The Renaissance. What was the Renaissance? Period following the middle ages (1400- 1600)...
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Transcript of The Renaissance. What was the Renaissance? Period following the middle ages (1400- 1600)...
The RenaissanceThe RenaissanceThe RenaissanceThe Renaissance
What was the Renaissance?What was the Renaissance?
• Period following the middle ages (1400-1600)
• “Rebirth” of classical Greece and Rome
• Began in Italy
• Moved to northern Europe
• Period following the middle ages (1400-1600)
• “Rebirth” of classical Greece and Rome
• Began in Italy
• Moved to northern Europe
Causes of the RenaissanceCauses of the Renaissance
• Lessening of feudalism– Church disrespected– Nobility in chaos– Growth of Middle Class through trade
• Fall of Constantinople– Greek scholars fled to Italy
• Education• Nostalgia among the Italians to recapture
the glory of the Roman empire
• Lessening of feudalism– Church disrespected– Nobility in chaos– Growth of Middle Class through trade
• Fall of Constantinople– Greek scholars fled to Italy
• Education• Nostalgia among the Italians to recapture
the glory of the Roman empire
ObjectivesObjectivesDuring the middle ages
– Find God– Prove pre-conceived ideas
During the Renaissance– Find man– Promote learning
During the middle ages– Find God– Prove pre-conceived ideas
During the Renaissance– Find man– Promote learning
Northern and Late Renaissance
Northern and Late Renaissance
• RELIGION/POLITICS – Reformation; much RELIGION/POLITICS – Reformation; much political & religious violencepolitical & religious violence
• IDEAS – a skeptical HumanismIDEAS – a skeptical Humanism
• ART – a realism of everyday life: ART – a realism of everyday life: PORTRAITS, LANDSCAPES; oil paintingPORTRAITS, LANDSCAPES; oil painting
• MUSIC – conservative perfection (Palestrina) MUSIC – conservative perfection (Palestrina) & new approaches (madrigals)& new approaches (madrigals)
RenaissanceRenaissance
• 1st period to name itself and say nasty things about earlier times:“Gothic” & “Dark Ages”
• Term means “Rebirth”• Looking back to Classical culture –
Ancient Greece and Rome
• 1st period to name itself and say nasty things about earlier times:“Gothic” & “Dark Ages”
• Term means “Rebirth”• Looking back to Classical culture –
Ancient Greece and Rome
Middle Ages - people were parts of a greater whole; members of a family, trade guild, nation, or Church
Renaissance - human beings first began to think of themselves as individuals
Middle Ages - people were parts of a greater whole; members of a family, trade guild, nation, or Church
Renaissance - human beings first began to think of themselves as individuals
TimelineTimeline• Guttenberg Bible—1456• Columbus reaches America—1492• Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa—c. 1503• Michelangelo: David—1504• Raphael: School of Athens—1505• Martin Luther’s 95 theses—1517• Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet—1596
• Guttenberg Bible—1456• Columbus reaches America—1492• Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa—c. 1503• Michelangelo: David—1504• Raphael: School of Athens—1505• Martin Luther’s 95 theses—1517• Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet—1596
HumanismHumanism• Pursuit of individualism
– Recognition that humans are creative– Appreciation of art as a product of man
• Basic culture needed for all
• Life could be enjoyable
• Love of the classical past
• Pursuit of individualism– Recognition that humans are creative– Appreciation of art as a product of man
• Basic culture needed for all
• Life could be enjoyable
• Love of the classical past
Renaissance ManRenaissance Man
• Broad knowledge about many things in different fields
• Deep knowledge of skill in one area
• Able to link areas and create new knowledge
• Broad knowledge about many things in different fields
• Deep knowledge of skill in one area
• Able to link areas and create new knowledge
RealismRealism
That painting is the most to be praised which agrees most exactly with the thing imitated.
- Leonardo da Vinci
That painting is the most to be praised which agrees most exactly with the thing imitated.
- Leonardo da Vinci
• Names! Artists known by name – 1st contemporary art historian (1550)
• Individuality celebrated in this era
• Names! Artists known by name – 1st contemporary art historian (1550)
• Individuality celebrated in this era
Shakespeare Shakespeare
Part of a general revival of theater, which we Part of a general revival of theater, which we need to mention now, because OPERA is need to mention now, because OPERA is about to develop in the Baroque period.about to develop in the Baroque period.
HAMLET - 1602
• Church is still the biggest power structure
• Beginning of banking• Private fortunes & power• Starts in Italy – specifically Florence
• Church is still the biggest power structure
• Beginning of banking• Private fortunes & power• Starts in Italy – specifically Florence
REFORMATION
Josquin Ave Maria . . .
1500
Michelangelo
DonatelloDavid
Leonardo
Raphael
MichelangeloDavid
1400 1600
Renaissance timeline
Summary – Italian RenaissanceSummary – Italian RenaissanceSummary – Italian RenaissanceSummary – Italian Renaissance
• POLITICS – Italian city-states; power from money
• EARLY RENAISSANCE – Florence
• HIGH RENAISSANCE – Rome
• ART – Classical ideals revived; BIG 3
• IDEAS – Humanism returns
• MUSIC – Josquin & imitative counterpoint
The Old WayThe Old Way
Start with a bit of chant – a cantus
firmus
Add a nice active line that goes well with the cantus
firmus
Add a third active line that goes well with
the cantus firmus and the
other line
The Emerging Way?The Emerging Way?
Still very “linear” in conception, especially in its emphasis on IMITATIVE COUNTERPOINT, but more “vertical” in organization? (Careful control of dissonance; favoring triads.)
Basic structureBasic structure
• Words dominate
• Tone painting
• Words dominate
• Tone painting
• Printed in part-book or opposing-sheet format
• Intended for amateur performers (after dinner music)
• English madrigal
lighter & simpler
• Originated in Italy
Printing Printing
PrintingPrinting
JosquinJosquin(to the tune of the Beatles’ “Michelle”)
Josquin, the Man,
Wrote smooth counterpoint as no one can,
That guy Josquin.
Josquin DesprezJosquin Desprez
• 1st “Great Composer” glorified by contemporary and following generations
• new approach to composition?
a piece by Josquin
Musical NotationMusical Notation
• Invented to publish books of music
• Invented instruments
• Instrumental arrangements appeared
• Invented to publish books of music
• Invented instruments
• Instrumental arrangements appeared
The Reformation 1517The Reformation 1517• Martin Luther – a composer himself • Effort to reform creates new church• Sides with rulers against peasant
revolts• Printing press disseminates The Word• Boost to individualism• Consequences for music: Mass gone;
hymns
• Martin Luther – a composer himself • Effort to reform creates new church• Sides with rulers against peasant
revolts• Printing press disseminates The Word• Boost to individualism• Consequences for music: Mass gone;
hymns
The Counter-ReformationThe Counter-Reformation
Giovanni PalestrinaGiovanni Palestrina
• Adult life in Rome– Choirmaster, singer,/ director of music
• Reactionary period– Church suppressed music that did not enhance words of the
Mass– Polyphony was distracting
• Works were conservative
• Adult life in Rome– Choirmaster, singer,/ director of music
• Reactionary period– Church suppressed music that did not enhance words of the
Mass– Polyphony was distracting
• Works were conservative
Giovanni PalestrinaGiovanni Palestrina
• Wrote over 100 masses– Gregorian chant– Mass in Honor of Pope Marcellus
• Influenced later music
• Buried in St. Peter’s Basilica– “The Prince of Music”
• Wrote over 100 masses– Gregorian chant– Mass in Honor of Pope Marcellus
• Influenced later music
• Buried in St. Peter’s Basilica– “The Prince of Music”
Palestrina Palestrina
Chant a source of musical materials (revival & last gasp of cantus firmus technique)
Very refined; no text painting
Repetition avoided
“16th Century Counterpoint” still taught today – why? To teach control, focus & line
We usually celebrate innovators in history – Palestrina was a consolidator and perfecter of a soon-to-fade style
Palestrina – a storyPalestrina – a storyThe Church was about to ban polyphonic music from the church, because it obscured the sacred text.
In response, Palestrina then composed the Missa Papae Marcelli, which, depite its 6-part texture, features very clear text-setting.
The powers-that-be heard its merit & beauty and music was SAVED!
Charming story, often told, but alas not true.
Secular MusicSecular Music
• New instruments• Chansons favored in the
court– Courtly Love
• Madrigals– Poetry and Music
• New instruments• Chansons favored in the
court– Courtly Love
• Madrigals– Poetry and Music
Music at
Court
Music at
CourtDances Dances
• Instrumentation unspecified; usually a consort (group) of a family of instruments of uniform timbre
• Dances are collected into suites (Baroque) which evolve into symphonies (Classical)
• Instrumentation unspecified; usually a consort (group) of a family of instruments of uniform timbre
• Dances are collected into suites (Baroque) which evolve into symphonies (Classical)
Instrumental MusicInstrumental Music• Still subordinate to vocal music• Used more often to accompany voices• Sometimes played adapted vocal music alone• Published music stated that parts could be
sung or played• Dancing became ever more popular• Composers did not specify instrumentation
• Still subordinate to vocal music• Used more often to accompany voices• Sometimes played adapted vocal music alone• Published music stated that parts could be
sung or played• Dancing became ever more popular• Composers did not specify instrumentation
Music at Court
Origin of term obscure
A type of song for multiple voice parts
Text is a rhyming poem, usually with sections of repetition & is usually about
Love
MadrigalsMadrigals
Music at Court
MadrigalsMadrigals• Popular-at-court-&-wealthy-homes music
• In Italy and England
• Participatory, not passive music
• text-painting
• importance of words homorhythmic texture
• Popular-at-court-&-wealthy-homes music
• In Italy and England
• Participatory, not passive music
• text-painting
• importance of words homorhythmic texture