Medieval Era 600-1450 Copyright 2010

Timeframe and Geographical Centers 600 – 1450 France Italy

Cultural Background Feudalism Roman Catholic Church People Events

Feudalism Political and military system King, Lords, Clerics, Peasants

Roman Catholic Church Pope, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests Served the King Owned land

People Gregory the Great Charlemagne (540 – 604) Pope Organized the Roman Catholic Church including choosing a body of canonized chants Charlemagne (742 – 814) Holy Roman Emperor Unified Western and Central Europe

William the Conqueror Joan of Arc (1028 – 1087) King of Normandy King of England Joan of Arc (1412 – 1431) Led the French army during the Hundred Years War Martyred

Events Black Plague Hundred Years’ War Crusades Magna Carta

The Arts Architecture Cathedrals Arches Flying butresses Castles

Frescos and Painting

Sculpture and Illuminated Manuscripts

Literature and Writing Religous Writing St. Thomas of Aquinas Francis of Assisi Secular Writing Beowulf (Old English) Nibelungenlied (Germany) Chanson de Roland (France) Arthurian Cycles

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 1400) Father of English literature Canterbury Tales

Alighieri Dante (1265 – 1321) Italian Poet Divine Comedy

Vocal Music Sacred chant Purpose: to serve in liturgy during the Mass Texture: Monophonic Rhythm: Unmetered Harmony: Modal Melody: Small range and mostly stepwise movements Form: Could have utitlized a three-part form ( Holy Trinity) Dynamics: Blocked or Terraced Timbre: Vocal (male) Sung in Latin Purpose: to serve in liturgy during the Mass

Mass Ordinary Texts: sung or spoken at every Mass Proper Texts Kyrie Lord Have Mercy, Christ have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy Gloria Glory to God in the highest Credo I believe in God Sanctus Holy, Holy, Holy Agnus Dei Lamb of God Proper Texts Differed according to the Christian Year

Hildegard von Bingen (1098 – 1179) Christian mystic German Benedictine Abbess “O Successores”

Perotin (c. 1160 – 1240) Associated with Notre Dame in Paris “Alleluya”

Instrumental Music Associated with Dance Improvised, not written down Melody: Longer melodic ranges Rhythm: Metered rhythms Harmony: Modal Texture: Essentially monophonic Dynamics: Blocked or terraced Timbres: string, percussion, woodwind, brass Anonymous, “Estampie”

Renaissance (1450 – 1600)

Meaning: Rebirth Timeframe: 1450-1600 Geographic Center: Italy Cultural Background

Humanism Dominant philosophy Human dignity and humane values are foremost

Age of Discovery Christopher Columbus Magellan Sir Francis Drake Sir Walter Raleigh

Heliocentric Universe Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 – 1543) Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642)

Printing Press Bore witness to humanism Germany, around 1440 Johannes Gutenberg (1398 -1468)

Protestant Reformation Wittenberg, Germany (1517 -1648) Martin Luther (1483 – 1586)

Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation A period of Catholic revival following the Protestant Reformation (1545 – 1648) Begins with the Council of Trent (1545 – 1563) Reforms include: church structure, religious orders and political dimensions

Visual Arts in the Renaissance Architecture Sculpture Painting

Architecture Return to Greek and Roman models Round arch Column Dome Moved away from Gothic Style of Medieval Filipo Brunelleschi (Cathedral of Florence) Donato Bramante (St. Peter’s Basilica)

Sculpture Realism, especially of the human form Movement Michelangelo Donatello Michelangelo – Pieta Sculpture

Painting Realism Depth Perspective Raphael Michelangelo da Vinci

Literature William Shakespeare 1564 – 1616 Poet and playwright Plays Sonnets

Music in the Renaissance Patronage System Instrumental/Vocal Genres

Musical Elements Melody Harmony Rhythm Texture Timbre Dynamics Form

Composers Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594) Kyrie from Pope Marcellus Mass

Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623) As Vesta Was From Latmos Hill Descending

Giovanni Gabrieli (1554/57-1612) Ricercare

The Baroque Era 1600-1750

Baroque Culture Definitions Geographical Centers Portuguese for “irregularly-shaped” pearl Geographical Centers England France Germany

The Times Science Sir Isaac Newton Galileo Galilei René Descartes

William Gilbert (1544-1603) Properties of electricity Sir William Harvey (1578-1657) Circulation of the blood Robert Boyle (1627-1691) Chemistry

Politics – Age of Absolute Monarchs Charles II of England Frederick II of Prussia Louis XIV of France Phillip IV of Spain

Religion Roman Catholic Protestant New Religions Deism Influenced by the advances in scientific knowledge Operated on reason alone without supernatural manifestations Ethan Allen, Thomas Payne, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, James Madison

Visual Arts Architecture In the Renaissance: simple, straight lines and detail Bramante – St. Peter’s Cathedral Brunelleschi – Florence Cathedral

In the Baroque: ornate, extravagant, showy St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Palace of Versailles, Paris

Painting Emotionally charged Dramatic subjects Contrast; play between light and shadow

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669)

Sculpture Strong light and dark contrasts Dramatic tension Subjects are never still but moving, struggling, twisted Gian Lorenzo Bernini Self-Portrait Louis XIV

Age of Paradox/Contrasts Church ↔ State Monarchy ↔ Bourgeoisie Aristocracy ↔ Affluent Middle Class Importance of Religions ↔ Rise of Secular Scientific Research ↔ Superstition, Witchcraft Importance of humanity ↔ Religious Persecution

Music’s Response to Paradox/Contrast Vocal ↔ Instrumental 8 Church Modes ↔ Tonality (Major, minor) Sacred Music ↔ Secular Music Polyphonic Texture ↔ Homophonic Texture

The Composer’s Life Patronage System Church ↔ Court

Music of the Baroque Doctrine of Affections Elements of Music Melody Long, instrumental in conception Use of sequences Monothematic Use of ornamentation

Harmony Rhythm Texture Tonal Use of Major and minor scales Metric Motoric Texture Homophony and Polyphony equal in importance (Late Baroque) Thorough Bass or Basso Continuo

Form Dynamics Timbre Binary Ternary Fugue Ritornello Terraced Not written into the score Timbre Vocal Instrumental

Keyboard Instruments Pipe Organ Harpsichord

String Instruments Lute Viol Family

Woodwind Instruments Wood Flute Recorder Family

Brass Instruments Long Trumpet Trombones

Percussion Instruments Kettledrums

Vocal Genres Opera Began as court entertainments in Italy Includes a story (libretto), solo singing, choral singing, dancing, costumes and sets Forms: recitative, aria , chorus Orfeo, 1607 Tu se’ morta Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

Cantata Short, unstaged operas (secular and sacred) Used operatic forms (recitative, aria, chorus) Sacred cantatas often based on a chorale Cantata 140: Wachet Auf, 1731 Awake, A Voice is Calling Us First Movement: Chorus and Orchestra Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

George Frideric Handel Oratorio A sacred, large-scale opera Always based on a biblical story No staging or costumes Larger role for the chorus Uses opera forms (recitative, aria, chorus) Messiah, 1741 Recitative: The Voice of Him Aria: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted George Frideric Handel (1685-1789)

Instrumental Genres Dance Suite Suite No. 3 in D Major, 1729-1731 Originally a series of dances played for dancing By the Baroque, suites became independent instrumental pieces no longer intended for dancing Usually contained four dances Often unified by key Differed by tempo and international background Used binary form Suite No. 3 in D Major, 1729-1731 Air Bourée Gigue J.S. Bach

Sonata Originally a “sound piece” for one instrument Became a chamber music genre in the Baroque (from 2 to 6 players) Four movements: fast, fast, slow, fast Trio sonatas were popular Trio Sonata in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 10 (1689) First Movement Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)

Concerto Grosso “friendly contention” Contrasts a larger ensemble (ripieno or tutti) with a solo group (concertino) Three movements: fast, slow, fast Often uses ritornello form Spring Concerto The Four Seasons, 1725 First Movement: Allegro Spring has come, and joyfully, The birds greet it with happy song. And the streams, fanned by gentle breezes, Flow along with a sweet murmur. Covering the sky with a black cloak, Thunder and lightning come to announce the season. When these have quieted down, the little birds Return to their enchanting song. Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Ritornello Form

Keyboard Music Organ and harpsichord Often paired a “free” piece with a contrapuntal fugue [Prelude and Fugue] Toccata: added elements of virtuosic “touch” keyboard technique Fugue in g minor, BWV 578 J.S. Bach

J.S. Bach – Fugue in g minor, BWV 578

Composers Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Henry Purcell (1659-1695)