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Period: 1390 to 1453
John Dunstable
Although not born in the era, his works greatly affected the renaissance era, because they adopted the use of more 3rds and 6ths(rather than the use of 4ths and 5ths or 2nds and 7ths from the renaissance era), this extra harmony impressed European composers because of its English quality and the style became known as triadic music. Dunstable is seen as a transitional figure because his style of music distinguished the Renaissance era from the medieval era. -
1430
Gilles Binchois(1400-1460)
Binchois wrote church and secular music a collection of 28 mass sections, 29 motets, 51 rondeaux, and 7 ballades. In 1430 Binchois joined the chapel of Philip the good of burgundy where he wrote music until his death in 1460 -
Period: 1430 to
Renaissance era
the Renaissance era is known for the rebirth in music, this rebirth came through an abundance of ideas transitioning Europe from a religious society to a more secular society that focused on the human element. This directly affected worship as musicians changed the approach in which they wrote music for the church through Hymns, Motets, and Mass(often written for the polyphonic setting which many felt enhanced worship). -
Period: 1430 to
renaissance era melodies
many melodies during the renaissance era were mostly melismatic occasionally using wide leaps for the expression of word-painting but in most cases were mainly conjunct as opposed to disjunct. In most compositions, the melody was given to the highest voice. Many secular compositions began using pre-existing melodies of plainchant and referred to them as cantus firmi, the combination of secular and sacred music later led to the catholic church calling for reform and asking composers to stop. -
Period: 1430 to
Rhythm and Harmony
Rhythms in the Renaissance era were simpler compared to those from the Medieval and Baroque. groupings of triple and duple were used next to each other as shown by the text.
Harmony during the renaissance began to focus on intervals of 3rds and 6ths, this became the distinguishing harmony of the renaissance because of a preference to consonance rather than dissonance, in cases which used dissonance were often set up to resolve into consonance. the harmonic structure was still based on modality -
Period: 1430 to
texture
four-part polyphonic music was the norm during the renaissance era and experimental excess in voicings gradually became more popular, eventually leading to vocal polyphony dominating sacred music. counterpoint is a technique that composers favored using because they took the melody and rearranged it in retrograde, inversion, augmentation, or diminution. -
1440
Guillaume Du Fay(1397-1474)
in 1440 Du Fay went to Cambrai cathedral to supervise the music. In his time, he wrote over 90 motets, 87 chansons. He is said to have developed fauxbourdon and is revered as the first important renaissance defining composer. -
1440
Invention of the Printing Press
The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg, the press allowed opportunities for musicians to make copies of musical scores and also helped preserve music -
1450
Josquin Dez Prez
regarded as the master of notes by Martin Luther in his 95 thesis, Dez Prez was a great influence on future composers and known widely for his work with motets having written over 50 motets, 65 chansons, and 18 masses. -
1450
Motets
a popular genre of the renaissance, the motet was a sacred work with Latin text, used in mass and other religious services. motets were appealing to composers because they combined texts of praise, with prayers. motets that praised the virgin mary and were popular during this era because of Europe's devotion to her -
1450
Polyphony
a major aspect of the music during the Renaissance was Polyphony. based on the principle of imitation, musical ideas are exchanged between voices often imitating each other in different registers. many composers used a fixed melody (known as Cantus Firmus) in one voice to use ornamentation in other voices. -
1477
Johannes Tinctoris publishes liber de arte contrapuncti
composer Johannes Tinctoris publishes the liber de Arte contrapunctis in which he claims a rebirth in music that he attributes Guillaume Dufay, Gilles Binchois, and John Dunstable as the founders of this new musical style. -
1517
Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther presents his ninety-five thesis (a list of reforms) to the catholic church, after which he was excommunicated from the church. In his thesis, Luther believes that monophonic congregational singing in vernacular should be the basis of Christian worship, but also encouraged his followers to polyphony to worship so it would enhance unison singing. -
1525
Pierluigi Da Palestrina(1525-1594)
writing over 100 masses and 374 motets, Palestrina was renowned for satisfying the council of Trent's recommendations and for writing the Pope Marcellus Mass. -
1545
Counter Reformation/Council of Trent
movement by the catholic church in an attempt to regulate every aspect of discipline in the church. Cardinals in the council claimed that traditional chants have been corrupt by singers adding embellishments to the melodies, and refused to use certain instruments during mass. many even called for abolishing polyphony entirely. -
Claudio Monteverdi
Monteverdi took the position of court composer to the duke of Mantua. He wrote his first operatic masterwork, Orfeo(1607) based on the Greek myth of power. Monteverdi wrote madrigals about his life, Publishing 9 books that transformed the genre into a more emotional style that highlighted the text.
