MUSIC OF MEDIEVAL,

RENAISSANCE AND
BAROQUE PERIOD

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According to the history…..
Medieval period
Plainchant ( also called “ Gregorian” chant)- the Renaissance Period
vocal religious practice of the Roman Catholic
Church. Polyphonic setting of the “Ordinary of the Mass”

Five texts:
Baroque Period (1600- 1750) 1. Kyrie
2. Gloria
3. Credo
interest in solo voice and a rise in the status 4. Sanctus
of instruments and instrumental music. 5. Agnus Dei

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 MUSIC OF MEDIEVAL PERIOD (700-1400)
• Medieval music was both sacred and secular.

music that was specially Music composed that have no

written for use in religious religious or spiritual basis
services.

• Monody or Monophonic Music meaning one sound or single line

melodies.
• Plain song or plainchant is a monophonic consisting of one or

unaccomplished single melody.

• Gregorian Chant- a monophonic or unison, liturgical music in Roman Catholic Church.
• Lute- one of the early music
• Later Middle Ages it gradually yielded to polyphony.
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o
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 SECULAR MUSIC SCORE

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 MUSIC OF THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD
(1400-1600)

THREE BASIC PURPOSE :

1. Worship in both catholic and burgeoning protestant churches.
2. Music for the entertainment and edification of the courts and courtly life.
3. Dance music

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF RENAISSANCE MUSIC
• The birth of polyphonic “golden age of polyphony”, vocal polyphony reaches a high degree of perfection
with four or more voices of equal importance.
• Imitation among voices are common
• Melodic lines move in a flowing manner
• Express in moderate, balanced way, with no extreme contrast of dynamics, tone color or rhythm.
• Bass register was used for the first time
• Rhythm is more gentle flow than a sharply defined beat
• Clarity, balance, euphony within well- regulated limits prevails
• Modality (the use of church mode) still prevails in both sacred and secular.

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SECULAR MUSIC SCORE

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 VOCAL MUSIC OF THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD
1. MASS
IS A FORM OF SACRED MUSICAL COMPOSITION THAT SETS TEXTS OF THE
EUCHARISTIC LITURGY INTO MUSIC.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MASS:
• polyphonic
• may be sung a cappella or with orchestral accompaniment

• text may be syllabic (one note set to each syllable), neumatic ( a few notes set to a one syllable),

or melismatic( many notes to one syllable)

MOTET- Is a polyphonic choral works in Latin text. It can be used in any service of the churches and
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 5 KEY MAIN OF MASS

• KYRIE ( LORD HAVE MERCY)

• GLORIA (GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST)
• CREDO ( I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD)
• SANCTUS AND BENEDICTUS (HOLY, HOLY AND BLESSED IS HE)
• AGNUS DEI (LAMB OF GOD)

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2. MADRIGAL –

A secular vocal polyphonic music composition which originated from italy. It is written
and expressed in a poetic text and sung during courtly social gatherings. It is most important
secular form during the renaissance period
• CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MADRIGAL:
• Polyphonic
• Sung a cappella
• Through-composed
• Number of voices varies from 2 to 8 frequently from 3-6 voices

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 MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE
PERIOD
The word baroque can be traced from the ancient Portuguese noun barocco- a pearl that is
not round but of unpredictable and elaborated shape or pearl of irregular shape.

Baroque become popular and successful because the Roman Catholic Church
encourage its development. The Catholic Church decided at the time of the council of Trent that
the arts communicate religious themes Through man’s direct and emotional involvement.

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 Characteristics :
1. Melodies sound elaborated and ornamental
2. Primarily contrapuntal textures with some homophony
3. Dynamics contrast- alteration between loud and soft, also known as
Terrace Dynamics
4. Harpsicord and organ are the keyboard instruments that are commonly
used.
5. Orchestra consists of strings and continuo.

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6. Music Genres- Opera, Oratorio, Suites, Toccatas, Concerto Grosso, Fugue
a. Opera- a dramatic work or genre of classical time
b. Oratorio- a religious narrative large scale work for orchestra and voices
performed without costume, scenery or action.
c. Suite- a set of instrumental compositions of dance style
d. Concerto Grosso- instrumental from for small group of soloist and full
orchestra
e. Fugue- contrapuntal composition in which a short melody is introduced by
one part and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving
the part..

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 PROMINENT COMPOSER OF THE ERAS
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
• ADAM DE LA HALLE, FRANCE 1237-1285
• ALSO KNOWN AS ADAM LEBOSSU ( ADAM THE HUNCHBACK).

• A MUSICIAN AND A POET.

• ONE OF THE OLDEST SECULAR COMPOSERS.

• JEU DE ROBIN ET MARION WAS CONSIDERED

THE EARLIEST SURVIVING SECULAR

FRENCH PLAY MUSIC.

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FAMOUS COMPOSERS OF THE RENNAISSANCE PERIOD

1. GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA PALESTRINA

(ROME, 1525-FEBRUARY 2, 1594)
• ITALIAN RENAISSANCE COMPOSER OF SACRED MUSIC AND THE BEST
KNOWN 16TH- CENTURY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ROMAN SCHOOL OF
MUSICAL COMPOSITION.

• WAS COMMITTED TO SACRED MUSIC AND MAJORITY OF HIS

COMPOSITIONS ARE SACRED MUSIC LIKE THE “POPE MARCELLUS MASS”
Sacred music-music that was specially written for use in religious services.

▪ HE WAS AN ORGANIST AND A CHOIR MASTER OF BOTH SISTINE CHAPEL AND

ST. PETER’S BASILICA.
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 THOMAS MORLEY ( 1557-1602)
• He was a singer in the local cathedral from his boyhood,
and he became master of choristers there in 1583.
• The most famous composer of secular music in his time.
• He was a singer in the local cathedral during his
childhood and was believed to have studied music
with William Byrd, an Elizabethan composer of sacred music.
• He received his bachelor’s degree in oxford and became an organist at St. Paul’s in London.

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HIS WORKS INCLUDE:

• FIRE, FIRE MY HEART

• SING AND CHANT IT
• FANTASTIC
• APRIL IS MY MISTRESS’ FACE
• IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS

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 GEORGE FRIEDRICH HANDEL
• MOST PROLIFIC COMPOSER OF THIS STYLE AND WROTE MANY WORKS SUCH AS
ISRAEL IN EGYPT, SAUL, SAMSON, AND THE MOST FAMOUS AMONG ALL- THE
MESSIAH MESSIAH, AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ORATORIO.

• ONE OF THE MOST WELL- KNOWN CHORUS IN THE MESSIAH IS HALLELUJAH

CHORUS WERE THE AUDIENCE IS BEING STAND UP WHILE IT IS BEING SUNG.

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 PERFORMANCE PRACTICES DURING MEDIEVAL,
RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE PERIOD
• EARLY CHRISTIAN CHANT- IT CONSISTED OF PSALM, HYMN AND SOME SACRED
SONG THAT WERE NOT PART OF THE LITURGY OR FORMAL CHURCH SERVICE. THE
CHANT COULD BE SUNG BY A SINGLE CHORUS: ANTIPHONALLY, BY TWO
ALTERNATING CHOIRS OR RESPONSORIAL, BY A SOLOIST ALTERNATING WITH A
CHOIR.
• GREGORIAN CHANT- AN IMPORTANT PART IN CONSOLIDATING THE LITURGY AND
MUSIC OF THE ROMAN CHURCH. IT IS USUALLY IMPLIES A SPECIAL BRANCH OF
PLAINSONG THE CONSTITUTES THE GREATEST BODY OF PURE MELODY KNOWN
TO MAN.
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• MADRIGAL- THE MADRIGAL OF RENAISSANCE IS A PIECE OF VOCAL CHAMBER
MUSIC SET FOR FOUR TO SIX VOICES PART OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE. THE TEXT
USUALLY DEALS WITH SENTIMENTAL OR LOVE INTEREST. MADRIGALS WERE
SUNG IN ALL SORTS OF COURTLY SOCIAL GATHERINGS.

• MOTET- A STYLE OF VOCAL COMPOSITION THAT CAN BE A SECULAR WORKS FOR

SOLO AND INSTRUMENTAL ACCOMPANIMENT, WITH OR WITHOUT A CHOIR.

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 DRAMATIC MUSIC OF BAROQUE PERIOD
• ORATORIO- A RELIGIOUS NARRATIVE LARGE SCALE WORK FOR ORCHESTRA AND VOICES
PERFORMED WITHOUT COSTUME, SCENERY OR ACTION. ORATORIO MAKES USES OF A
NARRATOR, VOCAL SOLOIST, CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA.
• CANTATA- SIMILAR TO ORATORIO EXCEPT THAT IT IS A SHORT, LYRICAL FORM. IT DEALS
VARIED SUBJECTS MATTER, EITHER RELIGIOUS OR SECULAR. IT IS ALSO WRITTEN FOR A
SMALL NUMBER OF PERFORMER, OFTEN LIMITED TO SOLOIST WITH FEW ACCOMPANYING
INSTRUMENTS.
• SUITE- ASSET OF INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITIONS FOR DANCE STYLE. CONSIST OF A SERIES
OF DANCES DERIVED FROM SOCIAL OR COURT DANCES OF THE TIME. (ALLEMANDE,
COURANTE, SARABANDE, GIGUE)

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• MANY MUSIC WAS NOT BOUND BY CATHOLIC TRADITIONS EMERGED AND MOST
OF THE MUSIC WERE PERFORMED ACROSS EUROPE BY GROUPS OF MUSICIANS
CALLED TROUBADOURS.

• TROUBADOUR MUSIC- USUALLY MONOPHONIC

- SOMETIMES WITH IMPROVISED ACCOMPANIMENT
- TELLS OF CHIVALRY AND COURTLY LOVE

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 • MUSIC IS TIMELESS.

• MELODIES FROM THE PAST CAN STILL BE HEARD TODAY.

• TUNES MAY BE PLAYED DIFFERENTLY IN THE TECHNO – WORLD,

• BUT ONE THING NEVER CHANGES, “

• MUSIC WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF MAN'S EVERYDAY LIFE”.

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