Polyphony, Renaissance, and Baroque Music

Posted on Feb 12, 2025 in Music

Evolution of Polyphony

700-900, 900-1100, 1100, 1200

  • Organum – Medieval music consisting of Gregorian chant and at least one additional line.
  • Organal – Chant moves slowly, and the added line moves quickly above it.
  • Discant – A chant is moving quickly in a similar fashion to the added line.
  • Proper – Changes everyday.
  • Ordinary – Stays the same.

The Renaissance (1450-1600)

Patrons: Church, Royalty, Governments

Professions: Singer, Choirmaster, Instrument builder, Organist, Copyist, Printer, Publisher, Teacher, Composer

Middle Ages vs. Renaissance (On Test)

  1. Music stayed on its own line. Renaissance: Music moved throughout the lines.
  2. Hard, unresolved dissonance. Renaissance: Dissonance handled carefully.
  3. Sacred and secular texts. Renaissance: Sacred Text “ONLY”.
  4. Polyphonic texture throughout. Renaissance: Mainly polyphonic texture with a few homophonic places.

“Ave Maria” – Josquin Des Prez (Listening)

Motet – Points of imitation – Changes of texture

Difference between motet and mass is text.

“Musica Transalpina”

Italian madrigals brought to England, where they were translated to English and published.

“The Triumphs of Oriana”

A collection of madrigals compiled by Thomas Morley in honor of Queen Elizabeth I, each of which had to contain the word “Oriana”.

“As Vesta Was Descending” – Weelkes (Listening)

Madrigal, Descending – musical line moves downward.

Ascending – musical line moves upward. Running – moves faster.

  • 2×2 – two voices sing
  • 3×3 – Three voices sing
  • Together – All voices sing
  • Alone – One voice

Long live fair Oriana -> set to elaborate polyphony, held for the greatest duration of any text.

Council of Trent (Question on test!) – Answer: Church music was getting too showy, wasn’t prayerful, and needed to be less theatrical.

Motet vs. Madrigal (On Test)

  1. Motet: Sacred, Madrigal: Secular
  2. Motet: Latin, Madrigal: Vernacular
  3. Motet: Men, Madrigal: Mixed
  4. Motet: Professional, Madrigal: Amateurs
  5. Motet: Several singers on a part, Madrigal: One on a part
  6. Motet: Voice alone, Madrigal: Uses instruments
  7. Motet: Changes texture sparingly, Madrigal: Changes texture freely
  8. Motet: Word painting subtle, Madrigal: Word painting vivid

Composers

  • Jean de Ockeghem: Priest, masses and motets.
  • Josquin des Prez: Priest, masses and motets.
  • Orlando de Lassus: Every genre.

Spain

  • Tomás Luis de Victoria

England

  • Thomas Morley: All genres.
  • Thomas Weelkes

Italy

  • Don Carlo Gesualdo
  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1524-1594)
    • 93 Masses
    • 500 Motets

“Kyrie Eleison” (From the Pope Marcellus Mass)

Palestrina, mass part – Six-voice texture – ABA texture – Starts out low.

Baroque (1600-1750)

Camerata Bardi – Meetings, discussions, read Greek plays, solo singing.

Monody – Solo vocal line that was between singing and speaking over a simple accompaniment.

  • First Practice – Renaissance Polyphony
  • Second Practice – Monody

Caccini – “The New Music” Treatise on monody.

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

“Tu Se Morta” (from “Orfeo”)

Monteverdi Aria (listening) – One guy talking with guitar, sad.

Melody goes up – stars, abyss, death.

Council of Trent (Question on test!) – Answer: Church music was getting too showy and wasn’t prayerful and less theatrical.