Chapter 4 - Song and Dance Music to 1300 Flashcards
Who were the three successors to the Roman empire?
The Byzantine empire, the Arab world, and Western European kingdoms
When was Islam founded and by who?
610 AD by Muhammad
Between 1000 and 1300 the population of western Europe roughly ___________
Tripled due to improvements in food production and supply
Around what time did western Europe surpass the Islamic world and Byzantine empire economically?
Around 1300
Medieval society was mainly ________, and it’s population __________.
Agricultural, rural
Medieval society consisted of three broad classes. Name these classes and their roles
- Nobles and knights, who ruled and fought wars
- Priests, monks, nuns, etc, who prayed
- Peasants, who consisted of everyone else
What are Verses?
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
What are Conductus?
A medieval genre of serious Latin song related to verses, with a rhymed, rhythmical text. Has new melodies not based on chant
What are Goliard Songs?
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.
Why do we have so little understanding of medieval music in the vernacular?
Because it was by people who could not read or write thus it vanished to time
Although almost all vernacular medieval music has disappeared, what genre did survive?
The epic poem, which is a long heroic narrative
Define Chanson de Geste
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
What is a Bard?
A poet-singer in Celtic lands; recited poems and sang and accompanied himself on instruments
What are Jongleurs?
Lower class variety traveling entertainers that made a living doing tricks, telling stories, and making music
What are Minstrels?
The professional musicians of medieval times, often organized into guilds, and used as a status symbol and public announcer by the ruling classes
Describe Troubadours
These were poet-composers of secular song in southern France who were supported by the castles, courts, and nobles of France
Name the language of the Troubadours
Occitan
Name the northern French version of the troubadours
In northern France, these poet-composers of secular song were called Trouveres
Define Chansonniers
These are song books, manuscript anthologies, which compiled the music and poetry of troubadours and trouveres in order to preserve it
Give an example of three genres of troubadour song
Canso (love song), Alba (dawn song), Tenso (debate song)
The subject of fin amors was prominent in what kind of music
The music of the troubadours and trouveres
What is fin amors?
This is courtly love, a sort of formal idealized depiction of love often of unattainable love interests or reciprocated feelings
Troubadour and troveres songs are ________
strophic
Describe the minnesinger
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
Describe the Carole
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
Describe the Estampie
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)
