Medieval Period Music and Mass

Medieval Period

• The Medieval period lasted from 476 - 1400
• The Medieval period began after the fall of the Western Roman Empire
• Odoacer, a German King, deposed the last Roman Emperor in Rome.
• The Catholic Church influenced politics and culture during this period.
• Most Europeans during this time were Christians under the Roman Catholic Church.

Music of the Medieval Period

• The Gregorian Chant emerged during the Medieval Period.
• Gregorian Chant was considered the official sacred music of the time.
• Pope Gregory I is credited with inventing the Gregorian Chant.
• Gregorian Chant was typically monophonic, with a limited range and often performed a capella.
• Gregorian Chant was sung in Latin.

The Medieval Mass

• The mass was divided into two main parts: the Proper and the Ordinary.
• The Proper included six sections: introit, gradual, alleluia, tract, offertory, and communion.
• The Proper was used during special occasions and feast days.
• The Ordinary contained constant portions of the mass and was performed frequently.

Sections of the Ordinary Mass

• Kyrie (Lord, have mercy on us)
• Gloria (Glory)
• Credo (Creed)
• Sanctus (Holy)
• Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)

Requiem Mass

• A eucharist service for the dead.
• Also called Missa pro defunctis.
• Included Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei from the Ordinary.
• Included introit, offertory, and communion from the Proper.

Medieval Secular Music - Troubadours and Trouveres

• Written in monophonic texture with only one melodic line.
• Written in native languages.
• Featured free-flowing rhythm.
• Written by poet-musicians called Troubadours and Trouveres.
• Troubadours and Trouveres were educated and cultured men from the nobility class, residing in feudal courts.

Medieval Secular Songs

• Planh: a lament on the death of a distinguished person.
• Chanson de toile: a spinning song.
• Pastourelle: a song in dialogue form between a knight and a shepherdess.
• Chanson de geste: a narrative poetry with extraordinary characters.
• Canso: a poem of love.
• Tenso: a poem in the form of a dialogue.
• Sirventes & Enueg: poems that used sarcasm to expose follies.
• Aube: a song about a friend watching over lovers. 

Adam de la Halle (1237-1287)

• Also known as "Adam the Hunchback," "Adam of Arras," or "Adam Le Bossu."
• Born in France in 1237.
• A trouvere, poet, and musician.
• One of the oldest secular composers.
• His works included chansons and poetic debate.

The Minnesingers

• They were poet-composers in Germany who followed the standards set by the French Troubadours.
• Minnesingers were from the nobility class.
• They sang love songs, known as Minnesang.
• Famous Minnesingers include Wislav von Rugen, Heinrich von Morungen, and Neidhart von Reuental.

The Meistersingers

• The Meistersingers were successors to the Minnesingers.
• They created their own form of music called Meistergesang.
• Famous Meistersingers include Adam Puschmann, Konrad Nachtigall, and Hans Sachs.

Medieval Conductus Songs

• Latin secular songs created by students during the Medieval period.
• Featured topics such as drinking, love, wandering, political satire, and vulgar topics.

The Song of the Sibyl

• Declared a masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Renaissance Period

• The Renaissance period lasted from 1400-1600

Music of the Renaissance Period

• Features a three-part texture.
• Characterized by a homophonic texture.
• Often included solo songs with instrumental accompaniment.
• Characterized by use of intervals of thirds.
• Features four-part polyphony.
• Characterized by a predominance of imitation.
• Featured balanced polyphony and voice pairings.

The Protestant Reformation

• Martin Luther, a German theologian, began the Protestant Reformation in 1517.
• The Reformation split the Christian Church into Catholicism and Protestantism.
• Luther promoted chorales and congregational singing.

Lutheran Chorales

• Introduced by Martin Luther.
• Sung by the church congregation.
• Texts adapted from religious poetry.
• Performed a capella and in unison, but also with four-voice part arrangements.

John Calvin, a French Theologian

• Was a bolder reformer than Martin Luther within the Protestant Reformation.
• Demanded more demanding reforms to church music.
• He wanted to eliminate the use of Latin in church service.

The Renaissance Church

• Calvin demanded that psalms be the only appropriate music for worship.
• Psalms should be sung a capella, unaccompanied.
• Psalms should be sung in the native language of the congregation.

Renaissance Instruments

• Renaissance viols
• Lute
• Vihuela
• Recorder
• Trumpet
• Shawn
• Krummhorn
• Trombone
• Cornet
• Harpsichord
• Portative Organ
• Positive Organ
• Clavichord

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

• One of the most important Renaissance composers.
• Born in Palestrina, near Rome.
• His professional career was spent in the service of the church in Rome.
• Considered to be the "Prince of Music."
• He composed 105 masses, 68 offertories, and at least 140 madrigals.
• His famous Mass is the Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass), dedicated to Pope Marcellus II

Baroque Period

• The Baroque Period lasted from 1600 to 1750.

Baroque Music

• A period of significant musical experimentation.
• Featured colorful and dramatic music.
• Featured complex polyphony and homophony.
• Featured intricate rhythms and harmonies.
• Introduced the use of basso continuo, which provided a harmonic foundation for the melody.
• Featured instrumental music that became more important.

Baroque Vocal Music

• Cantata: vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment.
• Oratorio: vocal composition used in churches.
• Opera: musical drama performed on a stage.
• Libretto: text of an opera.

Baroque Operatic Voices

• Coloratura Soprano: is a type of operatic soprano voice that has the highest voice of all sopranos. It is also the lightest and most flexible sound in opera.
• Lyric Soprano: is a type of operatic soprano voice that has a warm quality and bright sound. It is considered the middle voice.
• Dramatic Soprano: is a type of operatic soprano voice with powerful and rich voice. It is the darkest and most powerful voice.
• Lyric Tenor: a moderately light male voice.
• Dramatic Tenor: a rather high and powerful male voice.
• Basso Buffo: a low male voice
• Basso Profundo: a very low and powerful male voice.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

• Born in Eisenach, Germany.
• Came from a family of musicians.
• Learned to play harpsichord and violin from his father, Johann Ambrosius Bach.
• Learned to play clavicord from his brother, Johann Christoph Bach.
• Studied at St. Michael’s School in Luneburg.
• Served as court conductor for Leopold, the Prince of Anhalt-Kothen.
• Became the director of the Leipzig Collegium Musicum, a student organization in Germany that provided weekly concerts at a coffeehouse.
• Served as musical director of Thomasschule in Leipzig.
• Served as composer in the Royal Court for August III.

Johann Sebastian Bach: Famous Compositions

• Brandenburg Concertos
• Mass in B Minor
• Well-Tempered Clavier
• Sleepers, Wake
• Suites
• Before Thy Throne, My God, I Stand
• Passions
• Toccata in D Minor

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

• Born in London.
• Considered the greatest English composer of all time.
• Came from a family of musicians.
• Began composing at age 9.
• Began as a choirboy in the chapel and became the organist.
• His compositions consisted of church music, secular music for choir, songs, vocal chamber music, and music for small groups of instruments.
• Famous compositions include Lord, Who Can Tell, They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships, and Sweeter Than Roses.

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

• Born in Halle, Germany.
• Considered to be a brilliant composer of English oratorio and Italian Opera.
• Composed 42 operas, 29 oratorios, and 120 cantatas.

George Frideric Handel: Famous Compositions

• The Messiah: a famous oratorio composed in 1741.
• The Hallelujah Chorus: the most popular work in choral music.