Unit 5

• The commencement of this genre of music is significant for it paved the way for the invention and development of musical instruments with tone qualities as people understand it today
• Instrumental music marked the beginnings of the elements of harmony, rhythm and melody that made music beautiful then and still is up to now
• Instrumental music can mimic the sound of nature so well that they can effectively stir the deepest of human emotion
• Monophonic texture


  The simplest of musical texture consisting of a melody typically sung by a single singer or played by a single instrument player without accompanying harmony or chords
• Polyphonic texture


  One type of musical texture, where a texture is the way that melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic aspects of a musical composition are combined to shape the overall sound. Polyphony consists of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody
• During the Medieval period, music was primarily vocal. Instruments were used to accompany vocal lines or to improvise instrumental dances
• Rhythm was not notated and tradition regarding sacred text, meter of the text and musical abilities of singers and instrumentalist during the Medieval period
• Harmony and tonality were not functional during the Medieval period
• Monophonic texture was predominantly used during the first period of the Medieval era
• Polyphonic texture began to be used in the middle to late medieval period
• During the Renaissance, the church was starting to lose some of its influence. Instead, the kings, princes and other prominent members of the courts were beginning to have an impact on the direction of music
• Music was performed by vocal groups (ensembles of one to eight parts) and instrumental music included ensembles (consort music) and solos (keyboard music for the organ or harpsichord) during the Renaissance
• Tempos still determined by the musician as well as the sacred character of the piece or text during the Renaissance
• Rhythm began to increase in complexity and melodic range increased during the Renaissance era
• Renaissance composers sought to blend the sound of voices and instruments and pleasing harmonies were sought
• Polyphonic texture was predominantly used during the Renaissance
• Cantus Firmus


  Firm chant, that was typically utilized in the Medieval period and was strongly founded on the Gregorian chant. Composers dropped the chants and instead incorporated secular, folk music
• Chorale


  A song that was intended to be sung by a congregation. Its original form was monophonic, which then evolved into a four-part harmony
• French chanson


  A polyphonic French song that was originally for two to four voices
• Italian madrigal


  Polyphonic secular music that was performed in groups of four to six singers who sang mostly love songs. It had served two principal roles: as a enjoyable private entertainment for small groups of skilled amateur musicians or as a small part of a large ceremonial public performance
• The Baroque is considered the late period of the Renaissance, marked by a more intricate and even unconventional visual style
• Compositions became more homophonic, meaning based on one melody with harmonic support coming from a keyboard player during the Baroque period
• Tonality was divided into major and minor during the Baroque period
• The Baroque period is also described by the upsurge of the fugue, a type of polyphonic composition based on a principal theme (subject) and melodic lines that imitate the principal theme, and of the opera, the first of which were composed around 1600
• The most famous composer of the Baroque is Johann Sebastian Bach, who might also be considered the greatest composer of any period
• Composers of the Baroque period

  • Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Antonio Vivaldi
  • George Handel
• The Baroque period saw the development of opera and instrumental music
• Basso continuo group


  Consisted of a chord-playing instrumentalist like a harpsichord or flute and bass-type instruments carrying the bassline, like a cello or double bass
• Dance suite


  Characteristic baroque form, designed for listening, not for accompanying dancers
• Rococo is the transitional period between baroque and classical music, characterized by delicate, frivolous expression designed to please than to excite the listener
• The Classical era is the era where the most influential personalities of classical music emerged
• In the Classical period, a new form of music which is highly refined, simple in melodic text and harmonic structure and coordinated by symmetrical form developed
• Composers of the Classical period

  • Mozart
  • Beethoven
  • Paganini
  • Rossini
• The Romantic Era of music is expressive, dramatic, and orchestral with rhythmic complexity and raging tempos
• Composers of the Romantic period delved on themes such as romantic love, the supernatural, and even death
• Genres of the Romantic period included concertos, operas, sonatas, and symphonies
• New and compound harmonies emerged like etude, nocturne and waltz during the Romantic period
• Leading composers of the Early Romantic period (1830-1860)


  • Berloiz
  • Chopin
  • Mendelssohn
  • Schumann
  • Liszt
  • Verdi
• The Late Romantic period (1860-1920) was highlighted by the operatic supremacy of Verdi and Wagner
• The 20th century is described as the "age of musical diversity" because composers had more creative freedom