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Music of the Medieval Period
(700 – 1400)
• The Medieval period is also known
as the Middle Ages or ―Dark Ages
that started with the fall of the
Roman Empire. During this time,
the Christian Church influenced
Europe’s culture and political
affairs.
GREGORIAN CHANT
• Monophonic plainchant was named after
Pope Gregory I, who made this the
approved music of the Catholic Church.
Pope Gregory’s action made monophonic
plainchants popular.
• Although it was originally transmitted orally,
scholars agreed to put it in notation to assist
dissemination of chants across Europe.
Characteristics of the Gregorian
Chants:
• monophonic
• Free meter
• Modal
• Usually based on Latin liturgy
• Use of Neume notation
Libera Me
• Example of Gregorian
Chant
 Notation
- system of notation was developed using
neumes – Guido d ‘ Arrezo (Benedictine
Theoretician)
(ut-re-mi-fa-sol-la-) excerpt from St. John’s Ut
queant laxis
Punctum
This is just a single note
Virga
This is the same as a punctum.
Podatus (pes)
When one note is written above another note likthis,
the bottom note is sung first, and then the note
above it.
Clivis (flexa)
When the higher note comes first, it is written like this.
Scandicus
Three or more notes going upward.
Scandicus flexus
Four notes, going up and then dropping down.
Renaissance
The term ―Renaissance comes from the word
“renaitre” which means “rebirth”, “revival”, and
“rediscovery”. The Renaissance Period is a
period of of looking back to the Golden Age of
Greece and Rome
-in science, famous personalities were Galileo
and Copernicus, in arts, this was the time of
Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci
and Raphael
Characteristics of Renaissance Music:
Mostly polyphonic
Imitation among the voices is common
Use of word painting in texts and music
Melodic lines move in a flowing manner
Melodies are easier to perform because
these move along a scale with a few large
leaps
VOCAL FORMS
- Mass
- Madrigal
MASS
1. Mass – is a form of sacred musical
composition that sets texts of the
Eucharistic liturgy into music.
Characteristics of the Mass:

• Polyphonic
• May be sung a cappella or with orchestral
accompaniment
• Text may be syllabic (one note set to each
syllable), neumatic (a few notes set to one
syllable), or melismatic (many notes to
one syllable)
Gloria
-From Missa Papae Marcelli
-By Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Five Main Sections of Mass:
1. Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy)

2. Gloria (Glory to God in the Highest)
3. Credo (I Believe in One God)
4. Sanctus and Benedictus (Holy, holy
and Blessed Is He)
5. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
2. Madrigal
- A secular vocal polyphonic music
composition which originated from Italy. It is
written and expressed in a poetic text and
sung during courtly social gatherings. It is
the most important secular form during the
Renaissance period.
-“April is in my Mistress Face”
by Thomas Morley
-“GREENSLEEVES”
-This song is believed to be written by
King Henry VIII for his beloved Anne
Boleyn
-“GREENSLEEVES”
-From the movie
-“The Other Boleyn
Girl”
Famous Composers of the Renaissance
Period
1. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
(Rome, 1525 - February 2, 1594)
• He is said to be the greatest master of
Roman Catholic Church music during the
Renaissance period. Majority of his
compositions are sacred music. He was
committed to sacred music and has a
keen interest in satisfying the desires of
church leaders in the sixteenth century.
Dona Nobis Pacem
• Translation “We give
you peace”
• By Palestrina
Famous Composers of the Renaissance
Period
2. Thomas Morley 1557 – 1602
• Morley was born in Norwich, East
England, the son of a brewer. He was
a singer in the local cathedral from his
boyhood, and he became master of
choristers there in 1583.Thomas
Morley was the most famous
composer of secular music in his time.
Fire, Fire My Heart
• A madrigal by Thomas
Morley
Musical Instrument of
Renaissance Period
-Lute
-Instrument of the Renaissance period
-It is a 16-stringed instrument and played
plucking. The lute has a special kind of
notation called the tablature. It is used as a
solo instrument or played by a group of
players playing dance pieces. It is also used
as accompaniment to a song
1600 - 1750
-The years from 1600-1750 are collectively
known as the Baroque Period
-The word “baroque” came from a
Portuguese word “barocco” which means
a pearl with irregular shape
-Baroque art is reflected with aspects of
grandeur, expansiveness, theatricality,
ornamentation, and rhythmic vitality
Characteristics of Baroque Music
• Melodies sound elaborate and
ornamental
• Melodies are not easy to sing or
remember
• Primarily contrapuntal textures with
some homophony
• Dynamic contrast – alternation
between loud and soft
• Music genres—operas,
oratorios, suites, tocatas,
concertó grosso, fugue
• Orchestra consists of
strings and continuo
• Harpsichord and organ

are the keyboard
instruments that are
commonly used
-Harpsichord
-Produces tone by means of strings that are
plucked mechanically when a key is
depressed
-Its strings are plucked by quills instead of
being strucked by hammers like the piano
-Organ
-One of the most important instruments of
the Baroque period was the pipe organ
-It is a wind instrument played by means of
keyboard
-It has several sets of pipes with varying
lengths
• New forms:
1. binary – AB
2. ternary – ABC
3. ground bass
4. fugue
Music Genres of Baroque Music
Concerto Grosso - A form of orchestral
music during the Baroque Period wherein
the music is between a small group of
solo instruments called concertino and
the whole orchestra called tutti.
An example of a concerto grosso is

the “Brandenburg Concerto” by
Johann Sebastian Bach
Fugue - A contrapuntal piece,

developed mainly by imitative
counterpoint
“Toccata and Fugue in D

minor” by Johann Sebastian
Bach
Oratorio – a large scale musical
composition for orchestra and
voices that incorporates narratives
on religious themes. It is usually
performed without the use of
costumes, scenery, or action.
-“Hallelujah Chorus” from the
“Messiah” by Handel
Chorale – musical compositions

that resemble a harmonized version
of hymnal tunes of the Protestant
Church during the Baroque era
JS Bach - Church Cantata No. 86 -

Chorale (soprano)
-COMPOSERS OF BAROQUE PERIOD
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi
Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed il Prete

Rosso ("The Red Priest")
because of his red hair, was an
Italian Baroque composer,
Catholic priest and a virtuoso
violinist
“Spring” from the “Four Seasons”

-JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
-(1685-1750) – leading composer
of the Baroque Period. He
composed instrumental music
such as fugue, suite, concerto
grosso, as well as vocal music
such as the oratorio and cantata.
He was able to compose around
300 cantatas.
-GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL
-(1685-1759) was the other great figure in
Baroque music. In London, he conceived the idea
of performing sacred works that are operatic in
nature, without costly costumes and scenery. This
led to his first oratorio.
Listening:
-Canon in D by Pachelbel
-Canon Rock (Jerry C)

Three Giants in the History of Arts
Leonardo da Vinci Michelangelo Raphael

“Last Supper”- da Vinci
“Mona Lisa”
“Self-Portrait”
– da Vinci
“LA PIETA”
“MOSES”
“Sistine
Chapel
Ceiling”
“ The Creation”
“The Last Judgement”
Design of dome- St. Peter’s Basilica
“Madonna and
Child”

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What are the characteristics of Gregorian chants?

What is neume notation and who developed it?

Music of the Medieval Period

Characteristics of the Mass:

1. Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy)

• Harpsichord and organ

An example of a concerto grosso is

Fugue - A contrapuntal piece,

“Toccata and Fugue in D

Chorale – musical compositions

JS Bach - Church Cantata No. 86 -

Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed il Prete

“Spring” from the “Four Seasons”

-Canon Rock (Jerry C)

Leonardo da Vinci Michelangelo Raphael

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