the middle ages
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The Medieval Era, Middle AgesTRANSCRIPT
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The Medieval Period
Ancient Music & the Middle Ages
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Ancient Period Beg of time unknown
to 1300 Up until birth of
Christ-Ancient Music, 0-1300-Medieval Period
Instruments-violin, flute, versions of trumpet, oboe
Rna-chum-Tibet, made of human skulls
No known composers, mostly passed down
orally between generations
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Greek & Roman Civilizations
1st written music found in Greece, 600 B.C.
Golden Age of Pericles-value of music in Greek society
Plato-considered music essential part of education, influenced moral character
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Greek & Roman Civilizations
Greeks developed instruments Zither or Lyre Harp-like Instrument
Romans emphasized military music
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Middle Ages: 476 CE - ~1400 CE
Beginning with the fall of the Roman Empire Ending with the beginning of the
Renaissance Period Music: reflects sacred and secular functions
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Middle Ages(450-1450) Development of monasteries responsible for
preserving writings & culture of ancient world Gothic Period-1100 to 1450
Poems of troubadours, legends of King Arthur Dante The Divine Comedy Most secular music lost but did exist outside the
Church
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Middle Ages: Overview Time Period: 476 CE - ~1400 CE
476--Fall of Western Roman Empire 800--Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne 936--Otto I establishes Holy Roman
Empire 1066--Normans conquer England 1095--Beginning of first crusade 1215--King John of England signs Magna
Carta 1348-1350--Black Death ravages Europe
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Christianity Had no standard musical practice for 1st 3
centuries Borrowed from Judaism, reciting psalms, call
& response method Adopted other practices upon expansion
through Asia Minor & Europe Symbolism very important to medieval life-
age of miracles, mysticism, etc.
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Middle Ages: Music for Sacred Spaces
Churches/Cathedrals = most important sacred structures of the Middle Ages Reflected testimonies toward God and power of
Church itself Created spaces in which music could be
performed Large with incredible acoustic qualities Built to instruct the faithful (e.g., stained glass
windows depicting Biblical scenes)
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Pope Gregory I
6th Century-codified music of worship services, establishment of liturgy, body of rites prescribed for worship
Function = to project the text clearly so that it could be understood by the people.
Possessed clarity and melodic beauty; thus it was inspirational.
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Music of the Catholic Church
The “Ordinary” of the Mass: the part that doesn’t change each day: 5 parts Kyrie Eleison: Lord, Have Mercy (in Greek) Gloria: Glory to God in the Highest (in Latin) Credo: I Believe (in Latin) Sanctus and Benedictus: Holy, Holy, Holy
(in Latin) Agneus Dei: Lamb of God (in Latin)
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Music of the Catholic Church
The “Proper” of the Mass: changes every day: the main chanted parts (in Latin): Introit: introductory prayer Gradual: often prayer of thanks or intercession
(request) Offertory: prayer of offering Communion: prayer of thanks after communion Post-Communion: prayer just before end of Mass
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The Liturgical Year
Advent Palm Sunday
Nativity/Christmas Maundy Thursday
Epiphany Good Friday
Candlemass Easter
Ash Wednesday Pentecost
Lent All Saints/All Souls (Halloween)
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Parts of Mass Were Sung in Chant
Liturgical (for worship) Chants: also called plainchant or plainsong: were based on “modes.”
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The Church Modes Unfamiliar scales, not like major & minor Consist of seven different tones, an eighth
tone duplicating the first(octave) Different pattern of half-steps & whole-steps Were the basic scales of Western music
during the Middle Ages-Renaissance Used in secular & sacred music Many still used in Western folk music
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The Church Modes
Setting words to music Syllabic--one note per syllable Melismatic--many notes per syllable Melismas often used to emphasize words
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Gregorian Chant Sung only by monks &
priests Text-Latin Features
Non-metrical rhythm Monophonic texture Smooth, stepwise
contour Modal scales Reverent mood
Composers of chant primarily unknown
Music passed down almost strictly by oral tradition
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Middle Ages: Notation
Earliest chant manuscripts merely showed whether the chant went up or down, not specific pitches.
Most manuscripts created by monks in monasteries, by hand. Parchment and ink were expensive.
Printing emerged--middle of 15th century.
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Chapter 1: Hildegard von Bingen--Play of Virtues
A morality play--dramatized allegory of Good vs. Evil struggling over the fate of a single soul
Written for dedication of convent church at Rupertsberg Plot centers around disputes between Satan and 16
virtues (e.g., Charity, Obedience, Humility, Chastity, Knowledge of God, Discipline, Compassion, Mercy, Victory, Discretion, Patience, Faith, Hope, Innocence, World Rejection, Heavenly Love).
Each virtue = 1 female singer Chorus of all virtues sings same melody monophonically
(called unison singing). Music was based on a florid style of liturgical plainchant. Devil was a spoken part (by a male).
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Hildegard von Bingen(1098-1179)The Composer
Hildegard von Bingen--most prolific composer before 1500 First woman composer from whom a large number of works
survived Powerful abbess, theologian, naturalist, healer, poet,
musician Born in what is now western Germany to a noble family.
Became a Benedictine nun at age of 16. Used prominent position in Church to improve that of
women Experienced visions and revelations that were recorded in
books-writer of theology, medicine, botany, and lives of the Saints
Musical works consisted of chants for religious services which took place throughout the day in the convent.
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A Medieval Castle in Wales--13th Century
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Middle Ages: Music for Entertainment
Castles = most important secular structures of the Middle Ages Reflected importance of secular and worldly
power for royalty/aristocracy Created opportunities for musical performances
Demonstrated power to subjects and each other. Rulers competed for services of best composers,
artists, and musicians. Songs for Medieval entertainment sung in
language of people. Music for dancing served an important social
function.
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Middle Ages: Secular Music
Not much is known about this non-religious music because little of it was written down.
What was written was monophonic, but it is believed it was accompanied by instruments (homophonic).
We know it existed because of paintings and illustrated manuscripts from the period.
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Estampie
13th century dance in triple meter Anonymous composer Clear, fast tempo No instrumentation specified This recording
Rebec Pipe
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Middle Ages: Secular Musicians of the Period
Minstrels: professional poet-musicians who traveled the countryside Their music was the “news” of the day:
gossip, recent events, legends. They were the original “vaudeville”
performers. They performed a variety of acts: juggling,
magic, acrobatics. They were itinerant and didn’t write their
songs down. They were outcasts in society.
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Middle Ages: Secular Musicians of the Period
Troubadours: about the 12th century, these knights of the Provence of Southern France performed songs about love, the beauty of women, honor, and the Crusades.
Trouvères: about the 12th and 13th centuries, noblemen from the courts of Northern France composed songs related to love and chivalry in their own French dialect.
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Middle Ages: Secular Musicians of the Period
Minnesingers: German knights who composed and sang their own songs about the approach of dawn (“watchers’” songs), and the beauty of nature and of women
Meistersingers: c. 14th-16th centuries, middle class performers who built on tradition of Minnesingers Formed guilds (the first musical unions) Developed rules for songwriting Tested composers for knowledge of rules before
admitting them to the guild
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The Development of Polyphony
The first harmony was organum: singers sang same melody, but at different intervals
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The Development of Polyphony: Organum
Polyphony Combination of two melodic lines Appeared sometime between 700 & 900 11th century notation indicates other pitches
added to melody Take line of chant, add additional parallel line a
fourth or fifth below
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The Development of Polyphony
Second line eventually became more independent around 1100, when chant and added melody were no longer restricted to note against note style
Development of music related to development of musical notation system
Neumes-signs written above words to indicate direction of pitch movements
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The School of Notre Dame Leonin(1169-1201)
Composer at Notre Dame Began to give chant longer note values, composed more
active line above
Perotin(1198-1236) Followed same practice, added
3rd & 4th line First known composer to write
music with more than 2 voices
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The School of Notre Dame
Name given to these composers & their followers Made use of measured rhythm, with definite time
values & defined meter First time in history-notation indicated precise
rhythm as well as pitch Sounds hollow because of accepted intervals
8ve, 4th, 5th- consonant, 3rd dissonant but found in secular music
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Alleluia vidimus stellam(We Have Seen His Star)
Based on Gregorian alleluia melody, referred to as a cantus firmus(fixed melody)
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Guido d’Arezzo(995-1050)
First “music theorist” Made fixed pitch
relationships possible Solfege syllables for scale
patterns do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do Patricia Gray Website
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14th Century Music: The Ars Nova (New Art) in France
Ars nova 1322 Treastise by Philippe de Vitry
including acceptance of division of beat Literary works became more about
sensuality than virtue Secular music more important than
sacred
New system of music notation evolved
Composers could specify any rhythm pattern
Beats divided into 2s as well as 3s Syncopation appears Polyphony not based on chant, drinking
songs, etc.
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Guillaume de Machaut(1304-1377)
Single most important figure in French Ars Nova
Priest-studied theology & took holy orders
Served as court musician for royal families; King of Bohemia, royal family of France
Important church official in Reims
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Guillaume de Machaut
Most important works Secular songs Inspired by relationship with
Peronne d’Armentieres which ended in disappointment
Decline of church reflects works-mainly love songs for one or two voices & instrumental accompaniment
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Notre Dame Mass-Agnus Dei (Mid-14th Century)
First polyphonic treatment of mass ordinary by known composer
Written for four voices Some parts probably
performed and/or doubled on instruments
Performance practice of piece unknown
When & why mass was written unknown
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Instruments of the Middle Ages
Harps Lutes (like a guitar) Flutes (end blown, called
recorders) Shawns (like oboes) Early violins Trumpets and drums
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Chapter 3: Francesco Landini--Behold Spring
A secular song of love Courtly love in this age
Knight declares himself servant of his lady love Heroic deeds done in her honor Love for her ennobles him
Poet Giovanni Boccaccio (poem: Decameron) describes how a group of lords and ladies, fleeing the plague, sang this song to divert their minds.
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Francesco LandiniThe Composer
Most prolific and famous Italian composer of the 14th century Blinded by smallpox as a child Served as organist at a church in Florence Was also a famous poet
Music: Balletas--like Behold Spring Virelais--French songs Caccia--hunting songs
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Chapter 4: Alfonso el Sabio-- “He Who Gladly Serves”
From Songs to the Virgin Mary, no. 249 A collection of more than 400 songs
A piece using voice, drums (percussion) and shawms (woodwinds, like the oboe) Shawm = double reed instrument
Player blows through a pair of reeds that vibrate; vibrations are magnified by a long wooden tubular instrument.
Has a raucous, rough sound
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Alfonso el Sabio--“He Who Gladly Serves”
Form: The form of this piece is ABA ABA AA Based on 2 relatively short melodic units A and B move similarly, but B moves to a
higher register. The whole form (ABA) is repeated twice. The A section is then repeated twice
again at the end.
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Alfonso el Sabio--“He Who Gladly Serves”
Texture--three kinds in this piece Monophony--both instruments play same
notes together. Homophony--one instrument plays
melody while the other plays a single long note underneath (called a drone bass).
Heterophony--both instruments play same melody at same time, but one is embellished and more elaborate than the other.
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Alfonso el SabioThe Composer
Ruled the Kingdom of Castile and León (in modern central and northwestern Spain) during the 13th century.
May not be the real composer; probably attributed to him, but really by an anonymous person.
Possibly a monk, priest, or nun Could have been a court musician or a traveling
musician (called a troubadour, trouvère, or minnesinger).