MUSIC

MUSIC OF THE MEDIEVAL,

RENAISSANCE, and BAROQUE
PERIODS
 RENAISSANCE

MEDIEVAL

UE
OQ
AR
B
M U S I C O F M E D I E VA L P E R I O D
(700-1400)
 The Medieval period of music history began
around the fall of the Roman empire in 476 AD.
It progressed into the sixth century and lasted
through the end of the fourteenth century, when
it gave way to Renaissance music. Medieval-era
music centered around the church. Although
secular music existed during Medieval times,
most surviving Medieval compositions were
written as liturgical music.

INTRODUCTION
Texture. Monophonic. Later masses
and motets employed polyphony.

Tonality. Church modes.

Rhythm. chants employed unmeasured CHARACTERISTICS

rhythm.
O F M E D I E VA L
Large vocal works. Polyphonic mass MUSIC
settings.

Small vocal works. Chant, organum,

motet.

Instrumental music. dances and other

secular compositions.
 Medieval music includes
liturgical music used for the church, and
secular music, non-religious music;
solely vocal music, such as Gregorian
chant and choral music (music for a
group of singers), solely
instrumental music, and music that uses
both voices and instruments.

W H A T A R E T H E E X A M P L E S O F M E D I E VA L M U S I C ?
 GREGORIAN CHANT

was the official music of the roman

Catholic Church. It is referred to after
Pope Gregory I the Great. It is also
named as Plainsong or Plainchant. Its
melody is set to sacred Latin text,
composed for the Western Church and
performed without instrumental VOCAL MUSIC OF
accompaniment. M E D I E VA L P E R I O D
 FA M O U S
COMPOSERS
DURING THE
M E D I E VA L P E R I O D
 GUILLAUME DE
MACHAUT
• Guillaume de Machaut was a French
composer and poet who was the
central figure of the ars nova style in
late medieval music. 
• Machaut composed in a wide range
of styles and forms. He is a part of
the musical movement known as
the ars nova. Machaut helped
develop the motet and secular song
forms.
• Machaut was “the last great poet
who was also a composer.”
"Messe de Notre Dame" (Mass of Our Lady)
HIS WORKS
INCLUDES:

• "Messe de Notre Dame"

(Mass of Our Lady)
• Bone Pastor
• Foy Porter
 ADAM DE LA HALLE

• Considered to be the last of the

trouvères, the poet-musicians of
northern France who specialized in
writing poems and songs of courtly love.
• He was born in Arras in northern France
(Picardy) and later probably studied in
Paris. 
• he is known for having written one of
the earliest recorded secular dramas in
French, a 1,099-line satiric play
(apparently intended for performance at
a local festival) that ridicules character
traits of some of the citizens of Arras.
My Giselle

HIS WORKS
INCLUDES:

• My Giselle
• Dame or sui trais
• Fines Amouretes
• Viderant omnes
TERMS USED DURING THE
M E D I E VA L P E R I O D
CHARACTERISTICS OF
RENAISSANCE MUSIC
FAMOUS COMPOSERS
OF THE
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
Giovanni Pierluigi da Is said to be the greatest master of the
Palestrina Roman Catholic Church music during
the renaissance period.
 
Majority of his compositions are sacred
music. He was committed to sacred
music and has a keen interest in
satisfying the desires of church leaders
in the sixteenth century.
 
He was an organist and choir master
both the Sistine chapel and at St.
Peter’s Basilica.
 His works Missa ad
include: fugam

Missa
Missa Ad Aeterna
coenam Agni Christi
munera
Thomas Morley
Morley, the son of a brewer, was born in Norwich,
East England. He was a singer in the local cathedral
from his boyhood and became master of choristers
there in 1583.
 
He was the famous composer secular music in his
time. He was a singer in the local cathedral during
his childhood and was believed to have studied in
music.
 
He received his bachelor’s degree in Oxford and
became an organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral in
London.
 His works
include:
• “fire, fire, My Heart”
• “Sing and Chant it”
• “April is in My
Mistress’ Face”