DMA Terms - Middle Ages Flashcards
Adam de la Halle
The last and greatest of the trouveres
Author of Jeu de Robin et de Marion (1284) - contains both mono and polyphonic chants
Alleluia
A responsorial chant which occurs just after the Gradual and before the sequence
Soloist sings the first section, then choir echos the soloist extending this section with a melisma known as the JUBILUS
Form: Solo alleluia, choral alleluia + Jubilus-solo verse (w choral conclusion) - solo alleluia- choral alleluia+ jubilus
Antiphon
More numerous than any other kind of chant
Many are based on the same melody type with slight variations to accommodate the text
Initially meant to be sung by a group thus are syllabic or only slightly florid
Often feature New Testament texts
Antiphoner
The music for the offices collected in this book
Ars Antiqua
The “old music” before the 14th century which stressed triple divisions of the beat and no more than 3 semi-breves to one breve
Ars Nova
Triste by Philippe de Vitry written about 1322-23
The style in which came to dominate in France in the first half of the 14th century
Acceptance of the duple divisions of the beat and the use of four or more semibreves as equivalent to the breve
Ars Subtilior
“Subtle arts”
Southern France end of the 14th century
Complex rhythms and independent vocal parts
Ballata
Italian counterpart to the French virelai
Originally a dance song (late 13th century)
Derived from the cantiga and lauda and became a popular 14th century fixed form
Benedictine Abbey of Solesmes
Monks of this abbey edited the various Roman liturgical chants in the 19th century
The Solesmes versions were officially approved by the Vatican and are the versions most often seen and heard today
Caccia
Least fixed of the 14th century Italian fixed formes
Use of canon, though most caccias employ descriptive texts
Counterpart to the French Chase
Openings with 2 voice canons over a sustained tenor
Cantigas
Spanish songs of praise to the Virgin
A manuscript survived which preserved more than 400 cantigas which resemble the music of the troubadours
Cantilena style
One upper voice is prominent and is supported by two slower-moving lower voices
Popular in the 14th century came to be used by many of the pre-Renaissance English composers along with fauxbourdon technique
Cauda
Long, textless passages at the beginning, end or before important cadences of polyphonic conductus
Often introduced rhythmic contrasts and featured preexisting clausulae
Clausula
A musical period that punctuates the conclusion of a complete musical thought
Chanson de geste
“Song of deeds”
An epic narrative poem recounting the deeds of national heroes
Sung to a simple melodic formula
One of the earliest secular songs
Transmitted orally - written down much later
11th century Song of Roland - most famous
Choirbook format
Most Medieval and Renaissance music was written in this format
All voice parts would read from the same source rather than differently printed sources
Conductus
11th -13th century monophonic song featuring a newly composed melody
Popular in secular circles as well as used in the mass
The lines are metrical and paired by syllable length beginning and ending with an unpaired line (ABBCCDDEEF)
End of the 12th century conductus came to mean any Latin song (sacred or secular) with metrical text
Polyphonic conductus were written by Perotin and other composers of the Notre Dame era
2,3,4 voices were used and the musical style was less complex than of organum
Voices tended to remain in narrow range and all move together in similar rhythm (discant style, home rhythmic texture)
Voice crossings were frequent and texts set syllabically (except for the cauda)
Contrafactum
The practice of replacing a given text with another in a different language
Often took place between French and Latin in the medieval motet
Copula
The last two notes of a phrase in two-part used which form a cadence
Dasien notation
Notational system of 9th/10th century European scribes
Discant
Medieval polyphony in which two voices move in basically the same note lengths
A contrast to original style which the vox principalis holds sustained tones while the vox organalis moves quickly above
English discant added two voices,. One above and one below a tenor moving in parallel six-three chords (fauxbourdon)
Displacement technique
Technique found in 14th century French polyphonic songs in minor Prolation (simple time) in which consonance is displaced before or after the beat (syncopation) creating a highly dissonant and rhythmically charged sound
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Medieval political figure
Brought southern troubadours to Paris, admitting a southern element into the northern French trouvere style music
Estampie
Dance forms found in England and the continent
13th/ 14th centuries
Featured pairs of phrases (puncta) 1st is open cadence, 2nd is closed cadence
EVOVAE
Medieval abbreviation for the doxology (Gloria patri)
Sung at the end of many antiphonal chants
Letters stand for the vowels in seculorum amen
Formes fixes
14th / 15th century poetic forms that became popular texts for medieval secular songs
Fixed number of lines and syllables per line as well as rhyme scheme
Ballade
14th century
Texts consisting of 7 or 8 line stanzas
First four lines are “pedes” and remaining lines are “cauda” (includes 1 line refrain at the end which is the same for all stanzas)
“Pedes” lines 2 musical phrases, first open and second closed, the cauda is closed
Form for a stanza =
A open A closed B closed
Rondeau
Most intricate of the formes fixes Basic form = A B a A a b A B Both monophonic and polyphonic Early composer - Adam de la Hale Late composer = Machaut expanded the form with melismatic writing
Virelai
France end of the 13th century
Dance like elements
Form closely related to the Italian ballata
Form: refrain - verse 1 - refrain - verse 2 - refrain - verse 3 - refrain
Verses are in pedes cum cauda form
From looks like: AbbaAbbaAbbaA (A = refrain, b = pedes, a = cauda)
Franco of Cologne
Author of Ars musica mensurabilis
Codifier of mensural rhythm around 1280
Shift from longa to breve allowing for semi-breve in notation
Notation now allows for all meters and syncopations
Geisslerleider
Related to lauda
German flagellants’ songs of the 14th century
Gloria Patri
Doxology which usually follows the last verse of a psalm
Represented by the abbreviation EVOVAE
Goliard songs
Earliest examples of secular songs
Latin songs from the 11th or 12th centuries
Written by wandering Goliard monks and deal with wine, women and satire
Orff adapted some of these songs for Carmina Burana
Gradual
Responsorial chant which used formulaic melodic construction
Performed from the steps in front of the altar during the catholic mass after the Epistle and before the Gospel
Form: solo intonation and choral response - solo verse - choral response
Example: Easter Gradual, Haec Dies
Graduale
Liturgical book which contains all the music for the Roman Catholic mass
Guido d’Arrezo
Author of Micrologus (1025-1028)
Credits Boethius with attributing musical intervals to mathematical ratios
Used mono chord to illustrate this
Departs from Greek theory in constructing scales not based on tetrachords
Guidonian Hand
Mnemonic device attributed to Guido used for locating pitches of the diatonic scale
Different joints of the fingers represented various hexachord pitches and solmization syllables
Hermannus Contractus
Benedictine monk, musician, theorist alive in the first half of the 11th century
Composed many antiphons (Alma Redemptoris Mater)
Wrote and important treatise which dealt systematically with modes
Hildegard von Bingen
12th century German mystic who wrote a number of sequences which featured large ranges (over 2 octaves)
Hocket
Popular medieval technique which featured a melodic line being split up in short note values between two or more voices
One voice rests while the other sang and vice versa
The practice involved many short rests interspersed with quick notes and resembled hiccuping.
Often marks the end of a talea in an isorhythmic motet
Found often in secular conductus and motets of the 13th centuries but more often from he 14th century
Hymn
Chant form in which a number of stanzas of poetry each with the same number of lines, syllables per line and rhyme scheme are all repeated to the same music
Incisio
A musical comma, less conclusive than the clausula or musical period
Introit
First section of the Roman Catholic mass (proper)
Music consisted of an entire psalm with antiphon (antiphon - psalm verse - antiphon psalm verse - antiphon - psalm verse - antiphon - doxology - antiphon) later shorted to just one verse (antiphon - verse- antiphon - doxology - antiphon)
Meant to accompany the entrance of the priest
Jacob of Liege
Author of Speculum musicae (musical mirror 1325)
Defender of ars Antiqua against the modern rhythmic advances by ars nova composers
Jeu de Robin et de Marion
Musical play written by Adam de la Halle about 1284
Contains a number of popular chansons (rondeau, ballade, virelai) some of which are polyphonic
Johannes de Grocheo
Theorist active around 1300
Author of De Musica - church modes can only be applied to chant, not polyphony because of different ambitus of different voices
Defined the motet as a composition having multiple texts
Advised placing the motetus a 5th above the tenor and the triplum an octave about the tenor
He delineated a number of musical forms (Estampies, ductia)
Jongleurs
10th century professional musicians
Singers of chansons and traveled around the countryside performing
They were not poets or composers and often sang the songs of trouveres and troubadours
Landini, Francesco
Ca. 1325-1397
Leading composer of the second generation of trecento composers in Italy
Known for his ballate and use of the “Landini cadence” in which the movement form a 6th to an octave is embellished in the upper voice by a descending second followed by a leap of a third.
Laude: monophonic/ polyphonic
Monophonic: Music of a vigorous, popular character similar in form to the ballata
Polyphonic: popular nonliturgical devotional 4 part song in Latin or italian, similar to frottola, generally syllabic, homophonic and regularly rhythmic with melody on top
Leonin
Ca 1159-1201 Part of the notre dame school One of the first composers of polyphony Author of Magnus liber organi Juxtaposed old (florid organum) with new (discant clausulae) elements
Liber usualis
A book containing the most frequently used chants from both the Antiphonale (music for the offices) and the Graduale (music for the mass)
Guillaume de Machaut
Ca 1300-1377
Leading composer of Ars Nova in France
Famous as both a composer and poet
23 motets pushing for greater complexity, secularity and rhythmic complexity
Wrote many monophonic songs continuing the trouvere tradition
Messe de Nostre Dame - four part setting of the mass ordinary
Madrigal
One of three types of secular Italian compositions represented in the Squarcialupi Codex (1420)
Two-voice compositions with idyllic, pastoral, or satirical texts of two or three, three-line stanzas set to the same music
A two-line ritornello follows each stanza
Madrigal tends to have melismas at the ends and sometimes beginnings of lines
Magnificat
Vespers canticle
Magnus liber organi
The Great Book of Organum
A cycle of two-part Graduals, alleluias, and responsories written by leonin for the entire church year
No longer exists in original form
Marchettus of Padua
Pomerium 1318
Describes the basis of the Italian system of notation., which involved dividing semi-breves into groups set off by dots
Convenient system for florid melodic lines
Marian antiphons
Four late antiphons composed to honor the virgin mary
Mass
Principal service of the Catholic Church
High mass = missa solemnis, chanting and polyphonic sections
Low mass = shortened form which is spoken rather than sung
The mass is three-parts consisting of the introduction, liturgy of the word, and liturgy of the Eucharist
The parts which vary are called the proper and the ones that stay the same are the Ordinary
Messe de Notre Dame
The most famous musical composition of the 14th century
Four-part setting by Machaut of the Ordinary
Clearly planned as a musical whole
Modal rhythm
11th and 12th century composers used for the notation of rhythm
Based on certain numbered rhythmic patterns, six in all which corresponded to the metrical feet of Latin and French verse
1Trochee, 2Iamb, 3Dactyl, 4Anapest, etc.
1 and 5 were most common, 4 rare
A melody in a certain mode should consist of an indefinite number of repetitions of the pattern, each phrase ending with a rest which replaced the second note of the pattern
Modal transformation
Term used until the 13th century that permits the notation of a mode up a perfect fourth on the basis that the necessary Bb in the transposition transforms G tetradus into G Protus
Monastery of St. Gall
An important center for troping
Mood
Also known as modus. This was the principle that described the relationship of the long to the breve (perfect 3, imperfect 2) in the 14th century expansion of Franconian rhythms and notions of perfection vs imperfection
Montpellier Codex
The largest collection of the original motet manuscript scores
Only polyphonic motets occur in this text, continental and English, early and late period motets… 250 early and 100 late most of which coming from the mid-13th century
Motet
Begins ca mid 13th century
Genre associated first with the Notre Dame school of Leonin and Perotin
Developed out of the separation of the clausulae from the organa
Words in rhymed Latin text were added to the upper voices
Most were anonymous
Isomelic motet
Late 13th century practice of melodic repetitions corresponding to the repetitions of the tenor melody
Isoperiodic motet
English compositional practice indicates a rational phrase relationship between two or more voices 14th century
isorhythmic motet
Rhythmic pattern = talea
Melodic patter = color
End of the 13th century large scale organization technique because of the increase in scale of the Motet
Conductus motet
Johannes de Grocheo circa 1300
Three or four voiced motet in which the other voices all seeing the same text does forming a conductus like texture above the tenor
Franconian motet
13th century differences in style between each voice
Bottom up compositional technique the voices on the bottom are slowest in rhythmic mode, the top are the fastest
Petronian motet
Late 13th century, top voice moves MUCH faster and includes many more divisions than the bottom voices
English motets
More inclusive than continental motets
Includes traditional Cantus firmus motets, liturgical plainchant motets, newly composed tenors motets
More use of: isomelism, isoperiodicity, and voice exchange, more tonal unity, less rhythmic complexity
Musica/ Scolica Enchiriadis
9th century
Earliest source in which organum is described both parallel and oblique
Describe organum as a well-establish practice suggesting that organum had been around since the 8th century or earlier
Musica ficta
14th century
The use of notes raised or lowered through accidentals in performance
Not always notated
Most changes involved cadential figures and avoidance of unwanted dissonance
Sometimes used because it just sounded good
Mutation
Practice where a note was taken as if it were in one hexachord and quitted as if it were in another serving as a pivot note
Allowing the melody to exceed a six-note range
Neumes
Used for the notation of plainchant
Grew from the 13th century French square notation
Showed not only direction of the melody but also precise interval on a musical staff
Notker the Stammerer
Ca 840-912
Monk of St. Gall who claimed to have invented the sequence when he began to write words syllabically under certain long melismas as an aid to memorizing the tune
Notre Dame
12th century major cultural influence
Source of international compositional style headed by Leonin and Perotin remained in vogue through the 14th century
Office
Also known as Canonical hours
Codified in ca 520
Consists of prayers Psalms canticles antiphons responses hymns and readings
Music for the offices is found in the antiphonale
The officers involved the chanting of psalms with their antiphons and the chanting of lessons with their responsories
Matins, Lauds and Vespers most important musically
Ordo
Defined by Anonymous IV as the number of notes before a rest
measure the length of any modal pattern applied to tenor patterns
Organum
Earliest form of polyphony appears in sources ca. late 9th century
First involved only parallel motion in perfect intervals
Oblique motion was added later to avoid the appearance of Tritones
Finally contrary motion was added
Vox organalis - original chant melody is above the vox principalis but there is voice crossing
Largest collection is the Winchester Troper of the 11th century
First references to organum appears in Music Enchiriadis and Scolica Enchiradis
Early 12th century florid organum appears (organum purum)
Discant = 12th/13th century, voice moved in similar measured rhythm according to rhythmic modes
Partial signatures
A type of bi-modality in which the upper and lower voice is moving their own versions of the same mode, one transposed, the other not
Pastourelle
Troubadour form of poetry, which portrays the often witty dialogue between a shepherdess and a knight who tries to seduce her
Perfection
Three-beat unit in Franconian rhythm comprising three tempi or beats
Perotin
Notre Dame School composers
Active around the turn of the 13th century
Editor of the Magnus liber organi (and editor of Leonin)
Composer of clausulae, discant and quadrupla
Pedes cum cauda
Two pedes (feet) are followed by a cauda (tail)
Appears throughout medieval music
The two first parts pedes are similar and the cauda is different
Petrus de Cruce
Ca 1270-1300
The triplum attained a faster speed than the lower voices breaking the long notes into shorter and shorter values
Phillipe de Vitry
1291-1361
French composer and poet
Wrote a treatise on Ars Nova 1322-23
New style included: acceptance of the duple division of long and breve along with triple
Prolatio
Described the relationship of the semi breve to the minim (major 3, minor 2)
14th century expansion of Franconian rhythm
Perfect vs imperfect
Prosula
Prose text added to an already existing but non-texted chant melisma
Set syllabically
Prosula underlines the meaning of the original chant
Psalm tones
Form of chant used for the recitation of prayers and readings from the Bible
Upper and lower neighbors are used to bring out important words or syllables
Reciting tone
A single note to which each verse of text in a psalm tone is rapidly chanted
Also called the TENOR
The note chosen depended upon the mode in which the psalm was chanted
Red notation
A special device used by Vitry and others which indicated a temporary shift from perfect to imperfect mensuration or vice versa
Refrain
short popular melodies quoted in French motets found in triplum or motetus
Mid 13th century development
Reponsorial psalmody
Alternation in a psalm between the congregation or chorus and a soloist
Gradual and alleluia follow this form from the Mass
Roman de Fauvel
1310-1316
Earliest 14th century musical document from France
Manuscript containing the satirical poem Roman de Fauvel and 167 pieces of music, mostly monophonic rondeaux, ballades, chanson-refrains, and some plainsong, BUT also 34 polyphonic motets
Rondellus
A type of conductus involving voice exchange between all three voices
Rota
Medieval name for a round
Sumer is Icumen (use of tenor pes included in this round)
Santiago de Compostela
A monastery in northwest Spain where there is located a manuscript of early Florid organum circa 12th century
Scivias
A book of Hildegard von Bingen
Sequence
Long textless melisma’s which were used as extensions or additions to chant
Particularly found in the jubilus of Alleluia
Squarcialupi Codex
14th century source of Italian Polyphony
352 pieces mostly for two and three voices by 12 composers
Includes portraits of each composer
Madrigal, Caccia and Ballata
Substitute clausula
Discant clausulae written to replace sections in discant style in organa
Eventually these sections separated from the organa genre and developed into the Motet
Tactus
15th/ 16th term for beat both in terms of tempo and the conductor’s beat
Tempus
Described the relationship between the breve to the semibreve
Perfect 3, imperfect 2
Expansion of 14th century Franconian rhythm
Tenor
The voice which holds the preexistent chant
Tonus peregirnus
“Wandering tone” 9th psalm tone which does not correspond to a church mode
Trope
Musical changes to a chant of the proper or the ordinary
Adds either musical melismas or text and music
Originally a newly composed addition usually in neumatic style and with a poetic text, to one of the antiphonal chants of the proper
Tropes served as prefaces to a chant or were interpolations of its text and music
Flourished in the 10th and 11th centuries and died out in the 12th
Monastery at St. Gall was known as the center of troping
Troubadours/ Trouveres
Secular court musicians of the 12th and 13th centuries
Generally accomplished poets but amateur musicians.
Troubadours from Provence (south France)
Poems focused on the idea of courtly love
Poetic forms used for the basis of compositions
Musical form is either oda continua or pedes cum cauda
Primarily an oral tradition
Mid 12th century Eleanor of Acquitaine brought the Troubadour tradition north where it developed into the Trouvere tradition
Trouvere music dates from later half of the 13th century, preserved better than Troubadour music
Ut queant Laxis
Hymn set by Guido so that the notes C-D-E-F-G-A fell on syllables Ut through LA
This was the basis of his system of hexachords
Versus
12th century Aquitaine
Musical setting monophonic or polyphonic of a poem written in rhymed rhythmic verse
Often used as processional music in a church or monastery or to cover liturgical movements within the service
Vox principalis/ Organalis
“Principle voice” has original melody and “organizing” voice is added in organum
Winchester Troper
Two 11th century manuscripts now at Cambridge University
Contain 174 two-voice organa
Written in non-diastemic neumes, precise transcription is impossible
This Troper is the only source of actual performance repertoire of its time
