Renaissance Music
The beginning of the Renaissance in music is not as clearly marked as the beginning of the Renaissance in the other arts, and unlike in the other arts, it did not begin in Italy, but in northern Europe, specifically in the area currently comprising central and northern France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The style of the Burgundian composers was at first a reaction against the excessive complexity and mannered style of the late 14th century, and contained clear, singable melody and balanced polyphony in all voices. The most famous composers of the Burgundian school in the mid-15th century are Guillaume Dufay, Gilles Binchois, and Antoine Busnois.
By the middle of the 15th century, composers and singers from the Low Countries and adjacent areas began to spread across Europe, especially into Italy, where they were employed by the papal chapel and the aristocratic patrons of the arts (such as the Medici, the Este, and the Sforza families). They carried their style with them: smooth polyphony which could be adapted for sacred or secular use as appropriate. Principal forms of sacred musical composition at the time were the mass, the motet, and the laude; secular forms included the chanson, the frottola, and later the madrigal.
The invention of printing had an immense influence on the dissemination of musical styles, and along with the movement of the Franco-Flemish musicians, contributed to the establishment of the first truly international style in European music since the unification of Gregorian chant under Charlemagne.
By the middle of the 16th century, the international style began to break down, and several highly diverse stylistic trends became evident: a trend towards simplicity in sacred music; a trend towards complexity and chromaticism in the madrigal; and the grandiose, sonorous music of the Venetian school. The music of the Venetian school included the development of orchestration, ornamented instrumental parts, and continuo bass parts, all of which occurred within a span of several decades around 1600. Famous composers in Venice included the Gabrielis, Andrea and Giovanni, as well as Claudio Monteverdi, one of the most significant innovators at the end of the era.
One of the most revolutionary movements in the era took place in Florence in the 1570s and 1580s, with the work of the Florentine Camerata, who ironically had a reactionary intent: dissatisfied with what they saw as contemporary musical depravities, their goal was to restore the music of the ancient Greeks. Chief among them were Vincenzo Galilei, the father of the astronomer, and Giulio Caccini. The fruits of their labors was a declamatory melodic singing style known as monody, and a corresponding staged dramatic form: a form known today as opera. The first operas, written around 1600, also define the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Baroque eras.
Music prior to 1600 was modal rather than tonal. Several theoretical developments late in the 16th century, such as the writings on scales on modes by Gioseffo Zarlino and Franchinus Gaffurius, led directly to the development of common practice tonality. The major and minor scales began to predominate over the old church modes. Music after 1600, beginning with the tonal music of the Baroque era, is often referred to as belonging to the common practice period.
Vocabulary
unlike – íà â³äì³íó â³ä
comprise – âìèêàòè
excessive - íàäì³ðíèé
adjacent – ñóì³æíèé
papal chapel – ïàïñüêà êàïåëà
sacred music – äóõîâíà ìóçèêà
secular music – ñâ³òñüêà ìóçèêà
laude – ã³ìí
immense – âåëè÷åçíèé
Charlemagne – Êàðë Âåëèêèé
evident - î÷åâèäíèé
sonorous – çâó÷íèé
continuo bass – àêîìïàíó÷à ÷àñòèíà
depravity – ðîçáåùåí³ñòü
monody – îäà äëÿ îäíîãî ãîëîñà
Task 2. Choose the correct answer
1. The beginning of the Renaissance in music began in
a. Italy b. France c. Belgium d. France, Belgium and the Netherlands
2. The most famous composer of the Burgundian school in the mid-15th century was
a. Guillaume de Machaut b. Gioseffo Zarlino c. Guillaume Dufay d. Vincenzo Galilei
3. The principal form of sacred musical composition at the time was
a. the mass b. the ballade c. the virelai d. the rondeau
4. The international style began to break down by the
a. 15-th century b. 16-th century c. 17-th century d. 18-th century
5. One of the most revolutionary movements in the era took place in Florence
a. before 1570s b. after 1580s c. after 1570 d. in 1580
Task 3. Put the questions to the underlined words:
a. The music of the Venetian school included the development of orchestration, ornamented instrumental parts, and continuo bass parts, all of which occurred within a span of several decades around 1600.
b. Several theoretical developmentslate in the 16th century led directly to the development of common practice tonality.
Task 4. Answer the following questions:
1. Where did the Renaissance in music begin?
2. What did the style of the Burgundian composers contain?
3. Whom were composers and singers employed by?
4. What stylistic trends became evident by the middle of the 16th century?
5. What did the music of the Venetian school include?
6. What is monody?
7. When were the first operas written?
Task 5. Retell the text.