MAPEH 9

Instrumental Music of the

Renaissance Music
The noise or sound which musicians make
while they are tuning their instruments is
nothing pleasant to hear, but yet is a cause
why the music is sweeter afterwards.
- Francis Bacon
Keywords
• Ricercare
• Canzona
• Ornamentation
• Counterpoint
• Tablature
• Dissonance
• Recorder
• Clavichord
• Positive Organ
• Viol
• Vihuela
• Lute
• Harpsichord
Development
During the Renaissance Period, instrumental
music may be considered subordinate to or less
important than vocal music. This is because
instrumentation is traditionally intended to
accompany voices or singing. However it is
essential to note that hits gave rise to
emancipation of instrumental music from vocal
music specifically during the 16th century. Among
are these important characteristics of this music’s
development are the following.
 Characteristics of Instrumental
Renaissance Music
1. The instrumental music generally remained
within the bounds set by the standards and
styles of vocal performance.
2. Creating music extemporaneously played an
essential role in performing melodic
embellishments.
3. There was considerable number of musical
scores or sheets of vocal music which were
intended for performing instrumentally.
4. There were also some instrumental forms which
were developed from the vocal forms.
The Renaissance style of instrumental music is
performed in the following manner.
1. The range of the melody exceeds what the human
voice could reach.
2. The melodic contour is characterized by a lot of wide
skips.
3. Parts with counterpoint (texture or technique that
combines two or more independent melodic lines ) in
music; involving keyboard and lute are either easily
included or excluded without designated rests.
4. It also contains fast and lengthy melodic lines.
5. Dissonance or harmonic intervals that produce the
effect of action or tension are employed more freely.
6. Musical ornamentations are extensively used.
 Renaissance Musical Instruments
• Bowed strings
The predecessor of the violin family in the 17th
century are the Renaissance viols.
• Plucked strings
During this era, lute is the most popular
instrument intended for solo performance. It
is plucked stringed instrument shaped like half
a pear with an angled neck and a fretted
fingerboard.
• The main plucked chordophone in Spain
during this age is the vihuela which is similar
to the guitar.
• Wind Instruments
Recorder – most important aerophone during
the Renaissance.
• Shawm and Krummhorn
These are examples of double reed
instruments
• Cornets – These soft-toned aerophones are
made of either wood or ivory.
• Trumpets and Trombones
• Keyboard Instruments
1. Positive Organ
2. Portative
3. Clavichord
4. harpsichord
 Instrumental Genres
• Dance Music
1. Pavane
2. Ronde and Saltarello
3. Tanz und Nachtanz and Des Prinzen Tanz-
Proprtz

Other dances
4. Passamezzo, basse-danse and branle or bransle
5. Allemande or Alma and Courante or Currento
Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina
( 1525 – 1594 )