Mapeh 4-quarter

• Instrumental Music


  Music performed on musical instruments, as opposed to vocal music
• Musical Instruments


  • Trumpet
  • Sackbut
  • Shawm
  • Bagpipe
  • Nakers
  • Tabor
  • Flute
  • Recorder
  • Harp
  • Fiddle
  • Lute
  • Positive organ
• Instrumental Music of the Medieval Period

  1. Varied instruments used

  2. Instruments divided into "loud" (hauts) and "soft" (bas) groups based on volume
• Hauts (loud) Musical Instruments


  • Trumpet - used for fanfares
  • Sackbut - resembles trombone
  • Shawm - reed instrument resembling oboe
  • Bagpipe - ancient instrument made from animal skin and reed pipe
  • Nakers - drum instrument played in pairs
  • Tabor - small drum made from tree trunk or metal with animal skin
• Bas (soft) Musical Instruments

  • Flute - recorder-like woodwind
  • Recorder - flute-like woodwind held vertically
  • Harp - favorite of troubadours and minstrels
  • Fiddle - bowed or plucked string instrument
  • Lute - pear-shaped plucked string instrument
  • Positive organ - principal instrument in monasteries and cathedrals
• Troubadours


  • First composer-poets to appear in southern France, northern Spain and Italy in late 12th and 13th centuries
  • Traveled from village to village, performing chivalry and courtly romantic music
  • Creators of words and melodies, played for commoners and nobility
• Trouveres


  • Musical tradition of troubadours carried to northern France
  • Composer-performers, influence reached Germany where they were called minnesingers
• Songs of troubadours and trouveres


  • Songs about love
  • Crusades
  • Dance songs
  • Spinning songs
• Notation of troubadour and trouvere melodies does not show rhythm
• Minstrels/Jongleurs


  • Acrobat performers considered lowest social level
  • Juggled, showed tricks, performed animal acts, played instrumental dances on fiddles, harps, and lutes