Unit 6: Classical music in Practice

Assignment title: Renaissance Music

Task 1 The Development of Western Art Music through the Renaissance Period The renaissance period was a period of cultural movement that affected the Europeans intellectual overview of life completely in the early modern period. Beginning in Italy it spread to the rest of Europe its influence was felt in topics such as history, literature, philosophy, art, and politics and had an immense on the development of classical music in particular. Then here begins the birth of Renaissance music. Its notable birth was around 1400 around the end of the medieval era and ended at the beginning of the baroque, which was around 1600. Renaissance music was mainly split up into two types of music, which was Sacred, and Secular music. Furthering in the explanation of sacred music and secular music. Firstly sacred music is music composed for religious use or through religious influence. Musical features of sacred music in Renaissance include songs/pieces with lots of vocal harmonies, it is primarily a vocal piece, due to fact it is a vocal piece it features no instrumental accompaniment and has modal quality in oppose to tonal quality. Musical features in Secular music was much more melodic as the melodic passages were more consistent making it more tuneful. It was not limited in the music creativity and this includes more harmonic variation and lyrical content. Sacred music developed though experimental polyphony in terms of chant where melodic lines were performed simultaneously in contrast to the monophony of the Gregorian chant, which was formed by the influence in the development of Renaissance music, in addition there was a renewed study on the classical Latin language which influenced composers created music that closely fitted the meaning and the rhythm of that text and as times evolved sacred music took over where the theme was the biggest change where the lyrics became more non-religious aswell as composers experimented over freer forms. One of the most notable and credible individuals was a composer who went by the name of Guillaume de Mauchaut who wrote both secular and sacred music. The main musical characteristics of Renaissance music included: Music based on Modes, Richer textures in four or more parts, Blending rather than

contrasting strands in the musical texture and harmony with greater depth with the progressions of chords. Common sacred genres were the mass which is a form of sacred composition commonly a choral composition, a motet which is a polyphonic choral composition on a sacred text usually without instrumental accompaniment, a madrigal with a more secular like text in oppose to a sacred text topics in madrigal often included love. Instrumental music in secular music included consort music for recorder or viol. Renaissance music then sparked the birth of baroque music where secular music influenced the new polychoral style as well as the development of the following styles madrigals, and opera. The Development of Baroque ,Romantic and classical music The word "baroque" comes from the Italian word "barocco" which means bizarre. This word was first used to describe the style of the architecture in Italy during the 17th and 18th century. Later on the word baroque was used to describe the music styles of the 1600s to the 1700s. The Baroque period was a time when composers experimented with form, styles and instruments. This period saw the development of opera and instrumental music. The violin was also considered an important musical instrument during this time. The musical features that developed from baroque music included Rhythm: The rhythmic patterns at the beginning of Baroque compositions were often reiterated many times throughout baroque compositions. This relentless drive compelled the music to push forward. The sort of forward motion was hardly ever interrupted. This rhythm was also far more distinct in baroque music. Melody: The melody is heard over and over again in baroque music. Even if the character of baroque pieces are constant, and the passage is varied. Many baroque melodies are complex and elaborate. They are not easy to sing or play. Baroque melodies give and impression of dynamic expansion rather than balance. It gives a whole feeling of a jumble yet a theme is easy to point out. Terraced Dynamics: The dynamics of the piece also stay constant for some period of time before it shifts to another level. When the dynamics shift, it is sudden . Therefore, terraced dynamics are a distinctive quality of baroque music. Gradual changes such as crescendo and diminuendos are unheard of this is partly due to the fact that the manuals of the keyboards instrument then were able to provide only the loud or the soft sound. They were not able to provide the in between sound.

Texture: Late baroque music where often and dominantly polyphonic in texture : As the melodic line that would happen in one voice would happen in other voices as well. Basso continuo and figure bass: In any baroque piece, it was common to see figured basses, little numbers at the bottom of the stave, which indicates the chords that the basso continuo player must play. The basso continuo consists of the cello and the harpsichord. Romantic music The Romantic period was during the late 18th to the mid-19th century. Romantic music emphasized emotion and imagination. Rhythm Rhythmic patterns in Romantic music consisted of many changes in tempo and rubato these features are mostly commonly displayed in notable Chopin etudes or his preludes such as Black keys and Fantaisie impromptu where there is great presence of a rubato feel. Melody Within Romantic the melodic variation is complex as it very disjunct in oppose to conjunct containing appregiated qualites within the melody aswell as fast scalar passages. Making reference to Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu Op66 where melody based on a C# harmonic minor scale in 16 notes. Harmony The harmonic quality in romantic music is somewhat very rich and very rich chromatic as unpredictable this was due to the development on harmonic possibility where romantic composers felt free to draw on harmonic substitutions.

Dynamics Romantic music used a wide range of dynamics with lots of crescendo and decrescendo and mood changes where very dramatic and frequent.

Instrumentation in Romantic Music Instruments used during the Romantic period were large orchestras, piano, English horn, bass clarinet, trombone, and tuba in oppose to the aro!ue and the renaissance period where the orchestras were !uite small. Composition styles Composition styles used were the symphony, concerto, chamber music, opera, oratorio, church music, and piano works. Important Romantic composers were Beethoven, Schubert, von Weber, Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Schumann, Franck, Verdi, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Faure, Dvorak, Rachmaninoff, Puccini, Wagner, Richard Strauss, and Bruckner.

Classical Music
The "lassical period was #rom 1$%&-18'%. (usic during this period was light and elegant. Rhythm, )armony and (elody In the classical period they used a steady rhythm with a simple melody and harmony. This meant they usually stayed in common time *+,+- where rhythmic techni!ues such as rubato where less common. (elodies were more con.unct and harmonic progressions where /ery diatonic within ma.or and minor. 0ynamics The dynamics were more moderate in the classical period and there was little change in mood. (a1ing crescendos and diminuendos less apparent. Instrumentation Instruments used during the "lassical 2eriod were the piano, /iolins, #lute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, horn with /al/es, and timpani drum. "omposition styles "omposition styles used were the symphonies, concertos, string !uartets, chamber music, operas, oratorios, and 1eyboard wor1s. Important "lassical composers are 3uantz Rameau, 0ominico 4carlatti, "arl 2hillip Emanuel ach, 5ohann "hristian ach, 6ilhelm 7riedemann ach, 6ol#gang 8madeus (ozart, 7ranz 5oseph )aydn, and 9udwig /an eetho/en.