Medieval Music 11 th, 12 th and 13 th Centuries

Medieval Music Music was an important part of people’s lives from the very earliest times – ritual, worship, entertainment etc Very few pieces of entertainment music (songs and dances) have come down to us as they were never written down. The first people to write down music were the Monks of medieval times.

Medieval Church Music Most music that survived from those times was for the various services of the Church. Early church music was known as plainsong/plainchant.

What do you need to know? Plainsong/Plainchant Church Music Medieval Songs Medieval Dance Music – Estampie and Saltarello Medieval Instruments Monophonic Texture, Call and Response, Modes, a capella

Plainsong/Plainchant Sung without accompaniment (a capella) Special system of scales called MODES were used. Two most common: Aeolian and Dorian modes. Sung in unison. Monophonic Texture – one line of unaccompanied singing. No fixed rhythm – follows the natural stresses of words. Call and Response Melody moves mainly in steps.

Medieval Songs The earliest songs were composed by troubadours and minstrels. They were wandering musicians who entertained and spread the news in their songs. Simple, monophonic, often with accompaniment from a pipe and tabor or tambourine.

Medieval Dance Music The most popular medieval dances were the Estampie (a stamping dance) and the Saltarello (a jumping dance). Dances may be played by one or two instruments or by a larger group.

There are two groups of instruments: Loud/Outdoor Instruments – for performance of music in halls and churches, processions and dances in the open air. Soft/Indoor Instruments – for performance of music in the home; dancing, song accompaniments and background music.

“Loud” Instruments These include instruments such as: -the shawm -the pipe and tabor -the nakers -the bagpipes -the cornett

The Shawm The shawm was the most important double reed instrument of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

The Pipe and Tabor The pipe is a simple instrument like a recorder but usually having only three melody holes (index finger, middle finger, and thumb). The drum is held with a strap or thong around the arm which holds the pipe. Thus one performer accompanies himself, making an ideal combination for dance music of a rustic nature, or to supply background music for jugglers or performing animals.

The Nakers Nakers consist of metal or wood dome-shaped bodies with goatskin drumheads, and are played by striking them with the hands or with sticks. They are typically played in pairs, often in a sling or harness.

The Bagpipes The origins of the bagpipe can be traced back to the most ancient civilizations. The bagpipe probably originated as a rustic instrument in many cultures because a herdsman had the necessary materials at hand: a goat or sheep skin and a reed pipe.

The Cornett The most versatile wind instrument; between 1500 and 1650 the cornett was used indoors and out, in serious music, dance music, town bands, rural households, at church, and court. It has a very small acorn cup mouthpiece (played on the side of the mouth where the lips are thinner) is attached to a hollowed out piece of curved wood or ivory. Six finger holes and a thumb hole are drilled in the body and it is fingered in much the same manner as a recorder.

“Soft” Instruments These include instruments such as: -the medieval harp -the psaltery -the rebec -the hurdy-gurdy -the lute

The Medieval Harp The harp is one of the most ancient types of stringed instruments. Harps use open strings exclusively, thus the range of each is determined by the number of strings. In the Middle Ages strings were made from twisted animal gut (usually from sheep), although horse hair and even silk were used as well.

The Psaltery The psaltery is an ancient instrument seen in many forms. Early versions were simply a wooden board with gut strings stretched between pegs. The strings were plucked with fingers or by plectra. Later instruments included the hollow box or soundboard with soundholes and metal strings. The player performed with the instrument on the lap or on a table, or in front of the chest held with a strap around his neck if movement was needed.

The Rebec Bowing gave stringed instruments the sustaining power necessary to play a continuous melodic line. The status of these bowed instruments and their players remained low. The rebec was definitely an instrument of the lower classes, not the court.

The Hurdy-Gurdy The hurdy-gurdy is the first stringed instrument to which the keyboard principle was applied. The bowing action of the fiddle is replaced by a wheel cranked by a handle. The outer rim of the wooden wheel is coated with resin. When the crank is spun, the wheel turns and the gut strings vibrate.

The Lute During the Renaissance the lute held the highest respect of all musical instruments. The lute was an ideal accompaniment for voice and other soft instruments, and the most eloquent of all solo instruments. In paintings and other art works the lute is often associated with Apollo, angels, or Orpheus, and it is often mentioned at climactic points in tragedies.