The document discusses different types of medieval era compositions including: 1) Lauda - simple Italian devotional songs composed for private use with a verse/refrain format. 2) Church dramas - biblical stories set to monophonic melodies for soloists and chorus, often associated with liturgical feasts. 3) Monophonic compositions were divided into four periods including St. Martial known for two-voiced organum styles, Notre Dame known for liturgical works by Léonin and Pérotin, and Ars Antiqua which continued with rhythmically active upper parts set to French texts over chant-based lower parts.

1. Medieval era
Presentation II

2. Non-liturgical
compositions
• lauda - composed for use in private devotional
• mainly simple syllabic change set in verse/refrain
format to Italian texts
• good example: Gloria in cielo e pace in terra

3. Gloria in cielo e pace in terra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRBkXnZoBOg

4. church dramas
• often called liturgical
dramas because of
association ith
liturgical feasts
• biblical stories set to
monophonic
melodies for soloists
and chorus

5. Monophonic
compositions
• Divided into four separate periods:
• St. Martial 1100-1180
• Notre Dame (1180-1260)
• Ars Antiqua (1260-1320)
• Ars Nova (1320-1500)

6. St. Martial
• St. Martial: characterized by monophonic tropes and
sequences and two-voced compositions in discant
and organum styles -
• the organum style was especially important to
development of polyphony.
• Lower part was a portion of chant melody with
original latin text set to very slow-moving rhythms
while upper part had a different latin text and a
freely composed and faster moving rhythm.

7. Notre Dame
• Known for a large body of repertoire that was written
for liturgical services at Notre Dame in Paris.
• Two composers: Léonin 1180-1190 and Pérotin,
active around 1200

9. Pérotin’s Viderunt omnes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOgLiD-NKPk

10. Ars Antiqua
• continued with rhythmically active upper parts set to
their own text over a slower moving chant based
lower part.
• upper parts often set to French texts - each part had
individual rhythmic characteristics (one faster than
the other)