MUSC 2010 - Medieval Music

Borrowings from the Greeks:


  1. Medieval musicians borrowed three ideas from the Greeks

    1. The distinction between ________________ and ________________.

      1. CONSONANCE & DISSONANCE

    2. The “music of the spheres.” What does this term mean?

      1. The idea that the stars and planets move in musical harmony, emitting inaudible humming that expresses simple mathematical ratios

    3. Which Greek philosopher is associated with the theories of emotional and moral power of music?

      1. Plato (4th century BCE)

 


Common Elements Between Ancient Greek and Medieval Music:


  1. What are modes or church modes?

    1. Diatonic scales based on D, E, F, and G

  2. What was the texture of Ancient Greek and Medieval music?

    1. monophonic

  3. How did the Ancient Greeks and Medieval musicians indicate rhythms?

    1. Compositions had no prescribed rhythm

Roman Catholic Church

  1. Church music was collectively known as plainsong, _________________, or simply _________________

    • PLAINCHANT

    • CHANT

  2. The early form of musical notation made of dashes, dots, and curved, hook-like figures was known as _________________.

    • NEUMES

 

Gregorian Chant

  1. Pope Gregory (r. 590-604) standardized the liturgy and encouraged uniform practices for singing chant, which became known as Gregorian chant.

  2. This had the following characteristics:

    • Church modes, which are not based on the _______________ or ____________ scale.

    • MAJOR or MINOR

  3. Singing together in _____________ or with a singer who alternates with a choir which is called ____________________________.

    • UNISON ; RESPONSORIAL

  4. There are no _____________________________________ in Gregorian chant to help orient us in time.

    • RECURRING RHYTHMIC PATTERNS

  5. There are no notated ____________________________.

    • INSTRUMENTS

  6. There is also no ________________________, only a single melodic chant line.

    • HARMONY

 

The Divine Office and the Mass

  1. What is the difference between the Divine Office and the Mass?

    • DIVINE OFFICE: daily services that occurred at regular intervals

    • MASS: celebrated in the morning - share bread and wine in communion 

  2. What is the difference between the Proper and the Ordinary of the Mass?

    • PROPER: changed from day to day

    • ORDINARY: same texts read day to day

 

Medieval Christmas Music: Viderunt omnes

  1. Middle Ages- highpoint of celebrating Christmas would have been the Mass for Christmas day

  2. Listening Map: Viderunt omnes (4th C.E.) by Anonymous

  3. This is an example of a(n) _______________________, a Proper chant that is sung between the Epistle and Gospel readings.

    • GRADUAL 

  4. What is the term for holding out one syllable over several different notes?

    • MELISMAS

  5. What is the texture of this music?

    • MONOPHONIC


Chapter 8: Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

 

Life and Work

  1. What was Hildegard’s profession?

    • Nun

  2. How did she learn to read and write?

    • She had an epiphany and dedicated herself to the scriptures

  3. What were her interests?

    • Theology, poetry, natural sciences

  4. How do we know about Hildegard today?

    • The 900th anniversary of her work

 

Music

  1. Most of Hildegard’s music was written for what purpose?

    • “Feather floating on the breath of God” - divine inspiration

  2. Listening Map: O virdissima virga (twelfth century) by Hildegard of Bingen

  3. In what ways does Hildegard’s O virdissima virga reflect the characteristics of Gregorian chant outlined in the previous chapter?

    • Monophonic chant

    • Melismas


Chapter 9: Léonin and the Rise of Polyphony

 

Monophony vs. Polyphony

  1. How did monophony evolve into polyphony?

    • Experimental centers of Gregorian chant in England, France, and Spain

  2. Setting musical lines against each other is the art of _________________.

    • Counterpoint

  3. What new challenge emerged with simultaneously sounding vertical pitches?

    • To create music pleasing in harmony as well as in melody

  4. What is a chord?

    • Two or more notes sounded simultaneously

 

Organum

  1. What is organum?

    • Early medieval polyphony, in which freely composed part or parts are added to a pre-existing chant

  2. Léonin (c. 1135-1201)

  3. Who was Léonin, and how did he contribute to the development of polyphony?

    • Likely a priest or a poet

    • “Best maker” of organum

    • Created polyphony for chants

  4. What is the Magnus liber (Great Book)?

    • The compositions of Leonin

 

Making Connections: Gothic Architecture

  1. What three architectural innovations made gothic cathedrals possible?

    • Pointed arch

    • Flying buttress

    • Ribbed vault

  2. Why did cathedrals become centers of new polyphony and experimentation?

    • Created vertical spaces for vertical harmonic dimensions

 

 

Listening Map: Viderunt omnes by Léonin

  1. What is a cadence, and how many cadences are heard in Viderunt omes?

    • A series of notes that suggests a musical pause or point of arrival

  2. Why did Léonin need to use rhythmic notation in his polyphonic compositions?

    • Keep voices in sync

  3. How does this excerpt address harmony?

    • Upeer and lower tones combine into one sound

  4. What types of musical textures does Léonin use to create distinct musical sections?

    • Slower moving lower voice & agile upper voice

  5. How does Léonin reconcile the paradoxical needs to compose freely, yet also observe traditions and rules about how to compose?

    • He combines existing chants with new monophonies to create a polyphony


Chapter 10: Secular Medieval Music

 

Music Outside Cathedrals and Monasteries

  1. Secular music took the form of music for:

    • Court occasions

    • Secular love songs

    • Dances and other types of popular entertainment

 

Why wasn’t secular music preserved as well as sacred music?

  • It was transmitted by oral tradition or improvised as needed

 

Musical Instruments

  1. Some of the musical instruments that contributed to medieval music fall into the following categories. Name at least one medieval instrument in each category.

  2. Plucked string instruments

    • Lutes, harps, early guitars

  3. Bowed string instruments

    • Fiddles, rebecs

  4. Wind instruments

    • Flutes, shawms, bagpipes

  5. Percussion instruments

    • Bells, triangles, drums

  6. What was the most complex medieval instrument?

    • organ

 

Secular Medieval Song

  1. Much secular medieval song was performed in __________________________.

    • European courts

  2. What is the term for the strict social code of behavior in European courts?

    • chivalry

  3. What was courtly love?

    • Love between a knight and a noblewoman

  4. The troubadours were a type of medieval poet-musicians from the south of France.

  5. What was the name for medieval poet-musicians from the north of France?

    • Trouveres


Chapter 11: Machaut and the Rise of Secular Polyphony

 

Secular Polyphony

  1. What is a motet?

    • A polyphonic vocal composition developed in the 13th century - ties to Notre Dame organum

  2. How does Ars nova differ from the music that came before?

    • It explored independent rhythms in different voices

 

 

Guillaume de Machaut (ca. 1300-1377)

  1. Why was Machaut famous during his lifetime?

    • He was a court diplomat who served French and Bohemian kings

  2. What are chansons?

    • French for song; a song with a secular French text

 

 

Listening Map: Puis qu’en oubli sui de vous (1365) by Machaut

  1. What is a rondeau?

    • French form of secular song and poetry of the 14th & 15th centuries

  2. How many different melodies are used in the form of this song?

    • Two parts

  3. This song ends on a cadence on a___________________________ chord.

    • Consonant