music medieval period gr9 (1st quarter) Flashcards
- 400 to 1400 CE
- Also called the Middle Ages
- Most music of the Dark Ages was based upon religious subject
Medieval Period
Kinds of Music created during the Middle Ages:
- Music for Knights
- Music for Nobles in the castles
- Chants for the priests (Christian services in Cathedrals and Monasteries)
o Only songs in churches were preserved. – because of educated people of the church.
- Official music of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Credited after Pope Gregory I
- Also known as plainsong or plainchant
- No instrumental accompaniment
- Passed along first as Oral Tradition, then notated through Neume/s.
Gregorian Chant
o Uses 4 lines for the staff
o Uses either a C clef or F clef.
Neume
[1 note = 1 syllable]
Syllabic
[group of neumes = 1 syllable]
Neumatic
[many notes = syllable]
Melismatic
[1 note = many syllables]
Psalmodic
- 7 tones scale used both in sacred and secular music
Church Modes
2 Modes:
(Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian)
- Authentic
2 Modes:
(Hypodorian, Hypophrygian, Hypolydian, Hypomixolydian)
- Plagal
- At first, music was ______________
Ex. Cantus Firmus – “Fixed Song” - Then had more parts (usually parallel singing in ____, _____, or _______.)
- monophonic
- 4ths,5ths, or Octaves
o First to write polyphonic setting of mass ordinary
o Notable Technique: Ars Nova
Guilliame de Machaut (ca.1300-1377)
isorhythm or repeated pattern thru one or more voices
Ars Nova
o By Pérotin and Léonin
o An early form of polyphony, developed in the church.
o Gregorian Chant + One or More musical lines above.
Ex. Pérotin’s Viderunt Omnes
Organum
o Most important form of Early Polyphonic Music
o Adding more than one (3 or more) voices above the plainchant.
o Composed both for secular and sacred music.
Motet
- The central and leading worship service of the Roman Catholics
Mass
2 Parts:
– section of mass sung with varied text with each feast day.
Proper of the Mass
2 Parts:
unvarying/consistent text sung almost every day.
Ordinary of the Mass
5 Parts of the Ordinary: (KGCSA)
- Kyrie
- Gloria
- Credo
- Sanctus
- Agnus Dei
***Best Sample: Kyrie by Machaut
Instrumental Music
- The 14th century seen growth of importance for instrumental music.
- Hardly written, rather ________
- Became integral in court life – as accompaniment to major festivities
improvised
o First composer-poets from southern France, northern Spain and Italy.
o From trobar meaning to compose, discuss, or find.
o They travel town to town performing chivalry and courtly romantic music.
Troubadours
o Composer-performers that carried on the music traditions of troubadours.
o Also known as minnesingers in Germany.
o Songs are about: love, crusade, dance, and spinning songs.
Trouvères
– acrobat performers and considered under the lowest social level
Minstrels/Jongleurs
