(From the Fifth Book of Madrigals, 1st piece: Cruda Amarilli. Play Monteverdi cruda amarilli performance Have a listen to this madrigal by Monteverdi: Secular songs, such as the chanson, the madrigal and the German Lied (pronounced “Leed”) were very popular. Secular music in the early Renaissance was very dependent upon the courts, which could finance and support musicians. not in Latin and not determined by the structure of the Catholic Mass. (Performed by Ensemble Morales () CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)Īlthough there was a steady movement away from the church as humanistic thought increased, churches remained very important places for training musicians and singers.Īs the period went on and the Protestant Reformation gathered pace, music was written for use in Protestant churches – i.e. (Performed by The Tudor Consort (CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons)

Play Thomas Tallis Lamentations I recording Have a listen to these 2 examples of Renaissance sacred music: Modal counterpoint was the dominant composition technique (probably due to its close relationship with liturgical plainchant). Sacred MusicĮarly Renaissance music was dominated by the Latin Mass due to the supremacy of the Catholic church.Īs a result, the sacred music was mostly polyphonic masses and motets in Latin for use in church. Whilst this division has its limitations, it is quite a helpful way of gaining an overview of the period. You will often see the music of the Renaissance period divided into “Sacred” and “Secular”.

New styles and techniques developed, whilst there was also a “rebirth” of interest in ancient culture as artists and composers often drew on inspiration from Ancient Greece and Rome. It was also a time of great development in music and the arts. There was also an increase in humanistic thought, which challenged the supremacy of the church. This period was a time of great political and social upheaval – events such as the Protestant Reformation had a huge impact upon the life in the Western world. It is used to describe an age of new discoveries and exploration from c.1400-1600. The word “Renaissance” is a French term meaning “rebirth”.

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