Medieval Era Music Appreciation

Medieval Era Dates

circa 476 CE to 1500

3 Empires just prior to the Medieval Era

Byzantine Empire (Asio Minor, Southeast Europe)

Arab World Empire (Middle East, North Africa, Spain)

Western Europe Empire (Rome and West Europe)

Fall of Roman Empire Lead To

Beginning of Renaissance Era

Events from 1050-1300

Saw economic growth, agricultural development —> population growth three times its size

Church governed and was very powerful (basically everything)

St. Augustine - “To chant well is to pray twice!”

Events from 1315-1317

Great famine, 10% of pop. died

Religion played a huge role in these times, reflecting on music

Plainchant from 600 c.e.

Music was NON-metrical and used medieval modes (notes of chants were neither major or minor, rather modal)

Plainchant was monophonic, no harmony, biblical/liturgical text sources

Unified by Holy Roman Empire - Pope, unity was required (kinda)

Pope Gregory I, Gregory the Great

540-604

often depicted with a dove symbolizing the Holy Spirt —> chants

Hildegard von Bingen

1098-1179 Significant woman who was respected for her music (plainchant singer).

Music was inspired by intense visions, maybe divine inspiration. Sung in the Abbey so sung by women.

Polyphony in chant

Organum, counterpoint, cantus firmus. Text shared by all parts, not harmony! Lines of equal value occurring at the same time.

Sacred vs. Secular

religious vs. not

Chant Music

monophonic and sacred and use of diatonic scales, reciting tone

antiphons, melismas, unmetered, neumes (notes)

Secular Performers/Music

Troubadors, trouveres, Mennirsingerss (german)

Jongleurs - popular musicians of the time

Troubadors - performers, alba - knights/dawn song, etsampie - instrumental form of dance

Countess Beatriz of Dia

1148-1175

Language: occiton, Catalonia

Secular - courtly love

Bernart de ventodarn (1135-1194)

La donsa votz

Strophic: A A A A A

Language: Provencal(France/Spain)