Vernacular Musics of Middle Ages

Question 1

What is a motet?

Answer 1

• Philip the Chancellor known for development of this genre, so can be seen as 3rd member of Notre Dame Triumvirate with Leonin and Perotin
• Added words to the second voice to create a new piece – many composers followed suit and it became its own genre
• Non-liturgical function
• Exist both in Latin and French (some say French replaced Latin but difficult to tell because both stylistically linked to church music.)
• E.g. Adam de la Halle Dieus, comment porroie uses tenor line from viderunt omnes plainchant and develops it rhythmically
• Function: both educational and for enjoyment

Question 2

What are the musical features of troubadour songs?

Answer 2

• Strophic, melodies reused for each verse
• Music must have had plainchant influence: church was epicentre of music-making
• No clear indication of rhythm (even though rhythm was being notated in church)
• Unclear indication of instruments (but fiddles and lutes probably used, normally self-accompanied)
• Focus on rhyme scheme

Question 3

Who were the troubadours?

Answer 3

• Cultivated in Occitania c.1100-1300 but first flourished in west-central Europe esp France
• Troubadours known because of commentaries that accompany manuscripts called ‘vidas’
• Some born into aristocracy (e.g. Richard I); others started as jobbing instrumentalists
• First known troubadour = William IX of Aquitaine
• No clear connection between poetry and music – common for poems to be set to same tune
• Northern France: trouvères – influenced by lower-style dance genres. More of their music was written down so survives e.g. Guillaume de Machaut.
• Audience: courtly society (includes aristocracy, attendants/advisers, servants and other musicians – anyone who attended court)

Question 4

What were the key themes of troubadour songs?

Answer 4

• Topics: love, politics, dance songs, laments
• Music becomes part of a means of sustaining what a court is through social ritual
• Courtliness: chivalry – elegance, charm, manners etc
• Fin’amor: perfect or refined love
• Mirror: reflection of or resistance to a feudal society fruled by a domnus, with conquests, increasing involvement of church into marital law, honour code shift to personal responsibility

Question 5

Name 3 troubadours and pieces

Answer 5

• Duke William IX of Aquitaine (c.1100): first known troubadour, probably not very good (though vidas suggest otherwise) – wrote crusade songs.
• Macabru (c.1127) – first patron was William X (son of William IX). Low birth but then had education of cleric so would have been familiar with plainchant.
• Comtessa de Dia (c.1200): one of around 20 trobairitz; A Chantar – syllabic (because lots of text); modally less strict than plainchant (not following specific mode or start/end on specific note) but more general centring around note/mode. Song critiques male behaviour with reversal of gender roles.