2. Music of the Medieval Period
(700 – 1400)
The Medieval period is also
known as the Middle Ages
or ―Dark Ages that started
with the fall of the Roman
Empire. During this time,
the Christian Church
influenced Europe’s culture
and political affairs.
4. Monophonic
Monophonic texture is the
simplest of the three main
types of texture, the other
two being homophonic and
polyphonic texture. Its
name comes from the Greek
words mono, meaning “one,”
and phonic, meaning
“relating to sound.”
Monophonic plainchant was named after Pope
Gregory I, who made this the approved music of the
Catholic Church. Pope Gregory’s action made
monophonic plainchants popular. Although it was
originally transmitted orally, scholars agreed to put it
in notation to assist dissemination of chants across
Europe.
5. Free Meter
Many forms of Medieval music, such
as Gregorian chant, were not
composed in a meter in the way that
we understand it today. This means
that the rhythm was flexible and did
not adhere to a strict, predictable
beat pattern. Free meter allowed for
a fluid, speech-like setting of the
text, often aiming to support the
liturgical function of the music.
6. Modal
Instead of the major and minor
scales that dominate Western
classical music today, Medieval
music was based on modes. These
were scale patterns that originated
from ancient Greece. Modes were
used to create melodies and had
their own unique 'flavors' or
emotional characters. The use of
modes contributed to the distinct
sound of Medieval music.
7. Usually Based on Latin
Liturgy
The Roman Catholic Church played a
a dominant role in European life during
during the Medieval Period, and much
much of the surviving music from this
this era is religious in nature. Latin was
was the language of the Church, and so
and so a large portion of Medieval
music was written to Latin texts, often
often for use in the liturgy (the set of
of rituals, prayers, and hymns used in
in worship services).
8. Use of Neume Notation
Neumes were an early form of musical notation
notation used to notate Gregorian chant and other
other monophonic music. Unlike modern notation,
notation, which specifies the pitch, duration, and
and timing of each note, neume notation was less
was less precise. It was more of a memory aid to
aid to help singers remember melodies they had
had already learned by rote. Neumes indicated the
indicated the general shape of a melody but did
did not specify exact pitches or rhythms, leaving
leaving some elements up to the interpretation of
interpretation of the performer.
These characteristics together define the unique
unique and rich tapestry of Medieval music, laying
laying the foundation for developments in
Western music that would follow in the
subsequent Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and
and Romantic eras.
12. Timeline
Title
To start a presentation, go to
the Slide Show tab, and select
From Beginning.
Title
To display Presenter view, in
Slide Show view, on the control
bar at the bottom left select the
three dots, and then Show
Presenter View.
Title
During your presentation, the
speaker notes are visible on
your monitor, but aren't visible
to the audience.
Title
The Notes pane is a box that
appears below each slide. Tap it
to add notes.
Title
If you don’t see the Notes
pane or it is completely
minimized, click Notes on the
task bar across the bottom of
the PowerPoint window.
