The Middle Ages 4501450

1
The Middle Ages450-1450

• Sacred and Secular Music

2
Characteristics of Medieval Music

• Sacred music was more prominent than secular
• Music was primarily vocal with instruments used
  to accompany

3
Gregorian Chantmelody set to sacred Latin texts

• Monophonic texture
• No accompaniment
• Free flowing without beat or meter
• Narrow range of pitches
• Named after Pope Gregory I, who collected and
  standardized chants in order to unify the early
  Christian Church

4
Medieval Musical Terms

• Church modes scales that served as the basis of
  western music during the Middle ages and
  Renaissance which were used in sacred as well as
  secular music
• Drone one or more long, sustained pitches used
  to accompany a melody

5
Medieval Musical Terms (cont.)

• Troubadours French noble poet-musicians who
  promoted secular music
  
• Minstrels and jongleurs wandering, low social
  status musicians who also performed acrobatics
  and juggling
  
• Estampie a quick and lively Medieval dance
  based on a single melody line and its variations

6
Medieval Musical Terms (cont.)

• Organum Early polyphony consisting of Gregorian
  chant and one or more additional melodic lines
  
• Ars Nova Musical style of the early part of the
  14th century in which the music includes notated
  rhythm and meter and polyphony and music that was
  not based on Gregorian chant

7
Medieval Musical Terms (cont.)

• Mass The collection of five sung prayers,
  including the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and
  the Agnus Dei which serve as the basis for the
  Early Christian worship service

8
Medieval Musicians

• Pope Gregory I collected and standardized chant
• Hildegard of Bingen a mystic and visionary nun
  who was active in religious and diplomatic
  affairs and who wrote poetry, music, treatises on
  theology, medicine, science and musical drama

9
Medieval Musicians (Cont.)

• Guillame de Machaut French priest, poet and
  musician who frequently presented beautifully
  decorated copies of his music to noble patrons.
  He is best known for his Notre Dame Mass which
  was the first polyphonic treatment of the mass
  ordinary.