🎼History of Music Unit 1 – Ancient and Medieval Music

Key Historical Periods

• Ancient music period spans from prehistory to the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD
• Medieval music period extends from the 5th century to the early 15th century
  • Early Medieval period (500-1150) characterized by monophonic chant and early polyphony
  • High Medieval period (1150-1300) marked by the development of polyphony and the rise of secular music
  • Late Medieval period (1300-1400) saw the emergence of the Ars Nova style and the growth of instrumental music
• Renaissance music period follows the Medieval period, lasting from the early 15th century to the early 17th century
• Baroque music period spans from the early 17th century to the mid-18th century
• Classical music period extends from the mid-18th century to the early 19th century
• Romantic music period covers the 19th century
• 20th and 21st centuries encompass various modern and contemporary music styles

Major Composers and Works

• Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) composed monophonic chants such as "Ordo Virtutum"
• Léonin (fl. late 12th century) and Pérotin (fl. c. 1200) developed polyphonic organum at Notre Dame Cathedral
  • Léonin's "Magnus Liber Organi" and Pérotin's "Viderunt Omnes" exemplify early polyphony
• Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300-1377) composed secular songs, motets, and the "Messe de Nostre Dame," the first complete polyphonic mass setting
• Francesco Landini (c. 1325-1397) composed secular songs and instrumental music, such as "Non avra ma' pieta questa mia donna"
• Guillaume Dufay (c. 1397-1474) and Gilles Binchois (c. 1400-1460) were prominent composers of the Burgundian School, known for their polyphonic chansons and sacred works
• Josquin des Prez (c. 1450-1521) was a key figure of the Renaissance, composing masses, motets, and secular songs like "Ave Maria... virgo serena"
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) composed masses and motets, such as the "Missa Papae Marcelli," which exemplified the Counter-Reformation style

Instruments and Performance Practices

• Ancient instruments included lyres, harps, aulos (double reed pipe), and percussion instruments
• Medieval instruments encompassed wind, string, and percussion instruments
  • Wind instruments: flutes, recorders, shawms, bagpipes, and organs
  • String instruments: lutes, fiddles, harps, and psalteries
  • Percussion instruments: drums, bells, and cymbals
• Performance practices in the Medieval period varied based on the context and genre of music
  • Monophonic chant was performed by monks and nuns in churches and monasteries
  • Polyphonic music was performed by trained singers, often in churches or courts
  • Secular music, such as troubadour and trouvère songs, was performed by traveling musicians
• Instrumental music gained prominence in the Late Medieval and Renaissance periods
  • Consorts, or groups of instruments from the same family, became popular
  • Dance music was often performed by instrumental ensembles
• Improvisation and ornamentation were common practices in both vocal and instrumental music

Musical Forms and Styles

• Monophonic chant, such as Gregorian chant, featured a single melodic line without accompaniment
• Organum introduced early polyphony, with a plainchant melody accompanied by one or more voices
  • Parallel organum featured voices moving in parallel motion
  • Free organum allowed for more independent voice movement
• Motet developed in the 13th century, featuring multiple voices singing different texts simultaneously
• Secular song forms included the troubadour and trouvère songs, as well as the Italian madrigal
  • Troubadour and trouvère songs were monophonic and often dealt with themes of courtly love
  • Madrigals were polyphonic secular songs that aimed to express the emotions of the text
• Polyphonic mass settings became increasingly complex throughout the Medieval and Renaissance periods
  • The cantus firmus mass used a pre-existing melody as the basis for composition
  • The parody mass borrowed themes from secular songs or motets
• The Renaissance saw the development of imitative polyphony, where musical motifs were passed between voices
  • Canon and fugue techniques were used to create complex, interwoven textures

Cultural and Social Context

• Music in ancient civilizations was often tied to religious rituals, ceremonies, and storytelling
• In the Medieval period, the Catholic Church was a significant patron and influencer of musical development
  • Monophonic chant was used in liturgical services and monastic worship
  • Polyphony developed within the church, initially to embellish chant melodies
• Secular music flourished in the courts of nobility and among traveling musicians
  • Troubadours and trouvères were poet-musicians who composed and performed love songs
  • Minstrels and jongleurs entertained audiences with music, poetry, and storytelling
• The rise of universities in the 13th century fostered the study of music theory and composition
• The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century led to changes in sacred music, emphasizing simplicity and congregational participation
• The invention of the printing press in the 15th century facilitated the dissemination of musical scores and treatises

Notation and Theory Development

• Neumes, early musical notation symbols, indicated the general shape of a melody without specifying exact pitches or rhythms
• The development of staff notation in the 11th century allowed for more precise pitch representation
  • Guido d'Arezzo introduced the four-line staff and the hexachord system
  • Square notation, using square-shaped notes, became prevalent in the 13th century
• Rhythmic notation evolved from the use of rhythmic modes in the 13th century to the mensural notation system in the 14th century
  • Rhythmic modes used patterns of long and short notes to indicate rhythms
  • Mensural notation used note shapes to represent specific durations
• Music theory treatises, such as the "Musica enchiriadis" (9th century) and Guido d'Arezzo's "Micrologus" (11th century), codified musical concepts and practices
• The development of polyphony led to the exploration of consonance, dissonance, and counterpoint rules
• The Renaissance saw the emergence of tonal harmony, with the concept of major and minor keys

Religious Influence on Music

• The Catholic Church played a central role in the development of Western music throughout the Medieval and Renaissance periods
• Gregorian chant, named after Pope Gregory I, became the standard repertoire for the Catholic liturgy
  • Chant was used in the Mass and the Divine Office, the daily cycle of prayers
  • Different chant traditions developed, such as the Ambrosian, Mozarabic, and Gallican chants
• Polyphony emerged as a way to embellish chant melodies, leading to the development of organum, conductus, and motet
• The Catholic Church's influence extended to the regulation of musical practices and composition
  • The Council of Trent (1545-1563) aimed to reform church music, emphasizing clarity of text and simplicity
  • Composers like Palestrina responded to these reforms, creating a style that balanced polyphonic complexity with textual clarity
• The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century brought about significant changes in sacred music
  • Martin Luther emphasized congregational singing and vernacular hymns, such as chorales
  • John Calvin favored simple, unaccompanied psalm singing in worship
• The Anglican Church developed its own musical traditions, including the English anthem and the service music of composers like Thomas Tallis and William Byrd

Legacy and Impact on Later Music

• The development of notation systems in the Medieval period laid the foundation for the preservation and dissemination of musical works
• The polyphonic techniques and forms developed in the Medieval and Renaissance periods influenced the music of the Baroque era and beyond
  • The motet and madrigal influenced the development of the cantata and oratorio
  • Imitative polyphony and counterpoint techniques continued to be used and expanded by composers like J.S. Bach
• The modal system used in Medieval and Renaissance music influenced the development of tonal harmony in the Baroque and Classical periods
• The Catholic Church's influence on music continued, with composers like Monteverdi, Bach, and Mozart writing masses and other sacred works
• The Protestant Reformation's emphasis on congregational singing and vernacular hymns influenced the development of the chorale and the Lutheran cantata
• The rediscovery and revival of early music in the 19th and 20th centuries led to a renewed interest in Medieval and Renaissance repertoire
  • Musicologists and performers like Wanda Landowska and Noah Greenberg played a key role in this revival
  • Ensembles specializing in early music, such as the New York Pro Musica and the Early Music Consort of London, helped popularize the repertoire
• Composers in the 20th and 21st centuries have drawn inspiration from Medieval and Renaissance music, incorporating elements such as modality, chant-like melodies, and polyphonic textures into their works