Renaissance Music Overview

THE RENAISSANCE
Literally means “re-birth”

Terms to know:
• HUMANISM: intellectual movement that focused on human life and
accomplishments (not focused on afterlife or hell)
• WORD PAINTING: music was written to match the lyrics –
example: the word “high” would be set to a higher pitch, or the word
“arch” would be sung in a series of ascending then descending notes.
• A CAPPELLA: sung unaccompanied “in the style of the chapel” –
church music didn’t allow instruments
• MENSURAL NOTATION: “measurable” music. Notation is
becoming more precise with specific note values.
More Terms to know:
• MOTET: a sacred, polyphonic vocal composition, usually
unaccompanied
• MADRIGAL: a secular, polyphonic song based on poems, often
about true love.
• HOMOPHONY: one voice has the melody, the other voices provide
harmony
• CONSORT: a group of instruments playing together
• COUNTERPOINT: a polyphonic composition in which two or more
melodies repeat each other at different points in the music
Fun Facts:
Football was a popular sport during the Renaissance, but there were no referees, and most
people played in the streets. The game became so violent that Henry the VIII had it banned.
The Gutenberg Press was invented during the Renaissance. This meant music compositions
no longer had to be copied by hand, and the publication of printed music was born.
The Sackbut (early trombone) and Crumhorn (double-reed instrument) were created during
the Renaissance.
Women wore a make-up paste made from lead powder mixed with vinegar, which
contributed to high incidences of lead poisoning.
The Mona Lisa (perhaps the most famous painting of all time?) was created by Leonardo
DaVinci during the Renaissance period.
This is what written music looked like in the
Renaissance period:
“O Maria “Magnificat:
Salvatoris Sanctissimae
Mater” Virgini Missa”
by by
John Browne Claudio
Monteverdi
This is what those same pieces look
like in modern notation:
• This madrigal, composed by John
Word Painting Farmer in 1599 is a playful example
of word painting. It ranges from short
sections of homophony to playful
sections of polyphony accompanied
by the text “up and down he
wandered.” John Farmer really takes
advantage of that text and uses a
descending melodic line to accentuate
the words and further use the
technique of word painting.
• It is quick moving, and it even
fosters a change in meter a few times
towards the end of the piece that
gives it an even more playful and
flirty feel.
INSTRUMENTS:
Some of these look

familiar, but most
have evolved into the
modern instruments
we see today
INSTRUMENT Evolution:
Renaissance
SHAWM
Baroque OBOE
Modern OBOE
Renaissance Renaissance Modern
Gittern Lute Guitar
Renaissance Modern
Sackbut Trombone
COMPOSERS
Josquin des Prez
(1440 – 1521)
• Considered by some to be the greatest
composer of the High Renaissance
• Not much is known about his personal life
• He was a master of vocal polyphonic music
• He wrote mostly sacred music, but also a
few “chansons” (French = songs)
• FRANCE
COMPOSERS
Thomas Tallis
(1505 - 1585)
• Teacher, organist, and composer known for
his contrapuntal techniques
• He was one of the greatest composers of
early English music (along with William
Byrd)
• One of his pieces required at least 40 voices
to sing the various counterpoint
• He and William Byrd were the only
composers granted the right by Queen
Elizabeth I to publish music in England
• ENGLAND
COMPOSERS
Giovanni Palestrina
(1525 - 1594)
• Composer, organist, and choirmaster
• He was the master of music at the Vatican
Basilica
• He was one of the greatest composers of
Catholic liturgical music of his time
• His most famous mass (“Missa Papae
Marcelli”) was sung at every papal
coronation mass until 1963.
• ITALY
COMPOSERS
Maddalena Casulana
(1544 - 1590)
• She received her music education in
Florence, Italy
• She was a singer, composer, and lutist
• She composed madrigals and was the first
woman to have her music printed and
published in western music history
• She wrote meaningful lyrics and tuneful
melodies
• She was a highly respected composer during
her time
• ITALY
COMPOSERS
Claudio Monteverdi
(1567 - 1643)
• He bridged the gap from the Renaissance
period to the Baroque period
• He was one of the great contributors to
opera and was one of the first to compose
them.
• He was the music director at St. Mark’s
Cathedral in Venice
• He also worked as a string musician
• ITALY

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THE RENAISSANCE

Literally means “re-birth”

Some of these look

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