Secular Music in the Middle Ages

Minstrels

Wandering musicians Versatile entertainers

Sang Danced Juggled Tricks Animal acts Plays

Minstrels

News and gossip

Also called jongleurs and jongleuresses

Troubadours

Poet-musicians

Resided in courts

Had members from all walks of life including nobility

Caled Minnesingers in Germany

Song Topics

Love songs War songs Political songs Laments Dance songs

Unrequited love

Ars Nova

Start of the 14th century Started in France, spread to Italy

Rise of secularism

Developed meter, harmony, and counterpoint

Guillaume de Machaut

French Cleric Active in the court of the King of

Bohemia and King of France

Wrote the first complete setting of the Mass

Chanson

Means: songs

Utilizes different forms

Based on text forms

Instrumental Music

Original focus on vocal music

Early prominence in dance music

Rarely written down

Usually improvised

Medieval Instruments

Divided into categories of loud and soft