Renaissance

RENAISSANCE
For Nature has so planned the human body that...if a man lies on his back with hands and feet outspread, and the centre of a circle is placed on his navel, his gure and toes will be touched by the circumference. - Leonardo da Vinci

Renaissance," perfectly describes the intellectual and economic changes that occurred in Europe from the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries. During the era known by this name, Europe emerged from the economic stagnation of the Middle Ages and experienced a time of nancial growth. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the Renaissance was an age in which artistic, social, scientic, and political thought turned in new directions Like other great changes in history, the Renaissance did not replace the Middle Ages overnight. Nor did the change take place at the same time everywhere in Europe. The Renaissance began in Italy around 1300. Later, its new styles of art, writing, and thought spread northward to the Netherlands, France, Germany, and England. It is important to remember that early writers and artists of the Renaissance were creating their masterpieces in Italy while France and England were still locked in the Hundred Years' War. The bustling cities of northern Italy seem to be in a different world from the feudal villages of northern Europe, but both existed at the same time. New values shaped the Renaissance. Main characteristics: -Love of classical learning - Renaissance scholars despised the art and literature of the Middle Ages and loved the writings of ancient Greece and Rome. Scholars who studied classical texts were called humanists, from the Latin word humanitas. Under the inuence of the humanists, all painting, sculpture, and architecture carried on the traditions of ancient Greece and Rome.
Humanism: man is now the centre of the culture.

-Enjoyment of worldly pleasures - In contrast to the Middle Ages where devoutly religious people proved their piety by wearing poor, rough clothing and living on the plainest foods, Renaissance humanists suggested that a person might love and enjoy life without offending God. -Music is very valued by the civil class and religion. Functionality: entertainment Musically, the new style it is born in the franco emish school. -Scientic researchment (Copernico and Galileo) -Navigation and trade are very signicant on the expansion of the international relation with regard to Spain. Discoveries are very important in this period, such as the discovery of America. Its the period of bourgeoisie and trade, the capitalism growth. -Cultural and political separation between catholics and protestants. Lutero gives an important value to the music in the church. Trentocouncil forbids counterpoint excesses in the catholic music.
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RENAISSANCE MUSIC
1.-ELEMENTS:
Melody: There are two types of composition procedures :
-imitative style: the same melodic idea goes from one phrase to another one, in an
imitative way.
-sequencing: melody is built by the repetition of the same phrase starting in different points of the scale. Rhythm & Notation: Free rhythm, it is determined by the tactus, this means, by the prosody and accentuation of the text. Renaissance compositions were notated only in individual parts; scores were extremely rare, and barlines were not used. Note values were generally larger than are in use today; the primary unit of beat was the semibreve, or whole note. The rhythm could be ternary (perfect tempus, the most common) or binary (imperfect tempus) and the subdivision ternary (major or perfect prolation, the most common too), and binary (minor or imperfect prolation). Finally, Black notation makes way to White Notation. Harmony: -Establishment of the triad as the basic harmonic unit. Its the beginning of the use of dissonances, but only in accidental notes. Third and sixth intervals are now considered as consonances. -The increasing reliance on the interval of the third as a consonance is one of the most pronounced features of early Renaissance European art music (in the Middle Ages, thirds had been considered dissonances) -The modal (as opposed to tonal) characteristics of Renaissance music began to break down towards the end of the period with the increased use of root motions of fths. This later developed into one of the dening characteristics of tonality. Timbre and dynamics: The vocal music predominates, although instrumental pieces start appearing based on the vocal ones. Chamber music is born. Instruments are gathered in families. Uniform dynamics. Texture: Polyphony viewed in an horizontal way. Melodic and rhythmic independence of each voice. The imitative style is mixed with homophones parts. The cantus rmus, from the Medieval Age, is used as well. Polyphony, in use since the 12th century, became increasingly elaborate with highly independent voices throughout the 14th century: the beginning of the 15th century showed simplication, with the voices often striving for smoothness. This was possible because of a greatly increased vocal range in music in the Middle Ages, the narrow range made necessary frequent crossing of parts, thus requiring a greater contrast between them. Text: Thematics dont condition stylistic differences. Music is made to strengthen the contain of the text.
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2.-GENRES & FORMS

-INTRUMENTAL FORMS :
Purely instrumental music included consort music for recorder or viol and other instruments, and dances for various ensembles. Common genres were the toccata, the prelude, the ricercar, the canzona, and intabulation (intavolatura, intabulierung). Instrumental ensembles for dances might play a basse danse (or bassedanza), a pavane, a galliard, an allemande, or a courante. In this period and the next one(Baroque) is very common the use of tablatures. Tablature is a form of musical notation indicating instrument ngering rather than musical pitches. Tablature is common for fretted (frets: trastes) stringed instruments such as the lute, vihuela, or guitar, as well as many free reed aerophones. Towards the end of the period, the early dramatic precursors of opera such as monody, the comedy, and the intermedio are seen. The instrumental music is based on: improvisation : Preambulum, Intonazione, Toccata. derived from vocal forms : Ricercare and Tiento (from the motete) and Canzona (from the chanson). Based on imitation. variations : Fantasia Glosas and Diferencias in Spain (melodic variations based in the same harmony). dance : played in contrasting pairs as slow/fast or binary/ternary rhythm (Pavana/ Gallarda , Passamezzo / Saltarello).

-VOCAL FORMS:
During the period, secular music had an increasing distribution, with a wide variety of forms, but one must be cautious about assuming an explosion in variety: since printing made music more widely available, much more has survived from this era than from the preceding Medieval era, and probably a rich store of popular music of the late Middle Ages is irretrievably lost. Secular music included songs for one or many voices, forms such as the frottola, chanson and madrigal.

Secular forms:
Secular vocal genres included the madrigal, the frottola, the caccia, the chanson in several forms (rondeau, virelai, bergerette, ballade, musique mesure), the canzonetta, the cillancico, the villanella, the villotta, and the lute song. Mixed forms such as the motet-chanson and the secular motet also appeared.

Italy-Madrigal(polyphonic, important poetry), Villanesca(more popular) and Frottola. Spain - Romance(the same polyphonic melody is used in all the verses of a medieval romance, as an verses variation) Villancico (popular origins, from villano) and Ensalada(mixture of styles and texts). France - chanson(ternary structure: A-B-A, and descriptive character ).

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Sacred forms:
Principal liturgical forms which endured throughout the entire Renaissance period were masses and motets, with some other developments towards the end, especially as composers of sacred music began to adopt secular forms (such as the madrigal) for their own designs. Common sacred genres were the mass, the motet, the madrigale spirituale, and the laude.

Protestant choral: homophonic song, with a simple melody and a very clear rhythm (emphasizing phrases of the german text). They were converted in protestant hymns. Catholic motete: every sentence of the latino text gives rise to a different section, alternating polyphony and homophony.

3.-AUTHORS AND FORMS

Beginnings: Franco Flemish school --> Dufay, Binchois, Ockeghem, Obrecht, Josquin-DesPrs, Isaak, Agricola. They compose specially motets, masses and secular chansons. Fullness: -Italy: Palestrina (he assumes the Reformation, the Trentos Council, which gives more simplicity and clarity to the sacred music) Verdelot, Orlando di Lasso and Gesualdo. -Spain: Enzina, Morales, Guerrero y Victoria, Cabezn, Milln and Narvez. -Germany: Lutero.(Protestant coral) -England: Dowland and Byrd. -France: C. le Jeune and Jannequin. Transition to the Barroque: -The Venetian school (Gabrielli): Polychoral Motets (there are two choirs confronted, Cori Spezzati, exploiting new special effects, as eco or contrasts) and Concerti (instrumental). -Claudio Monteverdi*: author of the last renaissance Madrigals. He unbalances the counterpoint in favour of the high voice while the rest of them are accompanying (accompanied monody) and he uses the Representative Style.

*He spreads the OPERA: Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text (called libretto) and musical scores. It incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery and costumes, and sometimes includes dance. The performance is typically given in an opera house, accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble. Opera started in Italy at the end of the 16th century (with Jacopo Peri s lost Dafne, produced in Florence around 1597) and soon spread through the rest of Europe. This spectacle is composed by overture, arias , instrumental ensembles, recitatives, arioso and choirs. Opera reduces the texture to an accompanying melody in order to emphasise the text; instrumental music will do this as well, which will have a noticeable inuence on the music developing.
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4.-INSTRUMENTS OF THE RENAISSANCE

Many instruments originated during the Renaissance; others were variations of, or improvements upon, instruments that had existed previously. Some have survived to the present day; others have disappeared, only to be recreated in order to perform music of the period on authentic instruments. As in the modern day, instruments may be classied as brass, strings, percussion, and woodwind.

Brass
Brass instruments in the Renaissance were traditionally played by professionals. Some of the more common brass instruments that were played: Slide Trumpet: Similar to the trombone of today except that instead of a section of the body sliding, only a small part of the body near the mouthpiece and the mouthpiece itself is stationary. Also the body was an S-shape so it was rather unwieldy, but was suitable for the slow dance music which it was most commonly used for. Cornett: Made of wood and was played like the recorder (will be mentioned at greater length later on) but blown like a trumpet. It was commonly made in several sizes, the largest was called the serpent. The serpent became practically the only cornetto used by the early seventeenth century while other ranges were replaced by the violin. It was said to be the closest instrument to the human voice with the ability to use dynamics and expression. Trumpet: Early trumpets had no valves, and were limited to the tones present in the overtone series. They were also made in different sizes. Although commonly depicted being used by angels, their use in churches was limited, a prominent exception being the music of the Venetian School. They were most commonly used in the military and for the announcement of royalty. Period trumpets were found to have two rings soldered to them, one near the mouthpiece and another near the bell. Sackbut(sometimes sackbutt or sagbutt): A different name for the trombone, which replaced the slide trumpet by the end of the fteenth century. Sackbuts were used almost exclusively in church music and faced behind the player.

Strings
As a family strings were used in many circumstances, both sacred and secular. A few members of this family include:

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Viol: This instrument, developed in the 1400s, commonly has six strings. It was usually played with a bow. It has structural qualities similar to the Spanish vihuela; its main separating trait is its larger size. This changed the posture of the musician in order to rest it against the oor or between the legs in a manner similar to the cello. Its similarities to the vihuela were sharp waistcuts, similar frets, a at back, thin ribs, and identical tuning. This is the predecessor of the modern-day violin, viola, and violoncello (cello). Lyre: Its construction is similar to a small harp, although instead of being plucked, it is strummed with a plectrum. Its strings varied in quantity from four, seven, and ten, depending on the era. It was played with the right hand, while the left hand silenced the notes that were not desired. Newer lyres were modied to be played with a bow. Irish Harp: Also called the Clrsach in Scottish Gaelic, or the Clirseach in Irish, during the Middle Ages it was the most popular instrument of Ireland and Scotland. Due to its signicance on Irish history it is seen even on the Guinness label, and is Ireland's national symbol even to this day. To be played it is usually plucked. Its size can vary greatly from a harp that can be played in one's lap to a full-size harp that is placed on the oor Hurdy Gurdy: (Also known as the wheel ddle), in which the strings are sounded by a wheel which the strings pass over. Its functionality can be compared to that of a mechanical violin, in that its bow (wheel) is turned by a crank. Its distinctive sound is mainly because of its "drone strings" which provide a constant pitch similar in their sound to that of bagpipes. Cittern: Ctara Lute Harpsichord. Virginal.

Percussion
Some Renaissance percussion instruments include the triangle, the Jew's harp, the tambourine, the bells, the rumble-pot, and various kinds of drums. Tambourine: In the early ages the tambourine was originally a frame drum without the jingles attached to the side. This instrument soon evolved and took on the name of the timbrel during the medieval crusades, at which time it acquired the jingles. The tambourine was often found with a single skin, as it made it easy for a dancer to play. The skin that surrounds frame is called the vellum, and produces the beat by striking the surface with the knuckles, ngertips, or hand. It could also be played by shaking the instrument, allowing the tambourine's jingles to "clank" and "jingle". Jews Harp: An instrument often known for its historical purpose for men "serenading" their sweethearts, It even went to the extent of being repeatedly banned for its "endangerment on female virtue", it is also believed that it was banned because of its construction of silver, and due to the great demand on silver in the 19th Century Austria this was another reason for its outlawing. A steel instrument that produces sound using shapes of the mouth and attempting to pronounce different
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vowels with ones mouth. The loop at the bent end of the tongue of the instrument is plucked in different scales of vibration creating different tones.

Woodwinds (aerophones)
The woodwind instruments (aerophones) use a column of air vibrating within a pipe that has little holes along it to generate vibration with the airow through the pipe and control the length of the sound waves produced by the vibrating air. A player could create this air column by using a few different methods. The rst is blowing across a mouth hole (as would be done with utes). The second is blowing into a mouthpiece with a single reed (as would be found with the clarinet or saxophone) or a double reed (which is used with oboes and bassoons). The woodwind instruments of the Middle Ages are not the same as modern day woodwinds. They were more eccentric and exotic. For example, you would nd that modern woodwinds t the natural position of the hand. Woodwinds in the Renaissance used simple holes drilled in the instrument. Shawm: (Chirima) A typical oriental shawm is keyless and is about a foot long with seven nger holes and a thumb hole. The pipes were also most commonly made of wood and many of them had carvings and decorations on them. It was the most popular double reed instrument of the renaissance period; it was commonly used in the streets with drums and trumpets because of its brilliant, piercing, and often deafening sound. To play the shawm a person puts the entire reed in their mouth, puffs out their cheeks, and blows into the pipe whilst breathing through their nose. Reed pipe: Made from a single short length of cane with a mouthpiece, four or ve nger holes, and reed fashioned from it. The reed is made by cutting out a small tongue, but leaving the base attached. It is the predecessor of the saxophone and the clarinet. Hornpipe: Same as reed pipe but with a bell at the end. Bagpipe/Bladderpipe: Believe to have been invented by herdsmen who thought to use a bag made out of sheep or goat skin and would provide air pressure so that when its player takes a breath, the player only needs to squeeze the bag tucked underneath their arm to continue the tone. The mouth pipe has a simple round piece of leather hinged on to the bag end of the pipe and acts like a non-return valve.As an aside, the reed is located inside the long metal mouthpiece, known as a bocal. Panpipe: Designed to have sixteen wooden tubes with a stopper at one end and open on the other. Each tube is a different size (thereby producing a different tone), giving it a range of an octave and a half. The player can then place their lips against the desired tube and blow across it. Transverse ute: The Transverse ute is similar to the modern ute with a mouth hole near the stoppered end and nger holes along the body. The player blows in the side and holds the ute to the right side. Recorder: The recorder is a common instrument still used today, often taught to children in elementary schools. Rather than a reed it uses a whistler mouth piece, which is a beak shaped mouth piece, as its main source of sound production. It is usually made with seven nger holes and a thumb hole.

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! Hornpipe Cittern Panute

Harpsichord

Virginal

Irish Harp Renaissance Lute