Renaissance Music

Question 1

Renaissance instruments

Answer 1

• Cornett:
  - Curved, wooden with trumpet mouthpiece
• Crumhorn:
  - Hook-shaped, double reed
• Pipe:
  - Small, played along with Tabor (small drum)
• Lute:
  - Fretted, plucked
• Theorbo:
  - Large lute of low pitch, used for basslines of dances
• Viol:
  - Bowed instrument, fretted
• Keyboards:
  - Several types, Virginals (small oblong harpsichord)

Question 2

Renaissance Choral music

Answer 2

• Mass:
  - Religous text
  - Sung in church services
  - Six movements
  - Papal composers
  - Imitative
  - a Capella
  - Four part choir (parts can be doubled)
  - Often based on Chansons (popular songs)
• Motet:
  - Sacred Latin text
  - Different motet for each day
  - Polyphonic
  - Developed into its own genre
  - Written for bread and wine part of communion (most special part)
• Madrigal:
  - Not sacred or performed in church
  - Written for several voices
  - Secular subjects
  - Music accentuates the text