 The term “Renaissance” come from the word

“renaitre” which means “rebirth”, “revival”,

and “rediscovery”.
 It is the period of looking back to the Golden
Age of Greece and Rome.
 The invention of printing in the 1400’s paved
the way for wide distribution of renaissance
compositions.
 With the emergence of the bourgeois class,
renaissance music became popular as
entertainment and activity for amateurs and
the educated.
 Lute was the prominent instrument of the
renaissance era.
 The influence of the Roman Catholic Church

started to decline as the new music genre

arose.
 Sacred music was still of great importance,

secular music became more prominent in the

renaissance period.
 This era was also known as the “Golden Age”

of a capella choral music.

 Mostly polyphonic
 Imitation among the voices is common
 Use of word painting in texts and

music
 Melodic lines move in a flowing

manner
 Melodies are easier to perform

because these move along a scale with

a few large leaps
Is a form of sacred musical
composition that sets texts
of the Eucharistic liturgy
into the music.
 Polyphonic
 May be sung a cappella or with
orchestral accompaniment
 Text may be syllabic,

neumatic, or melismatic
 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)
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 the most important secular form

during the Renaissance period.

Polyphonic
Sung a cappella
Through – composed
Frequently in 3 to 6

voices
  The Greatest Master of
Catholic Church Music
during the Renaissance
period.
 He was committed to sacred
music.
 He has two sons but lost
them both during the plague
epidemic that struck Rome
in 1570’s. he planned to
become a priest but
eventually changed his mind
and married a wealthy
widow.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

  He was the most
famous composer of
secular music in his
time.
 He was born in
Norwich, East England,
the son of brewer.
 He was a singer in the
local cathedral from his
boyhood and became
master of choristers in
1583.

Thomas Morley
 Fire,Fire, My Heart
 Sing and Chant It
 Fantasie
 April is in My Mistress’ Face
 It was a lover and His Lass