Middle Ages Music By Brittany Mussmann
History Sacred Music- Started with Gregorian Chant, a Jewish and Byzantine religious chant Developed into Polyphonic music called Organum Then went to Secular Music Music was performed in unison Notes were usually same length and song or played in the key of C (Monophonic)
Influenced Travel prompted by crusades which led to new interest in music Troubadours, Trouveres, and Minstrels were poets and musicians that influenced middle age music
Guillaume de Machaut 1 st true genius of western music 1 st composer to create a polyphonic setting of the “ordinary” of the Catholic Mass
Other Composers Hilegard Von Bingen Tylman Susato Maniot d’ Arras Adam de la Halle
Intruments: Wind Flute: Similar to modern flutes The Shawn: reed instrument with vent holes Bagpipe: used by the poorest people and was made of goat or sheep skin and a reed pipe Crumhorn: a double reed instrument
Intruments: String Harp: 30 in. in length, played by plucking the strings Rebec: round pear shaped body like a violin Psaltery: Cross between harp and guitar Hurdy-Gurdy: bow was replaced by strings attached to a wheel which was cranked by a handle Dulcimer: Played by striking the strings with a hammer
Intruments: Percussion Drum: made from a hollow tree trunk, clay or metal and covered by skins of water animals Cymbal: Concave metal plates Tambourine: Mostly used by women
Works Cited