m110sp13Music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

7/29/2019 m110sp13Music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

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Music in the Middle Ages

and Renaissance

Music 110:

Listening to Classical Music


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Medieval Sacred Music

Edict of Milan (313 A. D.): Emperor Constantine legalizes

Christianity.

Pope Gregory the Great (c.540-604 A.D.)

He is credited with helping to standardize the early chant repertory of

the Catholic Church and is also believed to be the composer of many

chants (hence, Gregorian chant).

Charlemagne (crowned Roman Emperor in 800 A.D.)

He recognizes that a unified Church could help solidify its authority

and empower it politically. Even though he could barely read or write, Charlemagne encouraged

education for the masses, and helped found many cathedral schools.


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Medieval Music

From c. 1000-1250, music was primarily

monophonic (one melody with no

accompaniment).

Sacred music: Catholic Church

Secular music (preserved): royal courts

Vocal music primary After 1250, music becomes more polyphonic

(more than one melody at a time).


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Gregorian chant (plainchant)

Written for the Catholic liturgy

Monophony (melody with no

accompaniment)

Latin text

Free meter

Limited melodic range Most are anonymous.


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In paradisum

(Genre: plainchant, 9th century)

In paradisum deducant te Angeli;

in tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres,

et perducant te in civitatem sanctamJerusalem.

Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat,et cum Lazaro quondam paupere

aeternam habeas requiem.


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In paradisum (translation)

May the angels lead you to paradise,

And the martyrs, when you arrive,

Escort you to the city of Jerusalem.

May the angel choir sustain you,

And with Lazarus, who was once poor,

May you be granted eternal rest.

Melisma: use of one syllable of text on multiple notes.


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Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)


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Hildegard of Bingens Life

Born into a noble family.

Entered a convent at age 7 and took her religious vows at age

16.

Experienced mystic visions all of her life. She would correspond with kings, popes, and other leaders,

and also became well-respected for her writings on science,

medicine, and theology.

She would eventually found an abbey in Bingen, Germany.


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Hildegards Music

She believed that music provided direct access to God.

She wrote both the music and text for chants performed at

her abbey.

The texts of her chants tend to be woman-centered (e.g., theVirgin Mary, St. Ursula).

The vocal range of her chants is much wider and more florid

than those written and performed for monasteries (monks)

and churches at the time.

The fact that we know what chants she composed

demonstrates how widespread her influence was.


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Hildegard, Columba aspexit

(chant, mid-1100s)

Columba aspexit

Per cancellos fenestrae

Ubi ante faciem eius

Sudando sudavir

balsamum

De lucido Maximino.

The dove entered

Through the window

Where, before its face,

Balm emanated

From incandescent

Maximus.


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Columba aspexit (cont.)

Calor solis exarsit

Et in tenebras

resplenduit;

Unde gemma surrexit

In edificatione templi

Purissimi cordis benevoli.

The heat of the sun

burned and dazzled

into the gloom, whence

a jewel sprang forthIn the building of the

temple

Of the most pure loving

heart.


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A Medieval Chantbook


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Medieval Secular Music

Troubadours (France): professional, traveling musicians associated with

the royal courts.

We believe that most troubadours also wrote their own poetry.

Secular monophony

The texts of troubadour songs are written in the vernacular (French) ina stylized, elevated language.

Considered monophony, but troubadour songs were likely performed

with instruments at times.

Melodic range is simple and limited.

Courtly love: code of behavior associated with the royal courts.

Most poems are written from a male perspective and idealize women.

Themes of love (often unrequited), betrayal, loyalty, etc.


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Bernart de Ventadorn (troubadour, c.1135-94)


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Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204)


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Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Troubadour Song

The first written-down songs in a European vernacular

language originated in Aquitaine (South-Central France).

Eleanor of Aquitaine was responsible for spreading the

troubadour repertory to northern France, and eventually

(through her marriage to King Henry II) to England.

Bernart de Ventadorn worked for her in Aquitaine.


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Ventadorn, La dousa votz

(troubadour song, 1100s)

Stanza 1:

La dousa votz ai auzida I have heard the sweet voice

Del rosinholet sauvatge of the nightingale

Et es minsel cor salhida and my heart springs up

Si que tot lo cosirer so that all the cares

Els mals traihz quamors me dona, and the grievous betrayals love has

Madousa e masazona. given me are softened and sweetened

Et auriam be mester in my ordeal

Lautrui joi al meu damnatge. by the joys of others.

Stanza 2:

Ben es totz om davol vida In truth, every man leads a base life

Cab joi non a son estatge who does not dwell in the land of joy

Stanza 3:

Una fause deschauzida One who is false, deceitful,

Trairitz de mal linhage of low breeding, a traitress,

Ma trait, et es traida has betrayed me and betrayed herself.


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The Renaissance (c.1400-1600)

(Re-birth)

Humanism: explore relationship between man and

world, and ones inner self.

Combine reason and observation (including a reliance on

the senses) in ways that challenged long-held authority. Life in the now vs. life in the hereafter.

Balance faith and reason

The humanist focus on life on earth became a direct threat

to church and political authority. Rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman culture.


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Medieval vs. Renaissance Belief

Rely on authority

Religion is primary

Man must serve God

The senses are BAD

Ok to challenge

authority

Balance faith and

reason Develop individuality to

uphold morality

Sensuality and pleasureare (within reason) ok


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The contrasts between Medieval and Renaissance

belief are very evident in the art of the eras:

Medieval art:

Flat and one-dimensional.

Lack of individuality and

personality in human portraits.

Renaissance art:

Clarity, symmetry, and realism.

Illusion of three-dimensional

depth.

Capture a sense of individuality in

portraits and, more generally, in

an artists own work.

New interest in human body:

admiration, sensuality, scientific

anatomy.


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Example of Medieval Art (anonymous):

Hildegard of Bingen (receiving a vision)


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Example of Renaissance Art:

Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna, Child, St. Anne, and a

Lamb (c. 1517)


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Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa (1506)


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Leonardo da Vinci, The Vitruvian Man (1487)


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Renaissance Art:

Michelangelos David(1504)


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Music in the Renaissance

Text expression (individuality): the madrigal

Rise of secular and instrumental music

Rise of professional musicians

Rise of amateur music-making as social

accomplishment

Music printing

Composers begin to sign their works! Polyphony (two or more melodies performed

simultaneously) is dominant.


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Josquin DesPrez (c.1440-1521)


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Josquins Life and Career

Spent much of his life and career in Italy (worked at the papal chapel in Rome), but

also moved around Europe, working for various royal courts.

Wrote about 22 masses, as well as other types of sacred and secular music.

Mass: a musical setting of the Ordinary of the Catholic Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo,

Sanctus, Agnus Dei): i.e., parts of the mass that are celebrated every day in the

church year. Many masses at this time were based on pre-existing chants. Missa Pange lingua (c. 1510)

Based on the original Pange lingua chant (Middle Ages)

Latin text

Chant appears freely in all four voices

Use ofimitation: voices enter in succession with the same musical idea atdifferent pitch levels.

Textural variety reflects emotional content of text.


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Josquin, Kyrie

(Pange lingua Mass)

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.

Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy.

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.


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Josquin, Gloria (excerpts)

Qui tollis peccata mundi,

Miserere nobis.

Qui tollis peccata mundi,Suscipe deprecatione nostram.

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,

Miserere nobis.


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Gloria, continued

Quoniam tu solus sanctus,

Tu solus Dominus,

Tu solus altissimus,Jesu Christe,

Cum sancto spiritu,

In gloria Dei Patris.Amen.


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Martin Luther (1483-1546)


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Luther and the Protestant Reformation

Luther was a theologian (and composer!) who refuted key

teachings of the Catholic Church.

The Reformation began as a rebellion against the overriding

authority of the Catholic Church. It reached its height during

the 1520s and 1530s.

No more blind obedience to church authorities and dogma.

Luther also revised the Mass in order to get the congregation

more involved.

Use of the vernacular (German).

Wrote and promoted the performance ofchorales (simple German

hymns).


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The Catholic Church and the Counter-

Reformation

The Counter-Reformation (c. 1540s-60s) was the Catholic

response to the Protestant Reformation.

Key question: How would the Catholic Church retain and

continue to attract members while still holding true to

traditional church dogma?

Some musical results:

Latin remains the official language of the Church (and chants).

Make the texts audible and clear.

Stop inappropriate use of instruments in church (except for the organ).

Dissonance (harsh-sounding chords) should be used infrequently and

with restraint.


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Palestrina (c.1525-94)


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Palestrinas Life and Career

Born in Italy; would work in Rome for most of his life.

Like many composers, Palestrina started out as a choirboy, but he would

remain a layman throughout his life.

He would hold two prestigious posts (as singer, choirmaster, organist,

composer) at the Cappella Giulia(St. Peters Basilica; native Italians) and

the Cappella Sistina(Sistine Chapel; mostly foreigners).

Served several popes.

He wrote about 104 masses, plus hundreds of other sacred and secular

works.


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Palestrinas Pope MarcellusMass (1567)

Myth (now discounted): Palestrina wrote this mass to save

polyphony from Counter-Reformation reforms.

The works title refers to Pope Marcellus II, who Palestrina

briefly served.

Musical style:

Six voices

It does not use any Gregorian chant as its basis.

However, Palestrinas melodies are very chant-like in their stepwise

motion. Restrained use of dissonance.


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The English Madrigal

Madrigal: a polyphonic secular song (Italian or English).

The development of the English madrigal came from the late sixteenth-

century interest in Italian art forms and ideas.

Usually performed with voices only (males and/or females), but

instruments were occasionally used as well.

Associated with the royal court, in particular Queen Elizabeth I.

Musical style:

English text (NOT high literary quality, however, vs. the Italian madrigal)

Use ofword painting(the literal musical depiction of the texts words or content).

4-6 independent voices typical.

Thomas Weelkes madrigal As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending contains

loosely coded references to the great Queen Elizabeth, whose nickname was Oriana.


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Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)


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Queen Elizabeth I


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Thomas Weelkes (c.1574-1623)


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Weelkes, As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill

(Genre: English madrigal)

As Vesta was from Latmos Hill descending

She spied a maiden Queen the same ascending,

Attended on by all the shepherds swain;

To whom Dianas darlings came running down amain,First two by two, then three by three together,

Leaving their Goddess all alone, hasted thither;

And mingling with the shepherds of her train,

With mirthful tunes her presence did entertain.Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana:

Long live fair Oriana!


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Arcadelt (1505-68)


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The Italian Madrigal (optional)

Four voices (polyphonic)

Brief

Elevated poetry

Text expression and word painting primary


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Arcadelt (1505-68), Il bianco e dolce cigno (c. 1535)

Optional

Il bianco e dolce cigno The white and gentle swan

cantando more et io, dies singing, and I,

piangendo giungal fin del weeping, approach the end of

viver mio. of my life.Strane diversa sorte, Strange and diverse fates,

chei more sconsolato that he dies disconsolate

et il moro beato. and I die happy.

Morte che nel morire, Death, that in the act of dying,mempie di gioia tutto e fills me wholly with joy and

di desire. desire.


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Il bianco, continued

Se nel morir altro dolor If in dying I feel

non sento no other pain

Di mille mortil di sarei I would be content to die a

contento. thousand times a day.

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m110sp13Music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance