Musical Forms Through History: Troubadours to Lieder
1. Troubadour
The troubadours were poet-musicians of the Early Medieval period. They created secular songs performed in the vernacular. Their minstrels were of the lower class.
The troubadour movement originated in southern France in the 11th century and extended across Europe. The troubadours created a type of song that spoke of refined and cultured courtly love and praised the lady, the spirit of chivalry, and heroes of the Crusades. The language used was from the region itself rather than Latin and was accompanied by one instrument (viola, harp, lute, or percussion instrument). Around 460 authors are known in this genre.
2. Motet
The motet emerged as a polyphonic form in the Late Medieval period, during the “Ars Nova” (14th century, the trecento). The motet came to designate a religious polyphonic work with 2 or 3 texts and different languages used for the different voices or parts.
3. Madrigal
The madrigal is a polyphonic secular composition from Italy. It originated through the union of lyrics and music, expressing profane feelings. It usually consists of 4 or 5 voices and is a cappella. It has a free structure and is usually a love poem. The musical language is difficult and is characterized by the use of chromaticism and the combination of an elaborate contrapuntal texture with homophony.
4. Carol
The carol is a form of polyphonic secular or popular origin that originated in Spain during the Renaissance. It consists of 3 parts: chorus, couplet, and refrain. Subsequently, the term is used to indicate Christmas carols.
5. Suite
A suite is a sequence of dances in a single work. It emerged with a different character in Germany during the Baroque period. In an orchestral suite, it was common to start with a prelude. The following dances are: allemande (moderate in 4/4), corrente (fast in 3/4 or 3/8), sarabande (slow, ternary), and gigue (fastest in 6/8, contrapuntal style). Usually, the dances are all in the same key. During the Classical period, the suite declined, but it recovered in the 19th century as concert music.
11. Overture
An overture is an instrumental piece of music that introduces a work (suite, opera, etc.). In the beginning, the overture did not have a fixed structure. There are two models: the classical French Overture (slow-fast-slow) and the Italian overture (fast-slow-fast).
12. Aria
An aria is a solo vocal piece of a lyrical and virtuoso nature, which serves as a vehicle for the expression of feelings. In Baroque operas, arias were very important, and dramatic development was structured based on their placement. The most typical form was the da capo aria, with an ABA structure, often used by Bach in his cantatas and Handel in his operas and oratorios. In the 20th century, the aria became less problematic.
15. Lied
Lied is a German word meaning “song.” It is used to refer to the type of piece for solo voice and piano, which grew in Germany during the 19th century. It also appeared in the last decades of the 18th century. It was during the Romantic and Post-romantic periods that it reached its peak, with the completion of collections or lieder cycles. Top 5 authors: Franz Schubert (more than 600 lieder), including two cycles to poems by Wilhelm Muller: “The Beautiful Miller” and “Winterreise”; Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Hugo Wolf, and Gustav Mahler.