Renaissance Music History Review (Final Exam)

Second part of the semester!!

Josquin

Franco-Flemish composer that was the most popular composer from the Renaissance. Born when the printing press was invented, so his pieces were printed and continuously played after his death. He was also considered the 1st musical genius or “divinely inspired”.

Dunstable

English composer who was most known for being the first to add 3rds and 6ths to his compositions.

DuFay

Franco-Flemish composer who is considered to be the most important composer of the Renaissance. He picked up inspiration from all over, leading him to add many things like melody, structure, 3rds, triads and 6ths to his pieces.

Gesualdo

Italian composer who was most well known for writing Madrigals that contained heavy chromaticism.

Dowland

English composer well known for his Lute Song compositions.

Luther

Created Lutherism to call out the Catholic church, stating that the Bible is the authority not the pope or the Church. He then composed Chorales for the Lutheran Church.

Chorale

Mainly a German genre, that is usually homophonic and has a metrical/regular form. Used for congregational singing, therefore there is an emphasize on text.

Tallis

English composer who was patroned by Queen Elizabeth and Henry the 8th, who was best known for his sacred music. (Anthems, Masses and Hymns)

Byrd

English composer who was the student of Tallis, who also received patronage from Queen Elizabeth. He composed all sacred styles (so NOT chorales!!)

Palestrina

Italian composer for the pope, who was considered the most important sacred music composer of the Renaissance. Contributed to the counter-reformation and was most well known for having very clear text despite his use of Polyphony.

De Victoria

Spanish composer who mainly wrote sacred music and was heavily influenced by Palestrina’s style. Considered the most famous Spanish composer of the 16th Century and used HEAVY CHROMATICISM.

Lassus

German composer who picked up many influences in his compositions due to travelling. Most well known for his sacred music despite his secular employment.

Gutenburg

Invented the printing press during 1448.

Tinctoris

Belgian composer and Music theorist who many treatis, and believed heavily in the philosophy of humanism. Some of his important contributions include writing about counterpoint and stating that 3rds are actually consonant.

Cassulana

Italian female composer who was the first woman to write a full book of Madrigals, which were all dedicated to her patron Isabella De’Medici

Isabella d’Este

Italian Patron that financially supported all aspects of art, not just music. Known as a leading figure in the Italian Renaissance as a cultural figure.

Contrafactum

A technique where composers use the same melody as a previous work while replacing the lyrics.

Motet

Renaissance Motets are usually identified as any song that is sung in Latin.

Madrigals

Italian genre that in the Renaissance that was usually through composed and Polyphonic. (Also contained stanzas)

Anthems

English genre mainly reserved for sacred music, that usually contain elaborate Polyphony. Basically just Motet’s but in English.

Humanism

The main philosophy of the Renaissance that changed the way men viewed themselves, as they believed humans were “at the top of the pyramid”. The philosophy emphasized the beauty of things, especially the human body and mind. This applied to all aspects of art.