reformation music

Lutheran Branch

movement led by Martin Luther,

Calvinist branch

Movement led by Jean Calvin

Church of England

Movement led by King Henry VIII

Martin Luther (1488-1546)

A professor of biblical theology in Wittenberg, Germany.

Humanistic education

More freedom of thought versus acceptance of clerical authority

Luther’s belief

man saved through faith alone, and religious authority should be derived from Scripture alone

sola fide

Latin for “faith alone,”

sola scriptura

Latin for “Scripture alone”

95 theses

A set of grievances opposing, among other things, the selling of indulgences (payment for the forgiveness of sins) by the Catholic Church

Music in lutheran Church

Congregation to have a stronger role in the liturgy (he wanted everyone to sing and not just the priests and choir). Much of the liturgy was now in the vernacular.

Lutheran Chorale

Most important form of congregational singing, initially
monophonic and later harmonized into four parts

Luther Part 1

Gregorian chant

Luther part 2

devotional songs in German

Luther Part 3 - contrafactum

secular songs with new words

Luther part 4

New compositions

Jean Calvin (1509-1564)

rejected papal authority, believed in sola fide and predestination (some people predestined for salvation or damnation regardless of their earthly actions).

Calvin promoted

monophonic congregational singing, but believed only Biblical texts like psalms should be sung

Metrical psalms

are metric, rhymed, strophic translations of psalms in the vernacular set to new music or to modified chant melodies

psalters

metrical psalms published in books

Bay Psalm Book

a psalter and the first book to be published in North America in 1640

Separatists from the Church of England

emigrated to New England in 1620 and brought this tradition of psalm-singing with them

Beginning of the Church of England

Result of King Henry VIII and his desire for annulment from his wife.

Service

music for matins (~ Catholic Matins and Lauds), Holy Communion (Mass), Evensong (Vespers and Compline).

Verse Anthem

one or more solo voices with instrumental accompaniment, alternating with full choir).

Thomas Tallis (c. 1505-1585).

Moșt important mid 16"-c. English sacred music composer

William Byrd

Most important English composer of the late-16" and early-17t c. Wrote secular vocal and instrumental music, sacred music for Anglican services, and Latin masses and motets. His style masterfully combined imitative polyphony and homophony, as demonstrated in his six-voice anthem Sing joyfully unto God.

Council of Trent (1545-1563)

Catholic doctrine reaffirmed in response to the Reformation but abuses and corruption purged (Counter-Reformation).

Only four sequences preserved

Victimae paschali laudes (Easter), Veni Sancte Spiritus (Pentecost), Lauda Sion Salvatorem (Corpus Christi), Dies Irae (Masses for the Dead).

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

(1525/1526-1594)

• Leading Italian composer of music for the RCC in the 16™ c.

• Polyphony criticized for making words unintelligible, and according to legend Palestrina saved polyphony from eradication under the Council of Trent by composing the Pope Marcellus Mass in honor of Pope Marcellus II.

• He composed 104 masses, including parody, paraphrase, and CF
  masses.

• Palestrina's style praised as height of Renaissance polyphony and of church music more generally.

• Melody

like plainchant, singable, rhythmically varied, stepwise motion.

• Counterpoint -

• careful control of passing dissonances,

• cambiata

• (voice skips down a third from a dissonance rather than resolving by step).

• Text declamation

• clarity and intelligibility of text; usually one note per syllable; more homophonic textures for mass movements with lengthier texts (Gloria and Credo).

• Texture

• full-voice texture reserved for special moments in the text; word painting (e.g. all six voices sing on word "all').

• Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611):

• Most significant Spanish composer of the Renaissance; lived for two decades in Rome and adopted Palestrina's style

• Christmas motet O magnum mysterium typical of his style.

• Orlande de Lassus (c. 1532-1594):

• Franco-Flemish composer who served the Duke of Bavaria for four decades; most known for his over 700 motets, which demonstrate close attention to text setting.

• Lassus synthesized differing musical styles (various national styles and sacred and secular styles) of an entire era, making him a truly versatile composer.