1. Chapter Six: Renaissance Music, 1450-1600

2. Renaissance Music Intellectual and artistic flowering that began in Italy, then to France and England Inspiration from ancient Greece and Rome Emphasis on the enormous expressive power of music New alliance between text and music, with the accompanying music underscored and enhanced the meaning of the text Greater range of emotional expression

3. Humanism Emphasis on personal achievement, intellectual independence, discovery Culture rejoiced in the human form in all its fullness – Michelangelo’s David New genre of painting – the portrait – Depicted worldly individuals enjoying the good life The “Humanities:” The study of the arts, letters, and historical events than have enriched the human spirit over the centuries

4. Josquin Desprez (c. 1455-1512) One of the greatest composers of the Renaissance Worked in Italy, including in Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Excelled in writing Motets: Use of more dramatic texts in the Old Testament Vivid text required an equally vivid musical setting Music was used to heighten the meaning of the text Compared in greatness to Michelangelo

5. Ave Maria (Hail Mary), c. 1485 Standard four voice parts: soprano, alto, tenor, bass Use of imitation: a polyphonic procedure where one or more musical voices enter and duplicate the melody A cappella: unaccompanied singing Listening Example: pg. 77

6. Music reflects the text

7. The Counter-Reformation and Palestrina (1525-1594) 1517: Martin Luther began the Protestant Revolution – Wanted to end the corruption in the Roman Catholic Church 1545-1563: Council of Trent, led to the Counter- Reformation – Conservative changes changed religious policy as well as art, architecture, and music – Church leaders wanted clarity in sung text Giovanni Palestrina

8. Giovanni Palestrina (1525-1594) Composed Misse Papae Marcelli (Mass for Pope Marcellus), 1555 (Listening Example: pg. 81) Conformed to all the requirements for proper church music prescribed by the Council of Trent Simple counterpoint Exceptional clarity of text Clarity of expression through music

9. Popular Music in the Renaissance 1460: Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press 1501: First printed book of music in Venice – Encouraged amateur music making Dance Music Collections of dance music were published Pavane: Slow, gliding dance in duple meter performed by couples holding hands Galliard: Fast, leaping dance in triple meter (Listening Listening Example: pg. 82

10. The Madrigal Madrigal: A piece for several solo voices that sets a vernacular poem to music; appeared c. 1530 in Italy – Usually four to five parts – Poems usually about love – Fun to sing: Written within a comfortable range, triadic melodies, catchy rhythms, music full of puns Music expresses the meaning of the text – Word Painting: The process of depicting the text in music by means of expressive musical devices; vivid imagery – Also called Madrigalisms

11. As Vesta Was from Latmost Hill Descending (1601) – Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623) included in Thomas Morley’s The Triumphs of Oriana (1601) – Collection of 34 madrigals in honor of Queen Elizabeth (1533-1623) – Oriana represents Elizabeth – Queen Elizabeth played lute and harpsichord, and loved to dance – Listening Example: pg. 84

12. Images from classical mythology Use of word painting

13. Renaissance Music Melody Mainly stepwise motion within moderately narrow range; still mainly diatonic, but some intense chromaticism found in madrigals from end of period Harmony More careful use of dissonance than in Middle Ages as the triad, a consonant chord, becomes the basic building block of harmony Rhythm Duple meter as common as triple meter; rhythm in sacred vocal music (Mass and motet) is relaxed and without strong downbeats; rhythm in secular music (madrigal and instrumental music) usually lively and catchy Color Predominant sound is unaccompanied ( a cappella) vocal music; more music for instruments alone has survived Texture Mainly polyphonic: imitative counterpoint for 4 or 5 vocal lines (Masses, motets, and madrigals); occasional passages of chordal homophonic texture for variety Form Strict musical forms not often used; Masses, motets, madrigals, and instrumental dances are through composed (no musical repetitions, no standard formal plan