liturgy
the higher authority of the church
plainchant
the official music of the Catholic church in the middle ages (Gregorian chant)
medieval modes
D,E,F,G – the modes that were mostly used in the middle ages were usually not major or minor
reciting tone
the pitch on which the text is sung in Gregorian recitation. It is repeated at the beginning and end of phrases to punctuate the text and make it easier to understand and sing
antiphon
one of the simplest genres of plainchant, usually workaday little pieces.
Gregory I
the first compiler of Gregorian chants
sequence
late medieval plainchant genre, consisting of short tunes sung twice with slight variation – A A’ B B’ C C’ D D’
a soloist sings the first phrase, and choir the repeat, etc.
drone
a chord or note playing continuously
troubadour
members of upper class that were poets and composers. women were also allowed to be troubadours. (called troubadours in south france, trouveres in north france, Minnesingers in Germany)
trouvere
members of upper class that were poets and composers. women were also allowed to be trouvere. (called troubadours in south france, trouveres in north france, Minnesingers in Germany)
Minnesinger
members of upper class that were poets and composers. women were also allowed to be Minnesingers. (called troubadours in south france, trouveres in north france, Minnesingers in Germany)
troubador song
a song of courtly love, written in the vernacular. usually one line, maybe with accompaniment
organum
earliest type of polyphony. a traditional plainchant melody with another added melody sung to the same words simultaneously
strophic form
one single repeated melody that occurs over and over and over (A A A A A A)
Notre Dame
center of art music development in modern times
mass (lowercase m)
the main roman catholic service
Mass (uppercase M)
the music associated with mass, in 5 sections: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei
round
one melody starts, then another group starts the same melody a few bars later, repeat
chanson
songs of courtly love with complex polyphony
cantus firmus
a pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition – taking an old melody and making a whole new piece with that base
Melismatic
the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession, opposite of syllabic
Syllabic
each syllable of text is matched to a single note, opposite of Melismatic
Neumatic
Old music notation that evolved to the modern notation we use now