Aurora High School Orchestras Midterm Exam 2011-2012
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Midterm Exam 2011-2012 Name: ____________________
2. The Renaissance (1400-1600) 3. The Baroque Period (1600-1750) 4. The Classical Period (1750-1820) 5. The Romantic Period (1820-1900) 6. The 20th Century (1900- 2000) Using this information, we should be able to surmise the connections and distinctions between each of the periods, giving us a greater understanding of how music has evolved and allowing us to predict the course of music in the future. We now live in the 21st century, and “musicologists” (music historians) have yet to agree on a name for the period in which we are living now. Perhaps you will have a hand in what future generations call the time period in which we are living. We will begin by studying music in “Antiquity” (the period of time from the beginning of man until music began to be written down during the Middle Ages) and going through the Baroque Period. Please carefully answer all of the questions in this packet. You will want to keep all of the music history packets I give you in an organized folder as we will be referring to these packets regularly and you will need them to study for the Orchestra Midterm Exam. Do not lose this packet. You will need it again to study for the midterm. MIDDLE AGES / MEDIEVAL ERA (400 or 800-1400 C.E.) General Information Printing Music Sacred Music Secular Music Vocal Music (and vocal forms) Instrumental Music Medieval Composers General Information During the Middle Ages, there were three classes of people. The first class was the nobility: kings, princes, and wealthy landowners. They owned land and from these people came our legends of knights in shining armour. The second class consisted of the clergy: priests who worked in the church and monks who lived in monasteries. The rest of the people, poor farmers and peasants, made up the third class. The average peasant lived to be 30 years of age and ate little more than black bread and turnips. The first great centers of music were in the churches. The Medieval Era is the longest and most remote period of musical history. It is important to note that this musical era consists of almost a thousand years worth of music. For most of the middle ages, the Church was the focal point of social life, learning, and the arts. Saint Gregory, who was pope from 590 - 640 C.E., is said to have organized a huge repertoire of chants that developed during the first centuries of the Christian church. Thus the term of "Gregorian Chant" came about. Gregorian Chant is monophonic , having one melodic line without an accompaniment. It is said to be very serene, with pure shapes of melody. It is not known who wrote the melodies of the Gregorian Chant. Similar to folk melodies, it probably changed over time as it was passed down through generations. Early Medieval music notation did not look like the notation that is used in present day music. The earliest signs of a notational system notational system for music used neumes. For a long time, musical notation consisted of the pitch or note that was to be sung. Other musical notation, such as rhythm didn't begin until the 12th or 13th centuries. Toward the latter part of the Middle Ages, music consisted of two or more melodic lines that were heard simultaneously, called polyphony . This appeared around the 1200s. Polyphony was more difficult to compose than the monophonic chant, because a composer had to combine multiple melodic lines in a way that would be pleasing to the listener. Most of the Medieval polyphonic music was anonymous, as the names of composers were never written down. However, there are a few exceptions, as some composers had works so important that their names were preserved along with their music. Two of the greatest composers of the new polyphonic music were Leonin and Perotin at the Notre-Dame in Paris. Later important composers included Guillaume de Machaut. Although little of it has been preserved, secular song was important to the medieval era.. Secular song was monophonic and stylistically more diversified than plain song. It was stronger, and utilized regular rhythms, and had short rhythmic patterns. It was generally modal but favored major (Ionian) and minor (Aeolian) modes. Printing Music Since the printing press had not yet been invented, if a piece of music was to be retained , it would have to be copied out by monks, diligently writing out music for church services. Sometimes the music was written out in a very ornamented fashion. Around 1025, Guido d'Arezzo developed a system of pitch notation using lines and spaces. Until this time, only two lines had been used. Guido expanded this system to four lines, and initiated the idea of ledger lines by adding lines above or below these lines as needed. He used square notes called neumes. This system eliminated any uncertainty of pitch, which had existed until this time. Guido also developed a system of clefs, which became the basis for our clef system: bass clef, treble clef, and so on. Another important contribution was his treatise on polyphonic music. This was important as it led to the development of polyphony by Leonin and Perotin. Sacred Music In the Middle Ages, the church was very important in the lives of the people. In turn, the music of the church was very important and from approximately 350 to 1100 CE, Medieval music was created mostly in the monasteries. This means that composers were mostly monks and priests associated with the Catholic Church. These monks and priests believed that their talents were gifts from God and any work they composed was meant to glorify God. It is because of this that most music up to 1100 is provided by anonymous sources, meaning sources without specific names attached to them. Sacred music was called plainsong, and it consisted of a single unaccompanied melody with words in the Latin language. The melody of plainsong was simple so the words would be easily understood by others. The words were usually part of the Roman Catholic mass. The majority of the music of the time is now known as Gregorian Chant, named after Pope Gregory I (590-604), who organized the plainsong chants into a specific order and had them published and communicated to churches throughout Europe and the Roman Empire. Secular Music A secular musical tradition, simpler than the organum used by the church, existed outside the church. This was the monophonic music of itinerant musicians, the minstrels. Minstrels were also known as jongleurs and their successors, the troubadours and trouvères in France, and minnesingers in Germany. The minstrels travelled from castle to castle singing songs, telling stories and performing tricks. Like plainsong, secular songs were simple and only had one melody. They were usually faster than sacred songs and used the common language instead of Latin. Minstrels gradually formed guilds and became more respected members of the growing middle class. Stringed or percussion instruments often accompanied the minstrels' songs. Both sacred and secular music used a wide variety of instruments, including such string devices as the lyre and psaltery and the medieval fiddle, or vielle. Keyboard instruments included the organ. Percussion instruments included small drums and small bells. Vocal Music During the Medieval Era, there were many forms of vocal music. They were very simplistic in nature. Vocal Music Forms Plainsong One of the most common vocal forms of the time was called plainchant, the Gregorian chant, or plainsong. It is known that this form of vocal music was the main root of polyphony during both the Medieval era and in the Renaissance era. Secular Song While little secular song had been preserved to date, it was still a very important musical form during the Medieval era. It was very similar to plainsong in that it had single note notation, had no accompaniment, and was written in the monophonic style. The difference between secular song and plainsong was its meter. It was mostly written in triple meter. Additionally, it also dealt with a wider range of subjects than the very religious plainsong. Furthermore, secular song had clear phrase and sectional structure , was written in most vernacular languages instead of the Latin-only plainsong, and used shorter and more regular rhythms. Polyphony One of the greatest musical achievements in the history of music occurred during the Medieval era. This was the coming of polyphony. Polyphony is two or more vocal parts, each with its own individual melodic importance within a work. The earliest known polyphony occurred in secular music of the 8th century. However, from the 9th to the 13th centuries, polyphony grew in style and popularity and evolved into church music, which was based on plainsong. ARS ANTIQUA Ars Antiqua is the time period between the mid 1100s to the end of the 1200s. This phrase means "The Old Art." This was a time during the Medieval Era when polyphony developed even further. Notre Dame Organum The Notre Dame organum developed shortly after the year 1150. In this form of polyphony, there were two parts sung by solo voices, alternating with sections of plainsong sung by a choir. Appearing for the first time was dicant style. This style had sections in which the tenor part contained shorter and measured notes. Polyphonic Conductus The polyphonic conductus was in wide usage during the beginning half of the 13th century. The tenor part of this musical form was composed, instead of borrowed from plainsong, as it was in organum. Additionally, the parts moved together rhythmically, and the piece was written for two to four parts. The polyphonic conductus was composed in non-liturgical or secular form. Motet Around the year 1250, the motet became the main polyphonic form. It started to replace organum and conductus. A motet consisted of specific musical guidelines. A plainsong was sung by the tenor voice, and above it, two other parts were sung in faster moving notes. It was written in either sacred or secular style (in Latin or in vernacular) and usually was played in triple meter with clashes of dissonant intervals. Hocket Hocket was a form of polyphony that was often found in the music of the late 1200s to the 1300s. It was a technique that interrupted the melody line by frequently placing rests (which alternated between two voice parts) into the piece. Rota Although not many works had this form during the Ars Antiqua stage of the Medieval Era, the rota still was present. It was a round or cannon in which two or more parts carried the same melody at different times. Rondellus The rondellus was a three part, secular form, in which exchange occured between the three different melodies. This polyphonic work involved all the parts starting together rather than starting consecutively. Each part then rotated the melody. ARS NOVA The Ars Nova, or "The New Art," took place during the end of the Medieval era while foreshadowing some of the Renaissance trends that were to come. Madrigal Written in two vocal parts, this musical form was the first polyphonic form to appear in Italy. The madrigal had each stanza written in duple time and ended with a ritornello section in triple meter. Caccia The caccia was at its musical height from 1345 to 1370. It was the primary musical form that employed the canon within it. The canon was based on a continuous imitation of two or more parts. The two upper parts were sung in strict imitation with long intervals between the two parts while the third lowest part was composed in slow moving notes and was probably played on an instrument. Ballata This form came about after the madrigal and the caccia and originated as a dance song. The ballata had a sectional structure with refrains, called ripresa sung at the beginning and end of each stanza. Instrumental Music Although very little instrumental music has been left intact from the composers of the time period, it is a well known fact that instruments were used throughout the Medieval era. Bowed Instruments The most important of the bowed instruments were the vielles. They were the precursors of the Renaissance viol family. Another bowed instrument used during the medieval times was the rebec, which was a pear shaped instrument. Later in the time period the tromba marina appeared. It was long in shape and usually had one string. Sometimes it had two strings that were tuned in unison. Plucked Strings The most important plucked string instrument was the lute. It had an angled neck and a pear shaped body. The psaltery, a flat sounding board was another instrument similar to that of the zither. Wind Instruments During this time period recorders, various kinds of trumpets, and horns were in use. The shawm, which was a double reed instrument, was also used. Organs In the Medieval era, portative organs or organetto were used. They were small and were able to be moved around. The positive organ was a very important instrument of the time period. It was the first organ for which polyphonic music was composed. It was of medium size and could not be moved. During the 1300s larger organs started to appear usually in the churches of Europe. Some of them had up to 2,500 or more pipes. Percussion Instruments Drums came in many different shapes and sizes and were used mainly for military and dance purposes. Kettledrums, also called nakers, were used in pairs during this time period. In addition, a cylidrical drum, known as the tabor, was used. Many kinds of bells and cymbals were also used during the Medieval era. During the Middle Ages, composers were not all that concerned with how their written music was performed. They gave little notice to what instrument(s) would play a piece and never indicated particular instruments within their scores. It is believed that there were basically five ways in which instruments were employed during this period in music history. According to Hugh M. Miller: 1. Vocal polyphony was occassionally played entirely by instruments
Almost every single one of the preserved dance forms were written in monophonic style. Folk or court dance music was made up on the spot or played from memory. The principal dance form of the 1400s was the estampie. This dance form had many repeated sections and was almost always played triple time. Some other famous dances were the danse royale and the Italian saltarello and istanpitta from the 1500s. The ductia was also a popular dance that was written in three or four sections. The finale of a dance work was named a rotta, rotte, or rota, and involved a change of meter involved. Medieval Era Composers Leonin (1135-1201) and Perotin (1155? - ?) The earliest composer known to us by name is the composer Leonin (Leoninus). He was born in Paris in 1135 and died in approximately 1201. He received his training at the Notre Dame Cathedral schools and later became a priest at Notre Dame. He is especially known for his development and original writing of polyphonic music (music that has two or more lines occurring at the same time). Leonin's compositions were based on the Gregorian chants. The original chant served as the foundation and a second voice, called the descant, was added to the original chant. This style came to be known as organum (example). One of Leonin's major contributions to music was a collection of organum with two-part settings of portions of the mass known as the Magnus Liber Organi. Perotin (Perotinus) was one of Leonin's students and appears to have been born between 1155 and 1160. During his studies with Leonin, he made some important revisions to Leonin's Magnus Liber Organi and developed some ideas of his own about polyphony. To the additional voice part that Leonin added, Perotin added a third and fourth vocal part. Perotin named the three additional parts the duplum, triplum, and quadruplum. All three of these voice parts were based on and written above the original chant. de Vitry, Phillipe (1291-1361)Phillipe de Vitry was one of the most important composers involved with Medieval music. He was the author of a prominent music theory text, called the Ars Nova. In this work, he showed how he would like to expand the rhythmic resources offered to composers, introduced new rhythmic schemes and a new mensural notation system. This new system remained an important notational device for over a century after his death. He made the first use of binary rhythm and is thus considered to be a mathematical and philosophical genius of his time period. Additionally, he is credited with being one of the main developers of the motet. He is one of the first composers to discover and use isorhythm; a single rhythmic figure continually repeated by a voice. The only surviving works of Phillipe de Vitry were his motets. They are mostly secular, although some took on religious tones. Most of his motets were on political, as opposed to romantic, topics. He wrote his secular pieces in Latin, instead of French. He was seen as a prodigy, as he wrote about the issues of his time period and put them into musical form. Vitry is hailed today for his music theory that spurned the whole Ars Nova era of the Medieval era and for his own emotional motets. He used new modes of musical idiom that would not be refined until years after his death. He left a lasting impression on the musical world. de Machaut, Guillaume (1300-1377)Born around the year 1300 in France, Guillaume de Machaut was one of the most famous composer of the Medieval era. His most well known work is the Mass of Notre Dame. Written in four voice form, this piece showed his mastery of composition, and served as a textbook example of Medieval counterpoint. Machaut was the greatest 14th century composer, as well as France's leading poet. He was educated as a priest, but most of his music was written for the secular world. Machaut wrote many love songs, not too different from those of the trouveres in both their parties and their music. Machaut's Messe de Notre Dame is a very well known work. This is a four part setting of the ordinary of the Mass, and it shows the new style of polyphony in the Middle Ages. He was also well known for his French poetry, songs, and manuscripts prepared for French royalty. Guillaume de Machaut travelled Europe during his lifetime. In addition to composing, he also was involved with the political events of the time. He surrounded himself with royalty and honorary people. Guillame de Machaut is considered to be an avant garde composer. His style dominated the Ars Nova period of the Medieval Era. He made little changes to rhythm and meter in his music but added his own interpretation and emotional depth to his pieces. He was also famous for his poetry, which was often set to music and conveyed messages of love.
Guillaume Dufay composed music from the late Medieval era into the early Renaissance. He was born in the Duchy of Burgundy, which is today known as Cambrai, located in France. His birthplace was one of the major musical centers of the world. This area influenced many of the composers who lived during the Renaissance. Throughout his life, Dufay resided in many different Italian cities, which brought a high degree of worldliness to his music. The music of Dufay was very calm, soothing, and had direction and clear distinctions. This was in opposition to the typical music of the late Medieval era, which was often harsh and rhythmically complex. As time progressed, and musical norms started changing, so did the music of Guillaume Dufay. He began to explore the music of four voice vocal texture, which became a distinct Renaissance musical characteristic. He was one of the catalysts who helped Medieval music to move forward and transition into the Renaissance age.
1. Why don’t we know who wrote the early melodies of the Gregorian Chant and early polyphonic music? 2. Where did “Gregorian Chant” get its name? 3. Describe the difference between secular and sacred music. How was it similar? How was it different? 4. Define the following terms: Monophonic Polyphony Plainsong Secular Song Minstrel 5. Why was Guido d’Arezzo important? What was printed music like before Guido? 6. What are the five ways in which instruments were used in Medieval music? 7. Describe the relationship between Leonin and Perotin. How did Perotin continue Leonin’s work?
8. Why is Phillipe de Vitry so important? 9. Describe the life and accomplishments of Guillaume de Machaut. Directory: userfiles -> 190 userfiles -> Recovery: What's a Coach Got To Do With It? By Bill Ryan userfiles -> Title: Associate Professor userfiles -> Chief Patron Shri Avinash Dikshit Commissioner Patron userfiles -> Iccf congress, seixal, portugal 5th to 12th October 2002 userfiles -> Unit 1: Exploration and Colonization userfiles -> Ap united States History Course Description userfiles -> Note: Please look through resources very carefully. This is a controversial issue so some sources may have bias. Check carefully for the expertise or background of the writer or contributor userfiles -> Ap united states history mr. Storrs – Room 306 2009-2010 text 190 -> Name: 2013 Aurora Orchestra Bahamas Cruise 190 -> Sacred Music Secular Music (Italian, French, English, German and Spanish forms) Download 47.42 Kb. Share with your friends:
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