Period 2 Music History Presentation Notes Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque

Period 2 Music History Presentations

Middle Ages (Medieval)
Dates: 450 - 1450
1. Church music was really important – mostly composed to glorify God, plainsong (simple songs), sacred music
2. Monophony – single melody became Polyphony – mixed melodies
3. Secular music – traditional music outside the church, traveling musicians, lyrics in latin
4. Guillame DuFay – composer in the low countries
5. Jester is musician in castle
6. Organ – used a lot in church.
7. Creation of musical notation (music writing) in churches
8. Hildegard Von Bingen – Nun composer
9. Society revolved around court (where prince/princesses get together to party).
10. Gregorian chant- sacred music


Renaissance
Dates: 1450 -1600
1. Madrigal – Secular vocal song – music and lyrics tell a story
2. Reformation – Church split over singing in church
3. Shakespeare – playwright during this time.
4. Claudio Monteverdi – invented opera, add acting to music
5. Sacred music – music for church, religious
6. Josquin De Prez – composer (one of the first known)
7. Instrumental music – accompaniment of singing and dancing, strings, percussion
8. Mona Lisa – life like painting, new style
9. Secular – songs for groups, no instruments, usually about love
10. Polyphonic – texture of 2 or more independent voices, ex. Choirs.

Baroque
Dates: 1600 -1750
1. Musical instruments – trombone, harpsichord, flute
2. Harmony – more than 1 instruments playing at the same time
3. Composers were like maids
4. Composers – G.F. Handel, Pachbel, H. Purcell,
5. Gaileo, Kepler, Newton – new discoveries about the universe
6. J. S. Bach – German composer and performer
7. Cantata – like Opera, but no acting
8. Opera – Musical acting – combo of music, props, acting on stage
9. Rhythm – Emphasis on strong beats, 1/8th, 1/16th notes used a lot
10. Dances were popular