Music in the Renaissance Era

1420-1600

Part IV: Secular Vocal Music

in the 1500s

This is the first printed music for amateurs—our first significant trace of music-making of the general populace.

SpainVillancico•Developed @ court of Ferdinand & Isabella•On rustic or popular subjects•aristocratic representation of music of the lower classes•Short, strophic, syllabic, homophonic•“authentic,” “simple”•Form:• Refrain• Stanzas

•Melody on top•Often published for voice and solo lute•hemiola•Juan del Encina,Oy comamos y bebamos

ItalyFrottola•Italian counterpart to Villancico•Melismas @ cadences (improvised)•Marco Cara, Io non compro più speranza

Villanella, Canzonetta, Balletto•Villanella• Lively, strophic, homophonic,• Parallel 5ths, rustic• Mocked madrigals

•Canzonetta • “little song”• lively, homophonic, simple harmonies

•Balletto• “little dance”• for dancing; have “fa-la-la” refrains

Madrigal•serious music for Italian poetry•music enriches text•Text• Single-line stanza of 7 or 11 syllables• No refrains or repeated lines• Ends w/epigram

•Music• Through-composed• Variety of contrapuntal & homophonic textures• 1 singer to a part

Early Madrigal (1520-1550)

Jaques Arcadelt

•Franco Flemish, active in Florence & Rome•4 voices•Il bianco e dolce cigno

Middle Madrigal (mid 16th century)

Cipriano de Rore

•Frequent changes of texture: homophony; free polyphony•5 voices•Da le belle contrade d’oriente

Late Madrigal (late 16th century)

Luca Marenzio

•word-painting, musical imagery•5 voices

Orlando di Lasso Carlo Gesualdo

•Solo e pensoso Io parto

FranceNew chanson•Light, fast, rhythmic, syllabic, repeated notes, duple•4 voices, melody high voice, homophonic, occasional pts. of imitation•Various forms w/short sections/strophic•No word-painting•Amateurs; Popular

Claudin de Sermisy

The Later Franco-Flemish Chanson•maintained older Franco-Flemish contrapuntal tradition•di Lasso writes chansons in the Franco-Flemish, new, and madrigal styles.

Musique Mesurèe•Greek ideals•Academy of Poetry & Music• Improve society w/

music• Poetic rhythm• Influential irregular

rhythms in air de cour

Claude le JeuneJan Sweelinck

Revecy venir du printans;chanson

Orlando di Lasso

La nuict froide et sombre;chanson

Tant que vivray;chanson

England•Consort song• voice & string

ensemble

•Madrigals• Italian influence• For amateurs, informal

gatherings

•Lute songs• solo w/accomp• no text-painting• tablature

William Byrd Thomas Morley Thomas Weelkes John Dowland

Flow, my tears; air or lute song

As Vestas was;madrigal

My bonny lass she smileth; ballett

Germany•Meistersingers—sang unaccompanied solo songs•Hans Sachs