Medieval Period Music Vocab

Vocabulary for music during the Medieval Period

feudalism

class system used in the medieval period

ex: king, lords, knights, skilled craftsmen, peasants/serfs

secular music

non-religious music. Alternative for true love. Main topic was courtly love

monophonic

one sound

polyphonic

multiple pitches

plainchant

essentially sung prayer (singing psalms)

organum

polyphonic chant in which different pitches are sung but everyone is singing the same text

motet

polyphonic song in which different pitches and different text are being sung

antiphonal

sung by alternating choirs

responsorial

soloist sings and congregation responds

direct

without alternation; everyone sings at the same time

mass

most important church service in the middle ages (where most singing was done)

sacred

church music

Offertorium