Chapter 4 - Song and Dance Music to 1300

Question 1

Who were the three successors to the Roman empire?

Answer 1

The Byzantine empire, the Arab world, and Western European kingdoms

Question 2

When was Islam founded and by who?

Answer 2

610 AD by Muhammad

Question 3

Between 1000 and 1300 the population of western Europe roughly ___________

Answer 3

Tripled due to improvements in food production and supply

Question 4

Around what time did western Europe surpass the Islamic world and Byzantine empire economically?

Answer 4

Around 1300

Question 5

Medieval society was mainly ________, and it’s population __________.

Answer 5

Agricultural, rural

Question 6

Medieval society consisted of three broad classes. Name these classes and their roles

Answer 6

• Nobles and knights, who ruled and fought wars
• Priests, monks, nuns, etc, who prayed
• Peasants, who consisted of everyone else

Question 7

What are Verses?

Answer 7

This is a medieval genre of Latin song that is usually sacred, has rhymed poetry and regular accents. Has new melodies not based on chant

Question 8

What are Conductus?

Answer 8

A medieval genre of serious Latin song related to verses, with a rhymed, rhythmical text. Has new melodies not based on chant

Question 9

What are Goliard Songs?

Answer 9

A secular medieval genre of Latin song on a variety of earthy topics. For and by educated people; associated with wandering students and clerics called goliards.

Question 10

Why do we have so little understanding of medieval music in the vernacular?

Answer 10

Because it was by people who could not read or write thus it vanished to time

Question 11

Although almost all vernacular medieval music has disappeared, what genre did survive?

Answer 11

The epic poem, which is a long heroic narrative

Question 12

Define Chanson de Geste

Answer 12

A northern French variety of medieval vernacular epic; it translates to “song of deeds” and is about national heros and sung to simple melodic formulas

Question 13

What is a Bard?

Answer 13

A poet-singer in Celtic lands; recited poems and sang and accompanied himself on instruments

Question 14

What are Jongleurs?

Answer 14

Lower class variety traveling entertainers that made a living doing tricks, telling stories, and making music

Question 15

What are Minstrels?

Answer 15

The professional musicians of medieval times, often organized into guilds, and used as a status symbol and public announcer by the ruling classes

Question 16

Describe Troubadours

Answer 16

These were poet-composers of secular song in southern France who were supported by the castles, courts, and nobles of France

Question 17

Name the language of the Troubadours

Answer 17

Occitan

Question 18

Name the northern French version of the troubadours

Answer 18

In northern France, these poet-composers of secular song were called Trouveres

Question 19

Define Chansonniers

Answer 19

These are song books, manuscript anthologies, which compiled the music and poetry of troubadours and trouveres in order to preserve it

Question 20

Give an example of three genres of troubadour song

Answer 20

Canso (love song), Alba (dawn song), Tenso (debate song)

Question 21

The subject of fin amors was prominent in what kind of music

Answer 21

The music of the troubadours and trouveres

Question 22

What is fin amors?

Answer 22

This is courtly love, a sort of formal idealized depiction of love often of unattainable love interests or reciprocated feelings

Question 23

Troubadour and troveres songs are ________

Answer 23

strophic

Question 24

Describe the minnesinger

Answer 24

These were the German version of troubadours, and they tended to sing of even more idealized fin amor. Most of their songs are strophic in AAB form, and genres parallel the troubadours

Question 25

Describe the Carole

Answer 25

This is a form of French circle dance that was popular from the 12th to the 14th centuries. Accompanied by a solo song and sometimes instruments

Question 26

Describe the Estampie

Answer 26

This is a form of French dance that is accompanied by instrumental music. It has several sections with essentially each section forming a sort of period (HC in middle to AC, only with medieval modes and single notated lines)