Welcome to the Renaissance

welcome to the renaissance

prelude

• no single event started the renaissance

europe in the renaissance

• fifteenth and sixteenth centuries included the end of the hundred years' war, fall of constantinople to the ottoman turks (end of the byzantine empire), rise of western europe as a world power
• introduction of new technologies - printing press
• aim to restore learning, ideals, and values of ancient greece and rome
• end of long-standing conflicts - hundred years' war, end of byzantine empire

economy and society:

• european economy stabilized around 1400 and began to grow
• trade across great distances, towns and cities prospered
• rulers erected impressive palaces decorated with new art, hosted lavish entertainment and supported talented musicians
• merchant class/middle class started to grow
• everyone on the top end was showing off especially with art and palaces

why italy:

• italy was close to the learning and art that inspired the movement
• commercial dominance - trade with byzantinium, wealthy families, profusion of secular princes
• italian peninsula was made up of city states that were often at war with each other
• rulers of the city states sought to glorify themselves and their city's reputation by erecting the castles
• people prioritized earthly manners and personal fulfillment

rediscovery of ancient texts:

• ottoman attacks: byzantines flee to italy with ancient greek manuscripts
• greek classics translated into latin for the first time
• thinkers had broader access to classic literature and philosophy
• byzantine scholars fleeing constantinope brought ancient greek writings to italy

humanism:

• study of the humanities and things pertaining to human knowledge
• sought to revive ancient learning (poetry, grammar, rhetoric, history, moral philosophy)
• humanist education allowed the rich to move in a world that acknowledged values other than Christian morals
• brunelleschi - invention of perspective

renaissance art and architecture

• statue of david
  • nudity moves from something to be ashamed of to something that shows the beauty of the human figure
  • naturalism in line with humanism's quest to see the world as it truly is
  • reveals new interest in the individual
• art achieved greater realism through the use of perspective
  • clean lines, symmetry, proportion
• renaissance architecture prioritized clarity

musical parallels:

• range expanded to include lower and higher pitches
• coordinated separate lines of polyphonic textures through points of imitation
• took on the clarity of line and function characteristic of renaissance architecture and perspective in painting
• trying to make music sound natural, imitating the rhythms of the way people actually speak

the musical culture of the renaissance

• humanism caused a rebirth of interest in music theory's greek past
• beothius read as a classical text rather than a basis for professional training
• all important treatises were translated into latin
• renewed interest in the greek modal system - mistakenly assumed that the old greek modes were identical to the church modes and that they both had ethical effects and powers
• heinrich added four new modes (aeolian, hypoaeolian, ionian, hypoionian)
• humanists believed music and words could strengthen each other
• court chapels established
  • ensembles were hired by patrons
  • composers would also perform their music
  • scribes created copies for all the performers

music and words:

• composers tried new ways to express the content of the text
• followed the rhythm of speech and natural accentuation of syllables
• aligning words with music rather than matching syllables

music printing:

• printing press - producing books and treatises that helped spread the ideas of antiquity
• putting music into the hands of far more people

increased support for music:

• new musical institutions and support for musicians led to an unprecedented flowering of professional music making
• court chapels hired musicians and clerics, members of the chapel furnished music for church services and secular entertainments

training of musicians:

• choir schools taught singing, theory, grammar, math, other subjects
• most composers were trained as choirboys and hired as singers
• only male children were allowed in choirs
• courts employed instrumentalists, whose rights were protected by guilds
• excellent music was enjoyable in itself and valuable as a way of displaying wealth and power
• presence at courts of musicians from different lands allowed composers and performers to learn styles and genres current in other regions

cosmopolitan musicians:

• people were more interested in learning about places beyond where they were

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