Music in the Renaissance

Music in the Renaissance

Fiorentino, Angel with Lute (ca. 1522)

Rebirth

Classical (Greco-Roman) ideas rediscovered

Music begins to be seen as a fine art

Music (and all art) becomes more expressive

Rise of humanism Recognizing unique contributions of individuals Composers no longer anonymous Greater appreciation of aesthetic qualities of art

Renaissance Sacred Music

Botticelli, Adoration of the Magi

The Renaissance Motet

Choral music

Generally three or four voices

Latin text, sacred subject

Texts usually from Old Testament Often from Psalms or Lamentations Expressive texts call for expressive music

Usually performed a cappella (no accomp.)

Josquin des Prez (c1455-1521)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josquin_Desprez

http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/josquin.html

http://www.hoasm.org/IVA/DesPrez.html

Josquin des Prez

Born northern France/Belgium border areaProbably began career as choirboy (1460)Held posts in France and ItalySang in choir of Sistine Chapel Singers carved their names on the wall “JOSQUINJ” was probably his own “graffito”

Honored by contemporaries as a genius Martin Luther, Rabelais, Bartoli

Josquin des Prez

Composed all the genres of his eraKnown especially for his motetsUse of contrasting textures – sectionalCombined different styles into a new sound Franco-flemish complexity Italian lyricism Leading figure in new international sound This new style later perfected by Palestrina

Listening Example:

Title: Ave Maria

Composer Josquin des Prez

Genre Motet

Notes on Ave maria…

4-voices (SATB)A cappella performance (no instruments)Contrasting textures and settings Imitation Paired imitation (TB imitating SA) Homophony

Expressively personal final textChanging meters

Council of Trent (1545-1563)

Part of the Counter-Reformation

Regulated of all aspects of church discipline

Objected to trends in church music Elaborate counterpoint obscures text Too much embellishment of chant melodies Use of instruments in services Incorporation of popular songs into music Secular spirit invading sacred music Irreverent attitude of church musicians

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

(c.1525-1594)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Palestrina

http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/palestrina.html

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Born near and spent most of career in Rome

Held positions in many Vatican chapels Singer in the Sistine Chapel Maestro compositore St. Peter’s Basilica

Lost many family members to the plague

Very conscious of counter-reformation

Known as “savior of church music”

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Palestrina’s style seen as the culmination of Renaissance composition

Avoidance of dissonance

Balance of the voices

Seamless sound – rhythmically smooth

Codified by Johannes Fux

Still studied today as model of counterpoint

Listening Example

Title Gloria from Missa Papae Marcelli

Composer Palestrina

Genre Mass

Notes on Gloria from Missa Papae Marcelli

A cappella performance (no instruments)

Brief opening chant

Homophonic texture

Smooth (conjunct) melody

Regular rhythms

Note the serene, celestial quality

Listening Example

Title Agnus Dei from Missa Papae Marcelli

Composer Palestrina

Genre Mass

Notes on Agnus Dei from Missa Papae Marcelli

A cappella performance (no instruments)

Polyphonic texture - Imitation

Palestrina writes the imitation in a way that listeners can still understand the text

Palestrina’s style still evident Smooth (conjunct) melody and regular rhythms Serene, celestial quality

Renaissance Secular Music

Raphael

The Nymph Galatea

c.1512-1514

Popular Music Advances

Advent of the printing press

Rise of middle class New market for music, esp. printed music Many were amateur musicians themselves Music in the vernacular (language of the people

– not Latin)

Madrigal

New genre becomes internationally popular Begins in Italy and spreads through Europe Remains popular in England even after the

genre falls out of favor in Italy

Typically 4-5 solo singers, mixed voicesSecular poem, often on subject of loveMusic expresses the emotion of the textWord painting

Word Painting

A musical gesture that directly expresses the meaning of words in the text

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

Transitional figure: Renaissance to Baroque

Worked in Mantua then Venice

Last 30 years spent at St. Mark’s Cathedral

Published 8 books of madrigals

We’ll study Monteverdi’s Baroque opera

Listening Example

Title Ecco mormorar l’onde

Composer Monteverdi

Genre Italian madrigal

Notes on Ecco mormorar l’onde

A cappella performance (no instruments)

Homophonic texture overall

Word painting The melody moves up and down quickly on

“tremolar le fronde” (trembling branches) Nimble counterpoint when text describes birds

singing is meant to suggest actual birdsong

English Madrigals

English poets adopted the Italian sonnet

English composers adopted the madrigal

Nicolas Yonge’s Musica Transalpina (1588)

Texts were “Englished” (translated)

Later composers wrote their own madrigals

A distinctly English style evolved

This is the era of Shakespeare

Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623)

Born near Elsted, Sussex (England)

Begins as organist - Winchester College

Career as choirmaster at Chichester Cathedral

Composes four volumes of madrigals

Trouble with alcohol

Spends time in London near end of life

Listening Example

Title: As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending

Composer: Thomas Weelkes

Genre: English Madrigal

Notes on As Vesta Was…

Composed as part of tribute to Queen Elizabeth I (The Triumphs of Oriana)Odd text serves as fodder for word painting Descending lines as Vesta descends Latmos Ascending lines as Oriana climbs the hill Solo lines for Diana (virgin goddess)

Note the lighthearted quality 6-voices

Dance Music

Publishers issued collections of dance music aimed at the middle class

Shawms, sackbuts, and drums were most commonly used for dance music

Pavane was most popular dance of mid-16th century

Usually followed by Galliard for contrast

Listening Example

Title: Pavane

Composer: Anonymous

Genre: Renaissance Dance

Notes on Pavane

Slow tempo

Serious or stately character

Duple meter

Listening Example

Title: Galliard

Composer: Anonymous

Genre: Renaissance Dance

Notes on Galliard

Fast tempo

Fun, lively character

Triple meter