Renaissance Era Flashcards
Describe “Ave Maria”
Composed by Josquin
Genre: 4 voice motet
Rhymed poem
4 voices balanced, set to rhymed poem to Virgin Mary
Opens with reference to chant for Virgin Mary, drops melody using freely composed form that was highly sensitive to text
Simple rhythms, meter change from duple to triple to duple
Text syllabic, short melismas emphasized key words
Many 3rds and 6ths, closing hollow cadences (intervals of 5ths and 8ves)
Who is Josquin des Prez?
Composed “Ave Maria”
Composer from Franco-Flemish School
Experimented with different combinations of voices and textures
Embodied humanism of his time, rich, emotional expression, mastery of contrapuntal style
Music expressed emotion, showed contrapuntal style, clear form and harmonious proportion
Music rich in feeling, beautiful/expressive harmony
100+ motets, 17 Masses, numerous secular pieces
What contributions did Martin Luther make?
Formed the Lutheran Church, thought Roman Catholic Church was moving to more secular/popular works, not true to church and religious beliefs
What was the Council of Trent? Explain it’s significance.
Wanted to return to tradition
Embellishments in Gregorian melodies, use of pop songs frowned upon
Extremists wanted to ban use of counterpoint, musical progressions made already too popular
What are the 5 prayers from the Mass Proper (High Renaissance Mass)?
Introit, Collect, EPistle, Gradual, Alleluia
Who was Palestrina?
Composed “Pope Marcellus Mass”
Organist/choirmaster at various churches, St. Peter’s in Rome
Wrote 100 masses, famous being Mass for Pope Marcellus (successor to Julius III)
Describe the “Pope Marcellus Mass”
Composed by Palestrina
Genre: Mass, Gloria
6 voices performed acappella - soprano, alto, 2 tenors, 2 basses
Written to satisfy strict new demands placed on polyphonic church music by Council of Trent
High parts sung by boy sopranos/male falsettists
Gloria begins with monophonic line, followed by polyphonic setting of remaining text
Stepwise movement predominates, harmonic/polyphonic elements balanced, words of sacred text clear
Less melisma, made words clear
Frequent textural changes, reduction of voices
Explain what the Italian Madrigal is.
Most distinctive secular vocal genre of late Renaissance (madrigal)
16th Century Madrigal - aristocratic form of poetry and music
Text a short poem, emotional words for crying, sighing, trembling, dying, which were set to music
Common topics: love, unsatisfied desire, humour, politics, scenes from city/country life
Contained word painting, chromaticism, nonsense syllables
Who is Don Carlo Gesualdo?
Wrote “Moro lasso, al mio duolo”
6 volumes of 5 part madrigals, 2 books of motets, 1 book of responsories, several keyboard workds, 2 books of “Cantiones Sacrae”
Used chromaticism with dissonance, abrupt chord changes
Word painting, unconventional cadences, sudden changes in tonality
Describe “Moro lasso, al mio duolo”.
Composed by Gesualdo
Genre: Italian Madrigal
Gesualdo murdered first wife & lover, made text personal
Begins on C#- triad, uses every semitone within octave in first measures, descending chromatic line represents death and grief
Mostly syllabic, some melisma on word “vita”/life
Describe the English Madrigal.
Composers adopted Italian madrigal, developed into native art form
Lots of nonsense syllables - eg. falalalalala
Musica transalpina - first collection of Italian madriagls published in English (1588)
Describe “Fair Phyllis”
Composed by John Farmer
Genre - English Madrigal
6 line poem, 10/11 syllables each
Musical style - Polyphonic, varied textures
Light, lilting pastoral image created by Farmer’s skillful combining of music/text
First line sung by single female (Phyllis)
Repeated sections, fragments of counterpoint, changes from homophonic to polyphonic texture and cadences on weak beats
Text says Phyllis’ love “wanders up and down”, notes move up and down (word painting)
After repeat, each part enters sequentially from soprano voice to bass
Last line is set to chords, change to triple meter
What is the “Fitzwilliam Virginal Book”?
Largest manuscript collection of English keyboard music from 16th and 17th centuries, printed in 1612
Repertoire of early 17th century amateur virginal player
Contains pieces by well-known composers at time (eg. John Bull, William Byrd)
Musical forms range from contrapuntal displays to spontaneous character pieces
Dance forms and rhythms prevalent
Who is Tielman Susato?
Published works of Franco-Flemish masters, eg. Roland de Lassus
Collection of “Danserye” contains many popular dances of the time
- Contained pavanes, gailliards, basses danses, allemandes, rondes, branles
What are some characteristics of Mille regretz?
Anon, but arranged by Susato
Based on widely known chanson of same name (by Josquin Desprez)
Used musica ficta
3 sections, each repeated AABBCC
Duple time
Drum (tabor) sets tempo
Recorders, finger cymbals, bowed strings (viola da gamba) and lutes
