Music of Antiquity and the Medieval Period

Vocabulary flashcards covering ancient instruments, early music theorists, and medieval sacred and secular musical forms.

Oral traditions

The primary method by which most ancient music was passed down by ear, leaving behind very limited direct evidence.

Surviving artifacts

Physical proof of ancient music, including ancient instruments and detailed artwork depicting musicians.

Historical records

Writings about music and a tiny amount of surviving musical notation that help reconstruct the past.

Flutes made from bird bones and mammoth ivory

Ancient instruments dated to c. 40,000 BC.

Egyptian clappers

Ancient instruments dated to c. 3000 BC.

The Lyre of Ur

An ancient instrument from modern day Iraq dated to c. 2500 BC.

Tutankhamun’s Trumpets

Ancient instruments dated to c. 3000 BC.

Egyptian harp

An ancient instrument dated to c. 1000 BC.

Mesopotamia

Ancient region that provided the first written records of music and pioneered the concept of musical genres.

Musical genres

The concept pioneered in Mesopotamia that music can be intended for different occasions.

Enheduanna

A music composer in Mesopotamia who wrote music for religious purposes.

Pythagoras

The first music theorist, who discovered that musical intervals are governed by mathematical ratios.

Plato

Greek philosopher who believed music and sports were the two most important things for education.

The Hymm of Ugarit

The earliest chant, originating from Syria c. 1800 BC.

Book of Psalms

Biblical collection dated to c. 1010 BC - 930 BC.

Seikilos epitaph

The oldest complete composition, dated to c. 100 AC.

The Medieval Period

Historical period spanning from 500 to 1400.

Chant

Also called plainchant, serving as the main example of medieval music.

Pope Gregory (540 - 604)

Pope who mandated the codification of church music via an official papal decree; he was not a musician and did not compose music.

The Memory Problem

The chaotic divergence in early church music caused by oral tradition, making it impossible for choirs to remember localized variations that shifted by time or month.

The Papal Decree

An official decree issued by Pope Gregory to document church music on paper to prevent total divergence.

Monophonic texture

A musical texture consisting of one note.

A cappella

Vocal-only music performance.

Conjunct movement

Smooth melodic motion.

The neume system

An early system of written music that visualized graphic contour and motion rather than fixed pitch.

Illuminated Initials

Enlarged massive uppercase letters of the first word of a prayer that evolved musical documentation into a major visual art movement.

The Ordinary of the Mass

The five prayers always present in the mass: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.

The Requiem

The mass for the dead.

Hilegard Von Bingen (1098 - 1179)

The first known composer of chants who worked in an abbey, wrote music in the 1100s, and created more expressive music than typical chant.

Leonin (1150 - 1201)

French composer at Notre Dame in the late 1100s who added 2-part polyphony.

Perotin (1170 - 1230)

French composer at Notre Dame in the early 1200s who expanded 2-part polyphony to 4-part polyphony.

Guillaume de Machaut (1300 - 1377)

Latest medieval crossover composer (1300s) who joined notes together in 4-part polyphony, wrote sacred and secular music, and was kicked out of the church for writing secular music.

Adam de la Halle (1245 - 1288)

First famous secular composer known, who invented musical theater and wrote his first play in the late 1200s.

Polyphony

Also known as organum, a musical movement that began in the mid to late 1100s at Notre Dame Cathedral.

Troubadours

Highly skilled traveling musicians from high nobility (such as King Richard the Lionheart) who performed light and fun music about courtly love, chivalry, and war.

Jongleurs

Church singers described as 'trashy people' who sang parodied church songs outside with trashy lyrics, irritating the church.