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MAPEH (Music)
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Music of the Medieval Period
(Sacred Music)
MAPEH (Music) – Grade 9
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 1: Music of the Medieval Period (Sacred Music)
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

OIC-Schools Division Superintendent: Carleen S. Sedilla CESE
OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent: Dr. Brian E. Ilan EdD

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Christine-An V. Basilio

Editor: Venus E. Mariano EdD

Reviewer: Myrna T. Parakikay

Layout Artist: Garry Boy D. Garcia

Management Team: Angelita S. Jalimao

Chief Education Supervisor, Curriculum Implementation Division

Neil Vincent C. Sandoval

Education Program Supervisor, LRMS

Myrna T. Parakikay
Education Program Supervisor, MAPEH

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 What I Need to Know

This module was written and designed to make learning easier especially as we are in
the New Normal situation. As an educational tool, this module about the Sacred Music
of the Medieval Period challenges you as a learner, to become creative, resourceful
and independent. The scope of the module provides a variety of activities that will
stimulate independent and self-guided learning experience. Lessons in this module are
arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course to ensure effective learning
continuity, make the experience more meaningful, effective and relevant to life
situations.

This module is especially written for you to give you a clearer understanding of the
musical characteristics, elements and performance practices of music during the
Medieval Period. You will find out the features of Medieval music specifically sacred
music through music listening, appreciation and self-evaluation.
We divide the history of music into separate periods of time, each identified by its own
particular style. Here, is one way of dividing the history of Western music into 6 main
periods, with dates suggested for each one:
Medieval 400-1450
Renaissance 1450-1600
Baroque 1600-1750
Classical 1750-1810
Romantic 1810-1910
20th Century 1900-present

The module includes lessons and activities on:

▪ Musical elements of the music of the Medieval Period
▪ Performance practice (setting, composition, role of composers/ performers, and
audience) during the Medieval Period
▪ Other art forms and its history within the era specifically Gregorian Chant and
form of notation
▪ Composing simple Hymns based on Gregorian chant.
▪ Applying neumes to present church music

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. listens perceptively to selected vocal and instrumental music of Medieval music
2. explains the performance practice (setting, composition, role of composers/
performers, and audience) during the Medieval Period
3. relates Medieval music to other art forms and its history within the era.
4. composes simple hymns based on music of the medieval music
5. evaluates music performance using guided rubrics

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 What I Know

Choose 5 pictures that are related to Medieval music. Write your answers on a
separate sheet of paper.

a. b. c.

d. e. f.

g. h. i.

Essential Question:

What one factor or characteristic made you choose

these pictures?

j.

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 Lesson Music of the Medieval
Period
1 (Sacred Music)
In writing music, composers combine together important musical elements- what we
describe as the basic ingredients of music. These include: Melody, harmony, rhythm,
timbre, form and texture. It is the way composers combined these musical ingredients
to bring any compositions the distinctive style of a particular period and provides
characteristics to their compositions.

What’s In

Let’s check how well you know the basic elements of music. Write the correct answer
on your activity notebook.

From numbers 1-5, identify the element of music shown in the picture.

1. A. texture C. rhythm
B. harmony D. form

2. A. texture C. rhythm
B. melody D. form

3. A. texture C. rhythm
B. melody D. form

4. A. texture C. harmony
B. form D. melody

5. A. texture C. harmony
B. form D. Melody

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 What’s New

Listen closely to this hymn traditionally sung on the eve of the solemnity of the birth of
St. John the Baptist and let’s see what you can notice about the song.

Listen: “Ut Queant Laxis” https://youtu.be/9fMppPLocmo

Essential Questions:
1. In your own opinion, what is the general feel or mood of the song you’ve heard?
2. How many voices did you hear/ can you see in the piece?
3. Where do you think is this kind of song usually used?

What is It

The Medieval Period is also known as the Middle Ages or the “Dark Ages” that
started with the fall of the Roman Empire. During this time, the Roman Catholic
influenced Europe’s culture and political affair.

Medieval Music was both sacred and secular.

Sacred music is music written and composed for
church. Secular music is music that is separated from
religion. It includes love songs, political satire, dances,
and dramatic works.

Medieval Music was both sacred and secular.

Sacred music, the liturgical forms, predominantly
Gregorian chant was monophonic (plain chant) and
transmitted only by oral tradition. The earliest music
did not have any kind of notational system until the
completion of the four-line staff. Neumes is the first
type of notation made up of simple little signs
suggesting weather the voice should rise or fall. Guido
d’Arrezo is the Italian theorist who in the 11th century
developed the four lined staff that made it possible to
establish the relationship of one pitch to another. He
invented a system of designating the notes of the scale
with syllables. ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la come from.

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 Most musicians in the middle ages worked for the church. It was the main
employer of artists in all fields, from the builders of the great cathedrals to the
stonemasons who did the carvings to the people who wrote and sang the music for its
services.

The cathedral was the most important place of worship in any diocese, and the
seat of the bishop. In a way, the cathedral was the bishop’s court and it had to be
magnificent. There was a great need for music to enhance church services and attest to
the glory of God so that the congregation, from royalty down to the ordinary peasant,
would be impressed by the splendor of Christianity and its manifestation in the Catholic
Church.

The Main Characteristics of Medieval Music:

1. Monophonic texture (plain song) - free-flowing unaccompanied melody

2. Use of modes - early music used a special scale called modes. These
modes are just like the key signatures that we use today.

3. Use of Neumes for notation

4. Texts are based on Latin liturgy

Sacred early music of the Christian Church grew in part out of the monophonic
music from ancient Greek, Hebrew and Syrian cultures. Plainsong or plainchant is a
vocal music, written for the choirs found at all cathedrals, monasteries and abbeys. It
is also called Gregorian chant after Gregory I, who was Pope from 590-604. He decided
that all existing music should be gathered together into a uniform liturgy throughout
the church. A great deal of plainsong is left to us, about 3,000 chants, each one with a
particular meaning in the liturgy.

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 (Gregorian chant) (Sample Music sheet in the Medieval Era)

Vocabulary Words to Unlock

What’s More

Activity 1 Sing and Draw

1. Listen: ‘Ut Queant Laxis’ https://youtu.be/9fMppPLocmo
2. Create your own prayer with at least 4-6 phrases (equivalent to 3 sentences).
3. Imitate the melody you heard using your prayer as the lyrics.
4. Write it in a bond paper and paste it in your activity notebook.
5. Use the picture below as your reference.

Monophonic - musical texture consist of one melodic line

Plain song - free-flowing unaccompanied melody

Liturgy – particular set of words, music, and actions used in

ceremonies within the Catholic church

Modes - early music used a special scale called modes. These modes
are just like the key signatures that we use today.

Neumes - is the first type of notation made up of simple little signs

suggesting weather the voice should rise or fall

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Composition Grading Rubric

Indicators Fair Good Great Composer Expert Composer

Composer Composer 8 points 10 points
3 points 6 points
1.
Notation
used in
song

2. Notes Do-re-mi Do-re-mi-fa Do-re-mi-fa-sol Do-re-mi-fa-sol-la

used
3. Length 2 phrases 3 phrases 4 phrases 5-6 phrases
of song

1. Where do you usually hear this kind of music?

2. When do you use this kind of music?
3. What can you say the melody of the music?
4. What is the general feel or mood of the song you’ve heard?
5. Is the rhythm similar to the church hymn that you hear today, why?
What I Have Learned

Music in the Middle Ages was very important part of the

church liturgy.

Sacred music during this period was monophonic and can

be found in all cathedrals and monasteries.

Most musicians in the middle ages worked for the church.

Texts of the songs are based on Latin liturgy.

What I Can Do
1. Analyze the hymn below.
2. Write the hymn using neumes in your activity notebook. Sing the hymn.

Reflections:

➢ Can you see similarities between the Gregorian chant and this Psalm?
➢ What did you feel when you sang the psalm?

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 Assessment
Directions: Read the following questions carefully then choose the best answer for
each number. Write letters only. Use a separate sheet of paper.
1. Which of the following statements is NOT a characteristic of a Gregorian chant?
A. plainsong B. used neumes C. free in tempo D. polyphonic
2. What kind of musical texture is made up of one melodic line?
A. polyphonic B. homophonic C. monophonic D. heterophonic
3. What vocal music is written for the choirs that can be found at all cathedrals,
monasteries and abbeys that was named after Gregory I?
A. Plaint song B. Chant C. Madrigals D. Gregorian Chant
4. Who is the Italian theorist that developed the four-lined staff that is used as the
musical notation during the Medieval period?
A. Pope Gregory I C. Johann Sebastian Bach
B. Guido d’Arezzo D. Thomas Morley
5. What was the most important place of worship in any diocese, and the seat of the
bishop?
A. Monasteries B. Church C. Cathedrals D. Abbey
6. How many Gregorian chants were left to us?
A. About 3,000 chants are left to us C. No chant is left.
B. As few as 100 chants are left to us D. About 1,000 chants left to us
7. What is the general feel or mood of a Gregorian chant?
A. It has a romantic musical melody.
B. It has a melancholy vibe when you sing it.
C. It has a tranquil celestial stream of sound.
D. It has energetic, lively and well-articulated musical lines.
8. Which of the following statements shows the texture of plain songs?
A. Songs has one clear melodic line with accompaniment.
B. Songs are made up of two or three lines of melody going on at the same time.
C. Songs has melody but different variation of it are being sung or played at the same
time.
D. Songs has only one melodic line sung by a single person or by a whole choir.
9. Where are the songs or music during the Medieval Period is usually used?
A. Music is usually used as love songs written to the noble ladies of the court
or songs portraying various aspects of ordinary life.
B. Vocal music is written for the choirs and can be found at all the cathedrals and
monasteries.
C. Instrumental music is used to accompany the religious services in cathedrals and
monasteries.
D. Music became available and popular among the middle class with venues in
concert halls.
10. Which of the following describes the rhythm of a Gregorian Chant?
A. It has no regular beat or accent and tends to follow the rhythm of the text.
B. It has a strong regulated rhythm with clear cadential points.
C. It has syncopated rhythm.
D. It has an irregular rhythm

Additional Activities

Activity1: Essay. In 3-5 sentences tell something about the statements below.

In the Middle Ages, most musicians worked for the church.

Describe these music and the need for musicians in cathedrals.