ch. 4 music from the european age of discovery Flashcards
Renaissance
Rediscovery of the art and philosophy of Ancient Greece and Rome
* a period in European art, literature, and music
* humanism
perspective
technique allowing painters to paint the world from a human point of view
parallel motion
2 polyphonic lines that maintain the same interval between them
oblique motion
a texture of medieval polyphonic practice involving the addition of a drone pitch to the chant melody
contrary motion
2 polyphonic lines that move in opposite directions
counterpoint
the polyphonic practice of writing many melodic lines in parallel, oblique, and contrary motion
motet
a sacred work composed on a Latin text, either newly created or taken from the Bible, and sung during the Catholic liturgy
where does the poem “Sicut cervus” come from?
it is an excerpt from the text of the book of Psalms in the Bible’s Old Testament
* it expresses the passionate nature of faith -> “As a deer thirsts for spring water, so thirsts my soul for you, God.”
how does it work? (“Sicut cervus”)
p. 86
imitative polyphony
each part in the choir sings the same melodic phrase in succession, entering one after the other
point of imitation
each succession of entrances in imitative polyphony
the 4 pitch ranges of Renaissance music from low to high
bass, tenor, alto, soprano
how does “Sicut cervus” create a dignified, reverential effect appropriate for a religious service?
- relaxed, pure voice quality and slow tempo
- slow declamation of the words, repeated during each point of imitation, focuses attention on the words
- the harmonies based on triads create a soothing, pleasant effect
- echo
Council of Trent
a nearly 20-year gathering of cardinals and archbishops who reconsidered every aspect of church doctrine, including the liturgy and its music. they reaffirmed the use of Latin, considered whether to reject polyphonic music, but abandoned this proposal
madrigal
- first appeared in Italy ~1530 as a genre of polyphonic love sounds
- the secular counterpart of the sacred motet
how does it work? (“Fair Phyllis I Saw Sitting All Alone”)
p.91
text painting
creating musical icons for the ideas and sentiments in a text
how does “Fair Phyllis I Saw Sitting All Alone” use text painting?
- fast tempo and suggestive lyrics create a jolly mood
troubadours
Medieval court entertainers, courtiers, nobility from southwestern Europe who composed lyrics and melodies & sang them solor with/without instrumental accompaniment
recorder
a whistle flute with a beak that channels the players
viol
a bowed string instrument with frets on the neck and held vertically between the knees
horns
a buzzed-lip aerophone with a curved tube
consorts
families of instruments which played madrigals and instrumental dance music at court in ensembles
how does it work? (“Quatro diferencias sobre Guardame las vacas”)
p. 95
vihuela
a plucked lute; flat-backed waisted lute
theme and variations
a form commonly used in the 18th century; the word “theme refers to the opening melody. each variation uses the same chord progression in the low part
who played the vihuela and why did they play it?
well-educated male and female courtiers in Spain played the vihuela alone for their own and their friends’ amusement
* aesthetically pleasing rather than expression of emotion
who composed “Sicut cervus”, and who performed it in the gateway recording?
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
* published in 1584
Cambridge Singers directed by English choral conductor John Rutter
when did Palestrina compose his sacred polyphonic choral music?
during a period called the Catholic Counter-Reformation
who was the most important composer of the transition from Medieval harmonies based on “perfect” fourths and fifths to Renaissance harmonies based on thirds?
Guillaume Dufay (c. 1397-1474)
* born in northern Europe, educated in church
* taught Italians the new French polyphonic techniques
* wrote motets, secular French chansons, and settings for 7 complete mass ordinaries
what is Dufay most famous for?
cantus firmus (fixed song) taken from popular, secular music to make church more engaging for worshippers
who composed “Fair Phyllis I Saw Sitting All Alone”?
John Farmer (c. 1570-1601), an English composer
* published in 1599
* organist + choirmaster at the Anglican St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin
who performed the gateway piece “Fair Phyllis I Saw Sitting All Alone”?
4 members of The King’s Singers, a group of 6 male vocalists formed at King’s College, Cambridge, founded in the ’60s.
concerti delle donne
ensembles of women; professional female singers supported by northern Italian courts in the late 16th century. they compete for attention with the beauty of their voices, body language, ornamentation, etc to express meaning and charm their patrons
Claudio Monteverdi
(1567-1643)
* a master of the Italian madrigal, wrote 8 books of them
* most famous madrigal: “Si ch’io vorrei morire”
who composed “Quatro diferencias sobre Guardame las vacas”?
Spanish composer Luys de Narvaez (active 1526-1549)
* wrote 6 books of polyphonic compositions for vihuela containing 33 pieces
what were Narvaez’s compositions meant for?
- to be aesthetically pleasing rather than to express emotion
- pleasure for players + listeners comes from technical skill + variety of playing techniques required to play the piece, and from the shifts in melodic direction+rhythm of each of the 4 variations
