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Medieval Period

By raymond.cipriano
  • 476

    The Fall of Rome

    The Fall of Rome
    Rome was overtaken by the Goths and leads to the fall of the Roman Empire, which gave way to the Medieval Era.
  • 476

    Introduction to Medieval Modes

    Introduction to Medieval Modes
    Each Medieval church mode has it's own unique arrangement of notes and placement on the staff; the mode can begin on any note. The authentic modes: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Mixolydian. The plagal modes: Hypodorian, Hypophygian, and Hypo ixolydian.
  • Period: 476 to 1435

    Plainchant

    Plainchant came about when the church began suppressing secular music. Plainchant could be monastic chant, Gregorian chant, Chinese chant, Russian Orthodox chant, etc. The style is characterized by monophony, lack of accomplishment, limited range, free rhythm, and use of the 8 church modes.The notes are called neumes and the text can use syllabic, pneumatic, or melismatic phrasing.
  • Period: 476 to 1435

    Medieval Period

    The Medieval Ages, also known as the Middle Ages, began at the fall of the Roman Empire. It was characterized by slow changes to life, culture, and dissemination of knowledge. The music from this time was created either to be Divine, from God, or cosmic, from the stars and planets.
  • Period: 476 to 1435

    Sacred Music

    Sacred Music was the most popular form of music that was written and produced in Medieval times. The church believed the positive or negative qualities of music could affect the character of a person. Sacred Music was shaped by the rise of Christian churches and monasteries, these works and musical styles were then preserved by the members of the community.
  • Period: 476 to 1435

    Music in the Church

    Mass was split into two parts, Ordinary and Proper. The ordinary were set text pieces like Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, or Agnus Dei. The proper were changing text pieces being the Alleluia, gradual, offertory, etc.
  • Period: 476 to 1435

    Instrumental Music

    Instrumental Music was improvised and usually used for dancing. The instruments were either soft (bas) or loud (haut). They were usually grouped by indoor or outdoor instruments. Instrumental music became more popular because of the overall improvement of it over time. Early instruments include organs, rebec, shawm, psaltery, lute, vile, crumhorns, harp, trumpet, etc.
  • 725

    Invention of the Mechanical Clock

    Invention of the Mechanical Clock
    First mechanical clock went by the name "Waterdriven Spherical Birds-Eye-View Map of the Heavens" Invented by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk and mathematician, it was developed as an astronomical instrument, but worked as a clock.
  • 800

    Early Polyphony

    Early Polyphony
    Notation of polyphony began in the Romanesque era (900-1200 CE). Organum is the first known and recorded from of polyphony.
  • 850

    The Invention of Gunpowder

    The Invention of Gunpowder
    Invented while trying to discover life-saving elixir, the Chinese discovered the use and properties of gun-powder.
  • Period: 991 to 1033

    Guido d'Arezzo

    Guido d'Arezzo is credited with "inventing the staff" and sight reading using syllables. He suggested using a red line for F and a yellow line for C, known as diastematic notation.
  • Period: 1098 to 1179

    Hildegard von Bingen

    Founder and abbess of the covent at Rupertsberg, Germany. Hildegard von Bingen was the first female composer in contemporary musicology to receive extensive scholarly research. She was famous for her prophetic powers and revelations. She began writing liturgical poetry and music, subsequently collecting and illuminating the manuscripts of her many works to use in the covent. Her music was unique, because it was so different from the style of Gregorian chant.
  • Period: 1135 to 1201

    Léonin

    Léonin was the first known significant composer of polyphonic organum. His music was usually split into two vocal pieces. His works and the works of his contemporary, Perotin, are classified as Notre Dame Organum. He was a cantor at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, credited with compiling the "Magnus liner organi" (c. 1170)
  • Period: 1155 to 1207

    Raimbaut de Vaqueiras

    Composer from southern France, served at the court in Montferrat (northwestern Italy). He wrote at least 35 powers, with only 7 surviving with music and was killed in battle servingg his Parton (1207). Known for "Kalenda Maya", which was a piece characterized by Provençal (Occitan) text and improvised percussion.
  • Period: 1200 to 1435

    Medieval Motet

    Composers began writing new texts and music, resulting in motet. It had more text, rhythmic complexity, and instrumental inclusion. They were usually written in French, Latin or both
  • Period: 1200 to 1435

    Secular Music

    Courts and cities, usually vocal (stories) and instrumental (dancing).
  • 1284

    Eyeglasses Invented

    Eyeglasses Invented
    First eyewear was invented by Salvino S'Armate around 1284. They were prescribed for hyperopia (Farsightedness) and parched on the bridge of the nose.
  • Period: 1291 to 1361

    Philippe de Vitry

    First composer and authoritative treatise of Ars nova (the 14th century). He was very accomplished, innovative, and influential. He had a new measure of method of measuring rhythm, which allowed better for syncopation and introduced the concept of time signature.
  • Period: 1300 to 1361

    Guillaume de Machaut

    Most famous composer and poet of the time.
    Attributed to one of the first polyphonic mass cycles, several extant chansons ad more than 20 extant motets.
  • Period: 1300 to 1350

    Ars Nova (14th Century)

    Ars Nova = New Art
    Composers and theorists began to speak about this "new art" with new rhythmic polyphony in the motets. The complex rhythm of the motet did not last long, but resurfaced in 20th century African music.
  • Period: 1325 to 1397

    Francesco Landini

    Music theorist, composer, poet, and organist; most famous Italian composer of the 14th century, because he was blind. Central figure of Trecento style in late medieval music.
  • Period: 1346 to 1353

    Black Plague

    Also known as the Bubonic Plague or Black Death,was one of the worlds worst pandemics; killing around 1/3 of the worlds population, over 75 million people In the 1340's. Symptoms of Bubonic plague are fever, headache, one or more swollen lymph nodes, spontaneous bleeding, and tissue death.
  • 1350

    Puis qu'en Oubli

    Puis qu'en Oubli
    Machaut's "Puis qu'en oubli" (Since I am forgotten), was a chanson rondeau, a French forme fixe. It could be characterized by modal tonality and no set system of cadences.