Gregorian Guess When?

Chants
Medieval Renaissance Baroque
Mass Period Period Period
Troubadour
Music
Oratorio
Fugue
Concerto Grosso
Madrigal
Chorale
Guess When?

1. Johann Sebastian 2. Giovanni

Bach Pierluigi da
Guess When?

3. Antonio Vivaldi 4. George Friedrich

Handel
UNIT I

Music of the Medieval,

Renaissance, and
Baroque Period
Western
Music
- music produced in
Europe as well as those
music derived from the
European from ancient
times to the present days.
Medieva Renaissanc Baroque
l e Period
Period Period

Western Music
 MEDIEVAL
PERIOD
• 700 – 1400
• also known as the “Middle Ages” or
“Dark Ages”
• the Christian church influenced Europe’s
culture and political affairs
• monophonic plainchants became popular
PLAINCHANTS - body of chants used in
liturgies of the western church
 GREGORIAN
CHANTS
was named after Pope Gregory I

monophonic
free meter
modal
usually based on Latin liturgy
use of Neume notation
Neume Notation
 Pope Gregory I

the “Father of Christian Worship”

540 – 12 March 604 AD

known as Saint Gregory the Great
he was Pope from 590 – 12
March 604 AD
instigated the Gregorian Mission
 Secular
- non-religious music
Music
- performed by
Troubadours
Characteristics of Troubadour
Music
• usually monophonic
• Sometimes with improvised
accompaniment
• tells chivalry and courtly love
• originated in France
• written in French language
Famous Composer
of the
Medieval Period
Adam de la
Halle
Adam de la Halle

also known as Adam le Bossu

Adam the Hunchback

studied at Cistercian Abbey of
Vaucelles
married to a girl named Marie
considered the oldest secular
composer
 Works:

Le Jeu de Robin et de
Marion

La Chanson du Roi de
Sicile
 RENAISSANCE
PERIOD
• 1400 - 1600
• came from the word renaitre which means
“rebirth”, “revival” , and “rediscovery”
• invention of printing
• emergence of bourgeois class
• lute was the prominent musical instrument
• secular music became more prominent
• golden age of a cappella choral music
Characteristics of Renaissance Music

mostly polyphonic

use of word painting in text

and music

imitation among voices is

common
Characteristics of Renaissance Music

melodic lines moving in a flowing

manner

melodies are easier to perform

because of few large leaps
Vocal Music
of the
Renaissance
Period
 1. Mass

• a form of sacred musical

composition that sets texts
of the Eucharistic liturgy
into music.
Characteristics of the Mass:

polyphonic

may be sung acapella or with

orchestral accompaniment

text may be syllabic,

neumatic, or melismatic
Five Main Sections of
Mass
Kyrie – “Lord Have Mercy”
Gloria – “Glory to God in the
Highest”
Credo – “Apostle’s Creed” or
“Nicean Creed”
Santus and Benidictus –
“Holy, Holy” and “Blessed Is
He”
Agnus Dei – “Lamb of God”
 2. Madrigal
• a secular vocal polyphonic music
composition
• originated in Italy
• written and expressed in a poetic text
• sung during courtly social gatherings
• most important secular form during
the Renaissance Period
Characteristics of the Madrigal:
polyphonic

sung acapella

through - composed

frequently in 3 to 6 voices
Famous Composer
of the
Renaissance
Period
GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA
PALESTRINA
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

1525 – 2 February 1594

the greatest master of Roman

Catholic Church

majority of his music are sacred

music
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
organist and choir master at both
Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s
Basilica

had two sons but lost them both

during the plague epidemic in
Rome
 Works:

“Pope Marcellus
Mass”

“Masses” – his first book

which became popular
Thomas Morley
Thomas Morley

1557 - 1602

born in Norwich, East

England

most famous secular composer in

his time
 Works:
Musica Transalpina

Fire, Fire, My Heart

Sing and Chant It
Fantasie
April is in my Mistress’ Face
It was a Lover and his Lass
 Baroque Period
• the word baroque derived from the
Portuguese word barroco – “pearl of
irregular shape”
• arts highlighted grandiose and
ornamentation
Characteristics of Baroque Music
melodies sound elaborate and
ornamental

melodies are not easy to sing

and remember

primarily contrapuntal with

some homophony
Characteristics of Baroque Music

dynamic contrast

music genres

orchestra consists of string

and continuo
Characteristics of Baroque Music

harpsichord and organ are the

keyboard instruments that are
commonly used

new forms – binary – AB

- Ternary – ABA
- Ground bass
- fugue
Music Genres
of
Baroque Music
 1.
CONCERTO
• a form of orchestral
music that employs
solo instrument
accompanied by an
orchestra
2. CONCERTO
GROSSO
• a form of orchestral music
wherein music is between
small group of solo
instruments called
concertino and a whole
orchestra called tutti
3. FUGUE

• a contrapuntal piece
developed mainly by
imitative counterpoint
usually written in 3-4
parts
4. ORATORIO

• a large-scale musical
composition for orchestra
and voices that
incorporates narratives or
religious themes
5. CHORALE

• resemble a
harmonized version
of hymnal tunes of
the Protestant Church
Famous Composer
of the
Baroque Period
Johann Sebastian
Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
born in Germany on March
21, 1865

died on July 28, 1750

he came from a family of

musicians
Johann Sebastian Bach

entered school at age 7

became orphaned at age 10

he is a cantor at St. Thomas

Church
 Works:
Concerto Grosso

Masses
Cantatas
Fugues
works of clavichord and
harpsichord
Antonio vivaldi
 Antonio Vivaldi
born in Venice on March 4,
1678

died in Vienna on July 28,

1741

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi –

“il Prete Rosso” - The Red
Priest
 Antonio Vivaldi

Catholic Priest

a virtuoso violinist

his most famous work is “The

Four Seasons” – a violin
concerti
George Friedrich
Handel
 George Friedrich
Handel
born in Germany on February 23,
1685
died in London on April 24,
1759
secretly taught himself to play the
harpsichord
age 7 – gained access to church
organ
lost both his eyesight in 1753
 Works:

Samson

“Messiah” – written in
24 days in London