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476
Medieval Church Modes
A unique arrangement of pitch relationships (whole or half step for example although not certain), categorized into 8 modes.
Authentic:
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Plagal:
Hypodorian
Hypophrygian
Hypolydian
Hypomixolydian -
476
The Fall of Rome
Considered the beginning of the Medieval Era -
476
Lute
The lute is a plucked or strummed string instrument common to accompany voice or take an instrumental place in chant. Most characteristically, the Lute has a bent neck to keep tension from snapping the neck. -
Period: 476 to 1420
Chant
Chant is a plainsong in which a melody is performed in free rhythm. Plainchant is a monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song. Most often used in the church, Chant was used in monasteries, cathedrals, and chapels as well. Usually, in Latin text, Chant was modal and A cappella (in the style of the chapel). Textual emphasis was made through long melismas to which melodies declaimed the words. Gregorian Chant was a specific Roman chant cataloged by Pope Gregory (which one is not exact). -
Period: 476 to 1450
The Middle Ages - Musical Traits
Music was extensively used in the church. Music was viewed as eithr Divine (coming from God) or Cosmic (actively being created in the movements of the stars and planets). General rules for music theory did not exist. Additionally, the way music was notated was fluid and not standardized completely. -
Period: 800 to 1000
Organum
Organum was a plainchant with an added melody which resulted in a piece sung in parallel 4ths and 5ths. -
900
Neumes
In the written staff, the notes were called neumes and do not look like modern notation. -
Period: 991 to 1033
Guido d'Arezzo
Credited with "inventing the staff", Guido d'Arezzo was a Benedictine monk and music theorist. -
1000
Invention of the staff
Credited to Guido d'Arezzo, the first staff was written in diastematic notation using 4 stacked lines one being red (F) and one being yellow (C). -
1000
Rebec
The Rebec is a bowed string instrument of the medieval and early renaissance instrument invented in the 11th century. -
1000
Earliest example of polyphonic notation (Organum)
Discovered in 2014, the earliest example of organum is believed to date back to the early 1000's. This chant was dedicated to Boniface, the patron Saint of Germany. -
Period: 1098 to 1179
Hildegard von Bingen
Hildegard von Bingen was an Abbess famous for her prophetic powers. She traveled often teaching, which was forbidden for women, and writing liturgical dramas and religious poetry. Her music has a much wider range than Gregorian Chant and included wider leaps, more expression, and might have been rhythmic. -
1100
Invention of the Compass
Invented by Chinese navigational-ist in the 12th century. -
1100
Shawm
The Shawm is a double-reed wind instrument invented in the 12th century known for its volume and for being the predecessor of the Oboe. -
Period: 1150 to 1201
Leonin
A cantor at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Leonin was the first composer of polyphonic music (whose name we know). Credited with compiling the Mangus liber organi (1170). -
1152
Alleluia, O virga mediatrix
From the morality play Ordo virtutum composed by Hildegard von Bingen -
Period: 1155 to 1207
Raimbaut de Vaqueiras
Vaqueires was a Frenchman who served the court in Montferrat and was eventually killed in battle. He wrote at least 35 poems and 7 with music that we know of. -
1163
The Notre Dame Cathedral
construction finished in Paris in 1163. -
1180
Kalenda maya
Composed by Raimbaut de Vaqueiras in the 12th century -
Period: 1200 to 1250
Perotin
Also a cantor at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Perotin was another composer of polyphonic music for the church. -
Period: 1200 to 1400
Medieval Motet
This sacred polyphonic music usually had 2 - 3 voices and included rhythmic modes as well as text in various languages. -
Period: 1291 to 1361
Philippe de Vitry
Vitry was the first composer of Ars Nova and created the treaty of new music. He was a French priest. -
Period: 1300 to 1350
The Ars Nova
Translated as "new art", this new style included rhythmic polyphony in the motets. Composers would often draw shapes with their scores as well as use the motet as a means to experiment and innovate (such as the isorhythmic motet). -
Period: 1300 to 1377
Guillaume de Machaut
French priest and composer Guillaume de Machaut was the most famous composer and poet at the time. Composed more than 20 extant motets, several extant chansons, and one of the first polyphonic mass cycles. -
1322
Ars Nova Notandi
A musical treaty outline general rules of ars nova and contained musical examples. Credited to Philippe de Vitry. -
Period: 1325 to 1397
Francesco Landini
French music theorist, composer, poet, and organist who was famously blind. Composed Trecento or new art music. -
1330
Vielle
The predecessor to the violin, the Vielle is a string instrument with a flat bridge and tuning pegs on top of the neck end. -
Period: 1346 to 1352
The Black Death Plaque
The Bubonic plague was an illness carried by fleas, passed to rats, and then to humans killing over 75 million people (one-third of the population). -
1350
Puis Qu'en Oubli
Composed by Guillaume de Machaut, "Since I am forgotten", is a chanson rondeau with no set system of cadences and even had dissonances on cadences. -
1355
Ecco la primavera
A 2 part ballata composed by Francesco Landini . -
Period: 1397 to 1474
Guillaume Dufay
First Renaissance composer -
Period: 1420 to 1497
Johannes Ockegham
Ockegham was very respected and prolific -
1425
Puisque M’Amour
Composed by Dunstable in the early 15th century, Puisque M’Amour is a Rondeau for 3 voices. -
Period: 1430 to
Renaissance - Musical Traits
Renaissance (meaning rebirth" harbored new complex currents of thought concerning arts, science, and religion. Chants were paraphrased, new rhythms were added, and the emphasis shifted from function to beauty. More voices (5-8) were becoming the norm as well as transformed melodies being in the top voice. -
Period: 1435 to 1511
Johannws Tinctoris
Tinctoris was a composer and music theorist who wrote about contemporary music and the change from medieval music to Renaissance. -
Period: 1435 to 1511
John Dunstable
Dunstable was an English composer who was known for using 3rds and 6ths in his compositions (first inversion chords). There are about 50 compositions by Dunstable that are extant but his complete works were not published until 1953 due to how much he was emmulated . -
1440
Psaltery
The psaltery is a medieval string instrument plucked almost like a harp. -
Period: 1450 to 1521
Josiquin des Prez
Prez was most revered renaissance composer especially by Martin Luther -
Period: 1452 to 1519
Leonardo da Vinci
da Vinci was an Italian artist, scientist, and inventor in the Renaissance period. -
Period: 1490 to 1562
Adrian Willaert
Willaert was considered the father of text expression -
1500
Crumhorn
Invented around the 16th century, the Crumhorn is a curved double-reed instrument often considered the predecessor to the bag pipe. -
1500
Dulcimer
A later medieval instrument, the dulcimer is a stringed instrument often plucked or hit with a hammer. -
1500
Basso Contino
Figured bass = bass line + Numbers -
Period: 1525 to
Palestrina
Palestrina was the most famous composer from the Renaissance with a Roman-style composed mostly contrapuntal liturgical music. -
1550
Theorbo
This large lute is a plucked string instrument with many bass resonance strings. Invented in the 15th century. -
Period: 1564 to
Shakespeare
Shakespeare wrote very musical plays often composed by another composer. -
Period: to
Girolamo Frescobaldi
Finest organist of the early baroque. Influenced by Bach.