastery of contrapuntalism
Mass ordinary
Unchanging parts of the mass Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Benedictus Agnus dei
Mass proper
Changing parts of the mass Introit Gradual Alleluia Offertory Communion
Consort of instruments
Instrument ensemble
Whole consort: all inst from one family eg viols
Broken consort; mixed combo of instruments
Viols
Bowed, stringed inst from Ren.
Varied in size
Viola de gamba
6 strings
Held like a cello
Fretted like guitar
Virginal
All plucked keyboard instruments.
Could be placed on table or lap
Smalle, lighter more portable than harsichord
English version always a rectangle
Sacred Motet
became principal form of music in 15th cent.
single text used in place of multiple texts at once
grew out of desire for clarity and direct communication
features: polyphonic
single latin text
usually 4 voices
used new harmonies of 3rd and 6ths
Italian Madrigal
set stage for dev’t of opera
initially homophonic, with focus on bringing pleasure to the performers
evolved into more complex form meant for aristocracy
features: short poems of a lyric or reflective nature
topics of live, humor and politics
prominent word painting
English Madrigal
loved by Q.E. I
spread from Italy to England in form of “musica transalpina”(beyond the alps) which was the first printed collection of Italian madrigals in England
changed as eng. composers began their own works
features: polyphonic & homophonic alternating
word painting
included nonsense syllable like fa-la-la and nonny-no
Instrumental music
works being shared as they were now published
dance music became popular as Henry VIII and Eliz. I were good dancers and expected courtiers to dance
features: polyphonic, usually 4 parts, often paired in slow fast combos
Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
300 works of English keyboard writers of the time
