Renaissance Style
• RHYTHM – fluid, few sudden changes
• METER – not emphasized (except in dance)
• TEMPO – moderate pace
• TIMBRE – variable but mostly vocal
• DYNAMICS – steady, little contrast
• MELODY – lyric, often based on chant
• HARMONY – diatonic major or minor
• TEXTURE – imitative polyphony and homophony
• FORM – “text control”
• GENRES
Mass Ordinary
Motet
Madrigal, Chanson, Lied
Dances
Ricercare, Canzona
Baroque Style
• RHYTHM – consistent, continuous motion
• METER – emphasized, regular
• TEMPO – variable, constant within movements
• TIMBRE -not standardized, orchestra of strings, harpsichord
• DYNAMICS – contrast, terraced dynamics
• MELODY – oranate, use of sequence, fortspinnung
• HARMONY – diatonic major or minor
• TEXTURE – imitative polyphony and homophony, basso continuo
• FORM – collection of movements, consistent within, contrast between
• GENRES
Concerto (concerto grosso, solo concerto)
Dance Suite
Sonata
Opera
Oratorio
Cantata
Mass
Motet
Gregorian/Plain Chant
Lyric, non-metrical, monophonic
Organum
movement towards polyphony
Fugue
3 Voice Minimum (Either Vocal or Instrumental)
Fugal Theme
Subject
Fugal Exposition
Complete statement of the subject at the beginning
Episode
Section of fugue that does not have full subject
Counter Point
Note against note
Episode Techniques
Retrograde – go backwards
Inversion – change order
Augmentation – longer note values
Diminution- quick note values
Pedal Point
Long note held out at end of fugue
Strelto
Layering of subjects in fugues
Terraced Dynamics
Baroque practice of loud soft loud contrast in dynamics
Basso Coninuo
Bassline (usually cello, sometimes organ) and harpsichord