MUSIC HISTORY

1. MUSIC HISTORY Medieval and Renaissance Music “Hearing” from The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry (late 15th century)

2. MUSIC OF THE MIDDLE AGES • DATES: • 450AD to 1400AD

3. The Culture of the Middle Ages “Nothing exists without music, for the universe itself is said to have been framed by a kind of harmony of sounds, and the heaven itself revolves under the tone of that harmony.” —Isidore of Seville The writer Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343–1400), as depicted in a famous manuscript of his epic Canterbury Tales (c. 1410).

4. The Culture of the Middle Ages • Spans nearly 1,000 years (450AD to 1400AD) • Early Christian church and state were centers of power at the time (European society was predominantly religious) • Most of the music that survived the Middle Ages was due to sponsorship from the church • The later Middle Ages saw the rise of cities, cathedrals, along with great works of art & literature. 1400 450

5. The Culture of the Middle Ages • Universities were founded throughout Europe • Construction of Notre Dame in Paris (1163–1350) • Cities emerged as center of art and culture as trade flourished • Literary masterpieces: Chanson de Roland; Divine Comedy (Dante); Canterbury Tales (Chaucer) • Crusades brought era of violence, turmoil, and change Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris (1163–1235)

6. Music in the Middle Ages • Music was very spiritual • Music was very “liturgical” – set to the order of the church service • Chant melodies emerged (Gregorian Chant) – a kind of musical speech Scene from the life of the Virgin, Giotto di Bondone (1267–1337) Whitsunday Mass,“Alleluia, emitte spiritum”

7. Music in the Middle Ages Classes of Chant: • Syllabic – one note to each syllable of text • Neumatic – a few notes to each syllable of text • Melismatic – many notes to each syllable of text

8. Music in the Middle Ages • Neumes – symbols used to help singers remember the general shape of the melodies. • This eventually developed into a type of musical notation using square notes on a four-line staff.

9. The Modes • The modes evolved from Gregorian Chant and the beginning of Renaissance polyphony • They preceeded the major and minor modes we know today • The modes served as the basis for European art music for a thousand years • With the eventual development of polyphony, a harmonic system evolved based on the various modal scale patterns

10. Early Church Modes Lydian Ionian (major) Mixolydian Dorian Aolean (minor) Phrygian Locrian Modal (old system) vs. Tonal (major/minor system used later)

11. Music in the Middle Ages The Mass • Two types of prayers that make up the Catholic Mass: 1. Proper (Texts that vary from service to service) 2. Ordinary (Texts that remain the same in each service) • There were Gregorian Chants for each section of the service, making music a very central part of the Mass • All texts were in Latin. (The Catholic church continued to celebrate the Mass in Latin until the middle of the 20th century.)

12. Music in the Middle Ages Life in the Medieval Cloister • Cloister – a place for religious seclusion Monastery Convent

13. Music in the Middle Ages The Music of Hildegard of Bingen Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) • In 1150 founded convent in Germany • Known for miracles and prophecies of the future • Popes, Kings & Priests sought her advice on political and religious issues • Works include collections of visions and prophecies, music, and scientific writing. Artwork: The priest Volmar records Hildegard of Bingen’s visions. The image, a miniature, is from her poetry collection Scivias (1141–51).

14. “The words I speak come from no human mouth; I saw and heard them in visions sent to me….I have no confidence in my own capacities – I reach out my hand to God that He may carry me along as a feather borne weightlessly by the wind.” - Hildegard of Bingen

15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAdbJWjtAYU

16. The Rise of Polyphony: End of Romanesque Era – 850 to 1150 • Polyphony or Polyphonic Music is the combination of two or more simultaneous melodic lines • Single most important development in the history of Western music • Helped bring about the use of regular meters • A more precise music notation system developed

17. ORGANUM • Earliest polyphonic music was called “Organum” • Organum was achieved by adding a second voice to a Gregorian chant at the interval of a 4th or 5th • Individual voices moved in either “oblique” or “contrary” motion • Composers at the cathedral of Notre Dame were at the forefront of this new style of music during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries • Composers of organum based their pieces on pre-existing Gregorian chants • As additional melodic lines of music were added, lines of text were added as wellwhich eventually formed the “Motet”

18. Leonin & Perotin • Composer at Notre Dame in Paris • First major composer of polyphonic music • Compiled the “Great Book of Organum” • Successor to Leonin • Expanded the dimensions of the Organum by increasing the number of voice parts

19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltaVnJ9wqBQ

20. Secular Music in the Middle Ages • Non-church music that reflected every aspect of medieval life • Medieval Minstrels – wandering musicians • France: troubadours (south) andtrouvères (north) Germany: Minnesingers • Minstrels provided music for various functions of society: dancing, banquets, court ceremonies, tournaments, military music, etc • Idealized love, chivalry, honor, valor, passion

21. Anonymous: Sumer is icumen in (Summer is come)(Listening Guide) • One of the earliest examples of polyphony from England • Set as a round • Composed around 1250 • Text in Middle English • Celebrates the coming of summer • Lower voices sing ostinato. The original notation of the canon Sumer is icumen in (c. 1250)

22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFxxZmyxDg

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24. Secular Music in the Middle AgesArs nova(new art) • Musical style that appeared at the beginning of the 14th century in France & Italy • More refined & complex than music of prior period (Ars Antiqua – old art) • Composers turned away from religious themes in favor of more secular themes • Further musical developments in rhythm, meter, harmony, and counterpoint

25. Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300-1377) • Foremost composer-poet of the Ars-Nova style • Turned increasingly from religious to secular themes • Helped to develop the “Motet” • Wrote the Messe de Nostre Dame, the earliest known complete setting of the Ordinary of the Mass attributable to a single composer. Guillaume de Machaut

26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeJdiIKwRm8

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28. Instruments of the Middle Ages • Instrumental music grew in importance in 14th century • Vocal music still primary, however • Instrumental music mostly improvised and used to accompany singers • Soft (bas) or loud (haut)instruments • Categorized by their use (indoor or outdoor)

29. STRINGED INSTRUMENTS HARP - favorite instrument of the troubadours and minstrels and was about 30 inches in length https://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/harp FIDDLE - variety of Medieval Fiddles which were played with a bow or plucked and usually held under the chin or in the crook of the arm. Easily portable and one of the most popular street musical instruments

30. STRINGED INSTRUMENTS REBEC - The rebec was an instrument with a round pear-shaped body much like an early violin http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/rebec PSALTERY - The Psaltery was a musical instrument of the Middle Ages which was a cross between a harp and a guitar http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/psaltery

31. STRINGED INSTRUMENTS DULCIMER - The Dulcimer was played by striking the strings with small hammers http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/dulcimer HURDY GURDY - the hurdy-gurdy was introduced to England during the 12th century - the bow was replaced by strings attached to a wheel which was cranked by a handle https://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/hurdy-gurdy

32. STRINGED INSTRUMENTS VIOL - Viols were played with a bow and held on the lap or between the legs https://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/viol LUTE - a plucked instrument having a pear-shaped body, a usually bent neck, and a fretted fingerboard. http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/lute

33. WIND INSTRUMENTS FLUTE - Similar to our modern flutes. TRUMPET - Long instrument made of metal, often in four parts - often associated with fanfares and pageants

34. WIND INSTRUMENTS PIPE - The pipe was an extremely basic instrument usually having only a few melody holes http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/pipeandtabor SHAWM - The shawm was a reed instrument with vent holes https://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/shawm

35. WIND INSTRUMENTS RECORDER - The recorder was an extremely basic instrument with melody holes http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/recorder BAGPIPE - an ancient instrument, used by the poorest people and was made using a goat or sheep skin and a reed pipe http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/bagpipe

36. WIND INSTRUMENTS CRUMHORN - The crumhorm (Curved Horn) was introduced in the 1400's as a double reed musical instrument http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/crumhorn GEMSHORN - The gemshorn was made of an ox horn and played as a flute-like musical instrument http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/gemshorn

37. WIND INSTRUMENTS LIZARD - The lizard was a descriptive term for an s-shaped horn http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/lizard SACKBUT – a type of Renaissance trombone http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/sacbut

38. WIND INSTRUMENTS SERPENT - http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/serpent TRANSVERSE FLUTE – https://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/transverseflute

39. PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS Drums, Cymbals, Triangles, and Tambourines

40. ORGANS • Medieval organs: – Large instruments for church – Small instruments (portative, positive) https://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrument/organetto

41. PERFORMANCES https://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/sounds