Two most important Genres of Church Music in the Renaissance
Motet and Mass
Motet
Genre of Renaissance Church music. Latin text with a sacred Subject.
Mass
Roman Catholic church service; or the music written for it. Has 5 major sections.
Kyrie
Section 1 of Mass, a simple prayer
Gloria
Section 2 of Mass, a long hymn
Credo
Section 3 of Mass, a recital of the Christian’s list of beliefs
Sanctus
Section 4 of Mass, another shorter hymn
Agnus Dei
Section 5 of Mass, another simple prayer
Madrigal
The main secular vocal genre of the Renaissance
Homophony
a musical texture that involves only one melody, combined with chords or other sounds.
Points of Imitation
A short passage of imitative Polyphony based on a single theme or on two used together
Chanson
French for song. A genre of French secular vocal music.
Renaissance
“Rebirth” a time period in which the world changed in it’s thought process leaning towards the more secular side of things rather than the focus on God that was prevalent in Medieval times.
Describe the chief stylistic traits of Renaissance music.
Defined Rhythm, general dynamics, more instruments
Discuss the general musical characteristics of Dufay’s hymn “Ave maris stella.”
Paraphrases and then Stanzas. Gregorian hymn, with embellishments in the stanzas and return to chant in paraphrases
Discuss the central characteristics of the late Renaissance mass as exemplified by Palestrina’s Gloria from the Pope Marcellus Mass.
A capella, homophony,larger choir
Discuss the main features of Renaissance secular vocal music
Clear rhythms, brilliant dynamics, light and bouncy, Not religious, not in Latin, usually in English, French or Italian, Chordal
Guillaume Dufay
(1400-1474) French composer who worked in Italy for 25 years. He then returned to France and became a celebrity for working in the cathedral of Cambrai. Wrote “Ave Maris Stella”
Josquin Deperez
(1450-1521) The first master of the Renaissance style, born in france worked in Italy. Wrote “Pange lingua Mass” and “Mille regrets”
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
(1525-1594) Choirmaster of several of Rome’s most famous chapels and churches including the Sistine chapel during the counter-reformation. Wrote the “Pope Marcellus Mass”
Thomas Weelkes
(1575-1623) Wasn’t the best church choirmaster but was a very good composer. One of the best composers of the Madrigal. Wrote “As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending”.
Pavan
Solemn dance in duple meter, often paired with the Galliard
Galliard
Fast dance in triple meter, often paired with the slower Pavan
Paraphrase Technique
A technique that smoothed out the complexity of the original plainchant and made it a melody that was easily listened to.
Equalvoiced polyphony
Complex texture of different voices (Sop, Alt, Ten, Bass) creates a more or less continuous, harmonious work.
Imitative counterpoint
A polyphonic musical texture in which the various melodic lines use approximately the same theme
Declamation
The way words are set to music, in terms of rhythm, and accents etc
Word Painting
Musical illustration of the meaning of a word or a short verbal phrase
The Sforzas of Milan
The Estes of Ferrara