1. Medieval Music A Quick Overview

2. Overview Most of the music we have today comes from the Catholic church worship service. Q: Why might this be? A: The ability to read and write was limited to priests and monks. Q: Most of the texts we have from that time are in Latin. Why? A: Latin was/is the official language of the RCC Some examples of secular music exist, but not many.

3. Types of Music from the Middle Ages: Sacred Music: Music used in the church services. Secular Music: Music played by the “common” people.

4. Sacred Music: Plain Song also called Gregorian Chant Monophonic – steps, skips, repeated notes Syllabic chant – each syllable gets a note Neumatic chant – syllables receive 1 to 12 notes Melismatic chant- syllabes have doz’s pitches a capella – All music was done this way because musical instruments were banned in the RCC. Organ especially bad. Byzantine – predates Gregorian - Only 8 scales

5. Music for the Mass: The Ordinary – always remains the same –Kyrie Eleison –Gloria in Excelsis Deo –Credo –Sanctus and Benedictus –Paeter Noster –Agnus Dei

6. Organum: Addition of a second vocal part (sometimes a third) Earliest motets

7. Secular Music: Troubadours – Southern France Trouveres – Northern France Minnesingers - Germany Strophic – verse format Texts were usually poetic, but could be serious or comic. “Pop Music” of the middle ages