Definitions

Question 1

Council of Trent

Answer 1

An emergency legislative body of the Roman Catholic Church, that first convened in 1545. Wanted to limit the spread of anti-church ideas during the protestant reformation, church wanted to retain traditional values. Example: Palestrina’s Credo from Pope Marcellus Mass

Question 2

Cyclic Mass

Answer 2

A setting of the Mass Ordinary that shared a common musical theme in each movement (usually a cantus firmus), thus making it a unified whole. Example: Busnoys’ L’homme arme

Question 3

Johannes Tinctoris

Answer 3

A Flemish music theorist and composer (1435-1511) who claimed that all composers before Dunstable are not worth hearing.

Question 4

Ottaviano Petrucci

Answer 4

Venetian printer who issued many masses, motets, and instrumentalized chansons along with a book of Frottola

Question 5

Imitation

Answer 5

A polyphonic musical texture in which a melodic idea is freely or strictly echoed by successive voices. Example: Josquin’s motet Ave Maria

Question 6

Pope Marcellus Mass

Answer 6

Best known Mass by Palestrina, archetypal example of the complex polyphony.

Question 7

Romanesca

Answer 7

A chord progression, III - VII - I - V. Example: Narvaez’s Mille Regres

Question 8

L’Homme armé

Answer 8

A popular, sacred song from the Burgundian School. It was the most popular tune used for musical settings of the Ordinary of the Mass. Example: Busnoy’s Missa L’Homme Armé is one setting that survived the period.

Question 9

Old Hall Manuscript

Answer 9

Largest, most complete, most significant collection of English sacred music of the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Example: contains pieces by Dunstable

Question 10

Intabulation

Answer 10

A vocal piece that has been arranged for lute, using tablature. Example: Dowland’s Fantasia 73

Question 11

Polychoral Style

Answer 11

A type of Venetian music of the late Renaissance which involved spatially separate choirs singing in alternation.

Question 12

Burgundy

Answer 12

Historical region in east-central France. Home to the Burgundian school, which involved a musical style in the 15th century with triadic harmony and parallel chords and intervals. Example: Busnoys was one of the composers in this school, his L’homme armé.

Question 13

Second Practice

Answer 13

What Monteverdi said in response to Artusi’s criticism (about Monteverdi’s use of dissonance), more about expressing the text in the music. Example: Monteverdi’s Cruda Amarilli

Question 14

Ricercar

Answer 14

A musical composition for instruments in which one or more themes are developed through melodic imitation, from late renaissance (like an early fugue). Example: Milano’s Ricercar 16