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
