Musical Eras: Baroque, Renaissance, Classicism, and Medieval
Baroque Period (17th – Early 18th Century)
Features:
- Music aims to surpass the word, prioritizing harmonic systems.
- Voices have varying importance; a primary melody is accompanied by others (melody and accompaniment).
- Use of dissonance.
- Well-defined rhythm.
- Instrumental and vocal music are distinct.
Periods:
- Early Baroque (1580-1630): Focused on dissonance.
- Mid-Baroque (1630-1680): Rise of opera and vocal music.
- Late Baroque (1680-1750): Concert style.
Late Renaissance (14th-16th Century)
Features:
- Polyphonic music where all voices are equally important.
- Unified style; polyphony used in both religious and secular music.
- Instrumental and vocal music are interchangeable.
- Rhythm determined by the sung text.
Techniques:
- Imitative Counterpoint: A voice introduces a melody, immediately repeated by another voice, either in unison or at a different pitch.
- Cantus Firmus: A melody is sung by one voice while others weave around it.
- Variation: Repeating a theme with rhythmic alterations.
Historical Trends: Divided into secular and religious (Catholic and Protestant) music.
Schools:
- Franco-Flemish: Josquin des Prez
- Italy: Luigi Palestrina (commissioned to compose music for the Catholic Church after the Council of Trent)
- Spain: Juan de la Encina, Tomás Luis de Victoria
- Germany: Protestant chorale
- England: Primarily liturgical music
- France: La Chanson
Classicism (1770-1810)
Characteristics:
- Musical Phrase: Short, common phrases of 8 measures (divided into periods of 4).
- Use of 6-measure phrases (3+3).
- Phrases are called themes or periods, divided into semi-phrases and incises.
- Emphasis on symmetrical aesthetics.
- Smooth transitions between rhythms.
- Increased tension in central sections.
- Greater instrumental virtuosity.
- Use of Alberti bass (dividing a chord into its component notes).
Musical Forms:
- Sonata: Musical composition, usually in 4 movements, for one, two, or three instruments. Evolved from the Baroque era towards a stricter form.
- Symphony: Sonata for full orchestra, a composition in 4 movements.
Classical Orchestra:
- Decline of the harpsichord and basso continuo.
- Incorporation of the horn and clarinet.
- Expansion of the string section.
Medieval Period (5th – 15th Century)
Musical developments included Gregorian chant, secular music, and the rise of polyphony.
- Gregorian chant blends Greco-Roman and Jewish influences.
- Pope Gregory the Great (though falsely credited with its invention) was a key figure in the 8th century.
Elements of Gregorian Chant:
- Eight modes (scales) derived from the Greeks.
- Free rhythm: undulating and light, not subject to mechanical accentuation.
- Monodic (single melodic line) and unaccompanied.
- Sung in Latin.
Secular Music:
- Each note corresponds to a syllable.
- Troubadours, Minnesingers, and trouvères sang about human experiences, especially love, moving music from churches to castles.
Form: [Further information about musical forms in this period would be beneficial here.]