History of western music Renaissance period
Renaissance music is traditionally understood to cover European music of the 15th and 16th centuries, later than the Renaissance era as it is understood in other disciplines. Rather than starting from the early 14th-century ars nova, the Trecento music was treated by musicology as a coda to Medieval music and the new era dated from the rise of triadic harmony and the spread of the contenance angloise style from Britain to the Burgundian School. A convenient watershed for its end is the adoption of basso continuo at the beginning of the Baroque period.
A group of Renaissance musicians in The Concert (1623) by Gerard van Honthorst
The period may be roughly subdivided, with an early period corresponding to the career of Guillaume Du Fay (c. 1397–1474) and the cultivation of cantilena style, a middle dominated by Franco-Flemish School and the four-part textures favored by Johannes Ockeghem (1410s or '20s–1497) and Josquin des Prez (late 1450s–1521), and culminating during the Counter-Reformation in the florid counterpoint of Palestrina (c. 1525–1594) and the Roman School.
Music was increasingly freed from medieval constraints, and more variety was permitted in range, rhythm, harmony, form, and notation. On the other hand, rules of counterpoint became more constrained, particularly with regard to treatment of dissonances. In the Renaissance, music became a vehicle for personal expression. Composers found ways to make vocal music more expressive of the texts they were setting. Secular music absorbed techniques from sacred music, and vice versa. Popular secular forms such as the chanson and madrigal spread throughout Europe. Courts employed virtuoso performers, both singers and instrumentalists. Music also became more self-sufficient with its availability in printed form, existing for its own sake.
Precursor versions of many familiar modern instruments (including the violin, guitar, lute and keyboard instruments) developed into new forms during the Renaissance. These instruments were modified to respond to the evolution of musical ideas, and they presented new possibilities for composers and musicians to explore. Early forms of modern woodwind and brass instruments like the bassoon and trombone also appeared, extending the range of sonic color and increasing the sound of instrumental ensembles. During the 15th century, the sound of full triads became common, and towards the end of the 16th century the system of church modes began to break down entirely, giving way to functional tonality (the system in which songs and pieces are based on musical "keys"), which would dominate Western art music for the next three centuries.
From the Renaissance era, notated secular and sacred music survives in quantity, including vocal and instrumental works and mixed vocal/instrumental works. A wide range of musical styles and genres flourished during the Renaissance, including masses, motets, madrigals, chansons, accompanied songs, instrumental dances, and many others. Beginning in the late 20th century, numerous early music ensembles were formed. Ensembles specializing in music of the Renaissance era give concert tours and make recordings, using modern reproductions of historical instruments and using singing and performing styles which musicologists believe were used during the era.
The Renaissance period of music spans roughly from the 14th to the early 17th century, following the Middle Ages and preceding the Baroque era. It was a time of great cultural and intellectual change, characterized by the rebirth of interest in classical antiquity, humanism, and innovation in art, science, and music. In music, the Renaissance brought significant developments in harmony, rhythm, texture, and the role of music in society.
Key Features of Renaissance Music
Polyphony: Renaissance music is primarily known for its use of polyphony, where multiple independent melody lines are sung or played simultaneously. Composers of this time perfected complex interweaving melodies, a stark contrast to the simpler monophonic style of the medieval period.
Imitation: One of the defining techniques of Renaissance polyphony was imitation, where musical phrases are repeated in different voices or parts. This was particularly evident in motets and masses.
Homophony: While polyphony was dominant, homophonic textures (music with a clear melody and chordal accompaniment) also began to emerge, setting the stage for the Baroque era's emphasis on tonal harmony.
A Cappella: Much of the sacred music of the Renaissance was performed a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment), with the human voice being central to musical expression.
Word Painting: Renaissance composers were particularly sensitive to text, often using word painting to reflect the meaning of the lyrics in the music. For instance, an ascending melodic line might be used to depict the word "heaven."
Secular vs. Sacred Music: While sacred music (such as masses and motets) was dominant, secular music became increasingly popular. Madrigals, chansons, and instrumental dance music became more widespread, especially in courts and among the nobility.
Major Forms of Renaissance Music
Mass: A sacred choral composition, usually based on liturgical texts. The Mass Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei) was commonly set to music.
Motet: A sacred polyphonic vocal work, often based on Latin texts other than the Mass.
Madrigal: A secular vocal music form that originated in Italy. Madrigals were often written for multiple voices, with texts reflecting love, nature, and sometimes humorous themes.
Chanson: A French secular song, typically polyphonic and vocal.
Instrumental Music: Renaissance composers also wrote music for instruments like the lute, viol, and organ. This was primarily used for dances or court entertainment.
Key Renaissance Composers and Their Short History
1. Guillaume Dufay (1397–1474)
Nationality: Franco-Flemish
Style: Dufay was one of the most influential composers of the early Renaissance. His music is characterized by the transition from medieval styles to Renaissance polyphony. He was known for composing both sacred and secular works, and his innovations in the use of harmonies helped lay the groundwork for later Renaissance music.
Famous Works: Missa L’homme armé, Nuper rosarum flores (a motet).
2. Josquin des Prez (c. 1450–1521)
Nationality: Franco-Flemish
Style: Josquin is often regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance. His music is known for its expressive power and technical mastery, particularly in the use of imitation and word painting. He wrote both sacred and secular music, and his works were widely influential across Europe.
Famous Works: Ave Maria… Virgo serena (motet), Missa Pange lingua (mass).
3. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594)
Nationality: Italian
Style: Palestrina is famous for his sacred music, especially masses and motets. His style became a model for the Counter-Reformation Church, emphasizing clarity of text and smooth polyphonic textures. Palestrina’s music embodies the ideals of Renaissance balance, order, and restraint.
Famous Works: Missa Papae Marcelli (Mass for Pope Marcellus), Sicut cervus (motet).
4. Orlando di Lasso (1532–1594)
Nationality: Franco-Flemish
Style: Lasso was one of the most versatile composers of the Renaissance, excelling in both sacred and secular music. He wrote in a variety of languages (Latin, Italian, French, and German) and was highly regarded for his ability to convey deep emotion in his music. He was a master of both polyphonic sacred music and more lighthearted secular madrigals.
Famous Works: Matona mia cara (madrigal), Penitential Psalms.
5. Thomas Tallis (1505–1585)
Nationality: English
Style: Tallis was a key figure in the development of English Renaissance music. He composed both Catholic and Protestant liturgical music, as England experienced religious shifts during his lifetime. Tallis was known for his mastery of polyphonic choral music and his adaptability to the changing religious landscape.
Famous Works: Spem in alium (a 40-part motet), If Ye Love Me.
6. William Byrd (1540–1623)
Nationality: English
Style: A student of Thomas Tallis, Byrd was one of the most prominent English composers of the Renaissance. He composed both sacred and secular music and was one of the first composers to write music specifically for the keyboard. His sacred works were often composed for Catholic services, despite the Anglican Church's dominance in England.
Famous Works: Ave verum corpus, The Earl of Oxford’s March (instrumental).
7. Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643)
Nationality: Italian
Style: Monteverdi is a transitional figure between the Renaissance and Baroque periods. He is known for pioneering the development of opera and bringing a new level of emotional expression and drama to both vocal and instrumental music. His later works, especially his operas, reflect early Baroque stylistic innovations, but his madrigals remain quintessentially Renaissance.
Famous Works: L’Orfeo (early opera), Vespro della Beata Vergine (Vespers of the Blessed Virgin).
8. Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548–1611)
Nationality: Spanish
Style: A leading composer of the Spanish Renaissance, Victoria is primarily known for his sacred music, which is characterized by a deep emotional intensity and devotion. His music is often compared to that of Palestrina but is considered more expressive and mystical.
Famous Works: O Magnum Mysterium (motet), Requiem Mass.
9. John Dowland (1563–1626)
Nationality: English
Style: Dowland was a leading composer of lute songs during the Renaissance. His music is known for its melancholic expressiveness and intricate lute accompaniment. He was highly regarded across Europe and composed a large body of both instrumental and vocal music.
Famous Works: Flow, My Tears (lute song), Lachrimae (instrumental work).
- Lecturer : Kanife Udochukwu