Music History - Middle Ages & Medieval Period

Dates for Middle Ages

400-1400 C.E.

This was a time of warfare, religious devotion and royal pageantry.

Middle Ages or Medieval Period.

Music in the Medieval period was composed and performed for which two purposes?

Sacred or Secular

What does Sacred mean?

Religious

What does Secular mean?

Non-Religious

The earliest form of sacred music was called what?

Plainchant or Plainsong

What language was used for Plainchant / Plainsong?

Latin

The square notes that Pope Gregory I used to write music for church services on a four-line staff are called what?

Neumes

Plainchant or Plainsong is ofter referred to as what other name?

Gregorian Chant (named after Pope Gregory I)

Hildegard von Bingen, Perotin, and Guillaume de Machaut are three important composers of which time period?

Medieval Period Composers

Monophonic Music

This type of composition refers to music that uses a single unaccompanied melody sung in unison. This music also was written without a fixed rhythm or meter. No temp markings or dynamics were notated and was composed in modes.

Polyphonic Music

Music in which two or more melodies sound simultaneously

Plainchant / plainsong is monophonic or polyphonic?

Monophonic

Lute

Wandering minstrels performed secular music while singing and playing this guitar-like instrument.

Lute

Trumpet and Shawm

These two instruments were used during noble ceremonies and battles that required loud sounds.

Shawm

Double reed instrument, similar to the oboe, used in the medieval, RENAISSANCE, and BAROQUE PERIODS.

Trumpet

Organ (instrument)

A keyboard instrument in which bellows force air through pipes to produce sound. This was the primary instrument played in churches during the Medieval Period.

Rote

Before print, music was shared/passed along by rote (ear / memorization)

Guido d'Arezzo

Medieval composer from Italy; Inventor of handsign solfege

Antiquity Music era

Music era, 4000 years ago, when music was used for communication and signaling.

Egyptian Music during this time period used what instruments?

Lutes, lyres, and harps

Hebrew music during this time period used what instrument?

shofar (Ram's Horn)

Chinese music during this time period used what instruments?

Ch'in (zither family)

Greek music during this time period used what instruments?

Aulos

The Medieval Era used the church service known as the _______?

Mass

Secular music of the Medieval Era was performed by _______?

Minstrels

What HYMN style became popular around 1500?

Chorale

Medieval Monasteries and cloisters

Preserved the learning and transmitting of the ancient world. They helped the church to take ownership of music.

Syllabic (monophonic music)

One pitch per syllable of sung music

Neumatic (monophonic music)

Several pitches (2 -3) per syllable of sung music

Melismatic (monophonic music)

Many pitches (3+) per syllable of sung music

How many Plainchant melodies still exists today?

There are over 3,000 surviving plainchant melodies still surviving today

Music of this time period was written in what modes?

Church Modes (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aolean, Locrian)

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

A German nun, religious thinker, philosopher, visionary and composer who wrote many liturgical songs.

Pope Gregory the Great (590-604) is most notably remembered for?

Collected and numbered a collection of over 3,000 plainsongs, thus became known as "Gregorian Songs"