Renaissance continued

Influence of English music on Continental Style Contenance angloise Martin le Franc used this term to describe the pleasing sound of English music in 1440

English Polyphony Music based on chants One common style has three voices with the chant in the middle Credo Melody is an English variant of the Credo melody Chant voice is in the middle Lowest voice is a 3rd below Top voice is a parallel 4th above the chant voice Results in a stream of parallel 6-3 sonorities

English Polyphony Cont. Faburden Improved 6-3 sonorities There are few notated examples Word might derive from “burden” for the lowest voice and “fa” for the need to use Bb, “fa” in the hexachord used. Cantilena Freely composed piece, and not based on chant Homorhythmic settings of Latin texts Streams of 6th records alternate with other consonances

English Polyphony cont. Isorhythmic motets were used until c. 1400 There were polyphonic settings of Mass Ordinary texts The Old Hall Manuscript is the primary source of 15th century English polyphony Largest number of pieces are settings from the Mass Ordinary It also includes motets, hymns, and sequences

Carol Religious songs in Latin or English Favorite topics were Christmas and the Blessed Virgin Mary Solo and choral sections alternate The refrain is called the “burden”

Alleluia: A newë Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDR7UEtNI1E Anonymous carol Survives only in a manuscript containing thirty-two carols that was copied around 1450 Text mixes the Latin “Alleluia” with an English poem and incarnation of Jesus This is a frequent theme for carols

John Dunstable (c. 1390-1453) Biography Most highly regarded English composer of first half of the 15th century Served many noble patrons, including the Duke of Bedford, who was the Regent of France in 1422 Probably spent part of his career in France English composer most often cited as influencing continental composers

Dunstable’s style Paraphrases No two measures have the same rhythm Embodies English preference to have 3rds together with 5ths or 6ths Chant is now up to date

Quam pulcra es Not based on any existing melody Three voices are similar in character and nearly equal in importance Form is based on the phrases and sections of the text Faburden appears in a few phrases, leading to cadences https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQjdEbZH2wI

Redefining the motet Term was applied to any setting of a liturgical text, whether the original melody is used or not Former motet had fallen out of fashion by 1450 Quam pulcra es is an example of the new type of motet

Music in Burgundian lands Chapel Philip the Bold (ruled 1363-1404), 1st Duke of Burgundy, established a chapel in 1384 By 1445 the chapel had 23 singers under Philip the Good (ruled 1419-1467) Band of Minstrels Instruments including trumpets, shawms, vielles, drums, harps, organ, and bagpipes Charles the Bold (ruled 1467-1477) Amateur instrumentalist and composer Charles the Bold died without an heir so the duchy was absorbed into France

Genres Four principal types Secular chansons with French texts Motets Magnificats Settings of the Mass Ordinary Three voice texture dominates Cantus, spanning a wide range, contained the melody Tenor and contratenor within the same range, but about a 6th lower

Burgundian Chanson Chanson in 15th century Any polyphonic setting of a French secular poem Stylized love poems in the courtly tradition Rondeau (AB aA ab AB) was the most popular form

Binchois (c. 1400-1460) Also known as Gilles de Bins Worked for Philip the Good at the Burgundian court (1427-1453) Works include mass movements, motets, and secular songs Works are widely copied and imitated

De plus en plus Composed around 1425 Uses hemiola Cantus declaims text in a mostly syllabic setting Tenor is smooth but slower moving, forming counterpoint in 3rds and 6ths Contratenor leaps to fill in harmony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MITDlkxmUgI