The Medieval Period lasted from 800-1400 AD. Music during this time was mostly religious and associated with the Catholic Church. The primary musical form was Gregorian chant, which was single melodic line music popularized by Pope Gregory. Instrumental music involved instruments like organs, vielles, lutes, recorders and drums and was often used to accompany vocal music or dances. Major composers of the time included Guillaume Dufay, Phillipe de Vitry, and Guillaume de Machaut who helped transition Medieval music into the Renaissance period.

1. Medieval Period 800-1400

2. Medieval Period Longest and most remote period About 1000 years of music Church was the main focal point Music was written in neumes Rhythm didn’t really come around until the 12 th and 13 th centuries

3. Gregorian Chant Pope Gregory started the Gregorian Chant He organized a huge repertoire of chants that were developed during the first centuries of the Christian Church Written in monophonic form Single melodic line without parts or accompaniment It is the oldest type of music

4. Vocal Music Plainsong or Plainchant Single note notation No accompaniment Written in monophonic form Secular Song Like plainsong but used triple meter Dealt with more subjects Polyphony- 2 or more vocal parts with its own importance in the music

5. Vocal Music Motet Has specific musical guidelines Plainsong sung by tenor Above it two other parts were sung in faster moving notes Hocket Form of polyphony Rests interrupted the melody line that altered between two voices Madrigal Written in two vocal parts First appeared in Italy

6. Instrumental Bowed Vielles- forerunner of viol Rebec- pear shaped Plucked Lute- most important Winds Recorders Trumpets Horns Shawm

7. Instrumental Organs Organette-small and able to move around Positive- very important, first organ that polyphonic music was composed for, couldn’t be moved 1300’s larger organs started to appear in churches Some had more than 2,500 or more pipes

8. Instrumental Percussion Drums- used mainly for military and dance Kettledrums Cylindrical drum Bells Cymbals

9. Instrumental Five ways instruments were used Vocal music was occasionally played entirely by instruments Used to double one or more vocal parts Textless music was probably intended for instruments Instrumental music was mainly for dances Substitutes for voices in music with text

10. Composers Guillaume Dufay- (1400-1474) very calm and smoothing music, helped move Medieval music into the Renaissance period Phillipe de Vitry- (1291-1361) one of the main composers of the motet Guillaume de Machaut - (1300-1377) known for Mass of Notre Dame