2. Introduction
Renaissance began on the 15th Century, in Europe,
where a massive social, cultural and religious change
was going on at that time. Renaissance means
rebirth, rebirth of music, society and rebirth of the
culture. At this time, ancient Greeks and Romans
were ‘reborn’.
Humanism was an intellectual movement based on
the idea that human beings are the centre of the
Universe. This was very different from the theological
perspective of medieval times. This idea along the
changes in religion are important to understand
music’s evolution.
Martin Luther founded Protestant Reformation. He wanted to
separate Protestants and Catholic Church. This brought
several changes to music:
Music was written in German, so everyone could
understand it.
Creation of chorale: music form based on songs with lyrics
in German that were sung at the religious service. It
became the most characteristic form of music in
Protestantism.
Another important form, were psalms. The anthem was the
music form used in the Anglican Church in England and it
was similar to the Catholic motet.
3. Music
There were two stages of vocal music:
● Religious vocal music:
○ Mass: Form of music based on the union of
sacred texts that use eucharistic liturgies.
○ Motet: Polyphonic composition without
accompaniment.
● Secular vocal music:
○ Most important form was the madrigal. It began
in Italy, was normally sung a capella, but
sometimes it held instruments as
accompaniment.
○ Other forms of secular music that developed in
Europe were: Chanson (France), lied (Germany),
romance, ensalada and villancico from Spain.
Medieval music used the instruments to reinforce the voice. In
the Renaissance, instruments began to be more important and
compositions of purely instrumental music began to appear.
Other types of instrumental compositions were the following:
Those which developed from vocal music (tiento, canzona
and ricercar).
Variations: series on a gradual modifications of a melody.
Improvisations: There is not a set rhythm, melody or
structure and it is the improvisation which makes the
music (fantasias and toccatas).
4. Dances
● Important type of
instrumental music.
● Ballroom dancing.
● Typical: pavane and galliard.
6. Important composers of that time
● The main composers of religious vocal music
were Orlando di Lasso (Italy), Tomás Luis de
Victoria and Cristóbal de Morales (Spain).
● The most important composer of madrigals
was Carlo Gesualdo.
● From the Franco-Flemish School they were
Guillaume Dufay and Josquin des Prés.
● In Rome main composers were Giovanni de
Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso.
● In Venice, Andrea Gabrieli and his nephew
Giovanni Gabrieli.
● Main composer of secular music in Spain was
Juan de la Encina.