Renaissance

Question 1

What does the term “Renaissance” mean?

Answer 1

French for “rebirth”

Question 2

What are the aims of the Renaissance?

Answer 2

Restore learning, ideals, and values of ancient Greece and Rome

Question 3

What are some musical consequences of the Renaissance period?

Answer 3

• New rules for counterpoint
• Notated music available to wider public
• Reformation and formation of Protestant churches

Question 4

What is humanism?

Answer 4

Strongest intellectual movement of the Renaissance – things pertaining to human knowledge

Question 5

Difference in opinions to nudity vs. Medieval?

Answer 5

Medival - nudity shows shame

Renaissance - nudity shows beauty of human figure

Question 6

What are some ideas of new counterpoint for Renaisasnce?

Answer 6

Controlled dissonance – avoid parallel 5ths and octaves, preference for consonance 3rds, 6ths, P5, P8

Question 7

Who described rules for introducing dissonances?

Answer 7

Johannes Tinctoris

Question 8

Which is the fourth voice to be added?

Answer 8

Bass line below tenor

Question 9

What are examples of tuning and temperament?

Answer 9

Pythagorean: 4ths and 5ths perfect
Just: 3rds in tune
Mean-tone: 5ths small, 3rds good
Equal: each half step the same
Humanist: based on what ear likes instead of any numbers

Question 10

When was the Reformation of the Catholic church and who headed it?

Answer 10

1517, headed by Martin Luther

Question 11

What is faburden?

Answer 11

Improvised polyphony that moved in parallel voices used by monks and clerics unable to read polyphonic notation

Question 12

Who was the most highly regarded English composer of the 15th Century?

Answer 12

John Dunstable

Question 13

Who was a famous composer at Burgundian court?

Answer 13

Binchois

Question 14

Who was the most famous composer in the 15th Century?

Answer 14

Guillaume Du Fay

Question 15

What is significant about Du Fay’s Missa Se la face ay pale?

Answer 15

It was the first complete mass to use a secular tune for the cantus firmus.

Question 16

Who was famous in the late 15th Century in France?

Answer 16

Jean de Ockeghem (masses)
Antoine Busnoys (chansons)
Jacob Obrecht
Henricus Isaac

Question 17

What is a mensuration canon?

Answer 17

Two voices sing same part using different durations

Question 18

Who was extremely famous after Du Fay?

Answer 18

Josquin des Prez

Question 19

Who was the leading English composer in 15th-16th Centuries?

Answer 19

William Byrd, composed a lot of Anglican music

Question 20

Who was the most famous composer after des Prez?

Answer 20

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

“The Prince of Music” - Italy

Question 21

What are some characteristics of Palestrina as a model?

Answer 21

• First style in history of Western music to be consciously preserved and imitated
• It uses stile antico (old style) and is the ideal style in counterpoint textbooks

Question 22

What are some predecessors to the madrigal?

Answer 22

Villancico (Spain) - Juan del Encina

Frottola (Italy)

Question 23

What is a madrigal?

Answer 23

Most important secular genre of the 16th Century in Italy, emphasized text through music.
Vocal secular polyphonic music that was typically unaccompanied.
Madrigal led to opera and aria.

Question 24

Who was the first woman whose music was published?

Answer 24

Maddalena Casulana

Question 25

Who are meistersinger?

Answer 25

German, preserved tradition of unaccompanied solo song.

Most famous was Hans Sachs.

Question 26

Who was famous composer in late 16th Century?

Answer 26

Giovanni Gabrieli - at St. Mark’s for almost 30 years