MUSIC 9

Vocal and Instrumental Music of

Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque
Periods
Quarter 1 – Week 1 & 2

Lesson 1: Vocal and Instrumental Music of Medieval, Renaissance

and Baroque Periods
MUSIC OF THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD (700-1400)

The Medieval period was also known as Middle Ages or “Dark Ages”
which started with the fall of the Roman Empire. During this era, the
Christian Church was greatly influenced by Europe’s culture and political
affairs.
A monophonic plainchant known as Gregorian Chant was named
after Pope Gregory I, who made this an approved music of the Catholic
Church. Pope Gregory’s action made these monophonic plainchants popular
during the period.
MUSIC OF THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD (1400 – 1600)

The term Renaissance came from the word renaitre which means
“rebirth”,“revival”, and “rediscovery”.
With the emergence of the bourgeois class, renaissance music became
more popular as entertainment and activity for amateurs and the educated.
Though sacred music was still of great importance, secular music became
more popular in this period. Renaissance period was also known as the
“golden age” of a capella choral music.
.

MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE PERIOD (1685 – 1750)

Composers during this period were George Friedrich Handel,

Johann Sebastian Bach, Claudio Monteverdi, and Antonio Vivaldi.
During this time, the arts highlighted grandiose and elaborate
ornamentation which were clearly seen in the musical compositions
created by Baroque composers.
New instrumental techniques, changes in musical notation and the
major and minor tonality were also applied in this era. A lot of the musical
terms and concepts that evolved in this era are still used in music of today.
 Summary

The first three periods of Western Music History are classified as Medieval, Renaissance,
and Baroque. Each period has its distinctive characteristics, historical and cultural background.
A type of music from the Medieval Era is Gregorian Chant, which was mainly used in the
early Christian church.
Music during the Renaissance Period became an important leisure activity. Members of
the upper class were expected to have received musical training. Imitative polyphony is the
distinctive characteristic of Renaissance music.
The Baroque Period is characterized by grand and elaborate ornamentation of
sculptures, theaters, arts and music. The music genres which flourished during the Baroque
Period were the Concerto, the Fugue, the Oratorio and the Chorale.
Music evolved alongside with man’s constant quest for growth and development.

 Performance Practices of Medieval, Renaissance and

Baroque Periods
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
SACRED MUSIC
 Often accompanied by instruments and its rhythmic character was marked but the sung
prayers were often unaccompanied.
 Exclusion of women, elevation of unison singing and exclusion of instruments served to
establish a clear differentiation between the musical performance on the synagogue and
that of the street.
 Choir – group of singers, composed solely of men and boys who assumed the musical role of
answering and contrasting the solo singing of the pries

SECULAR MUSIC
 Several groups of Medieval performers developed literary and musical genres based on
vernacular texts (Jongleurs)
 Travelling performers in Western Europe sang, did tricks and danced to earn their living
 Troubadours in the south of France, Trouvere in the North and Minnesingers (a class of
Artist-Knights) sang love songs with religious fervour.

RENAISSANCE PERIOD
 Invention of Music Printing helped in the concept improvisation within the performance
practice
 Printed descriptions of instruments and their discussions of tuning and technique
supplied the needs of professional and non-professional musicians
 Instrumental, vocal and combined performance both on Sacred and Secular Music
  Dissemination of Chansons, Motets and Masses of polyphonic practice into the fluid
style
 Churches and aristocratic courts hired musicians as composers, performers and teachers
 Composers found ways to make vocal music more expressive of the texts they were
setting
 Secular music absorbed techniques from Sacred music and vice versa

BAROQUE PERIOD
 Common-practice tonality (Harmony, Rhythm and Duration)
 Composers experimented with finding a fuller sound for each instrumental part
(Orchestra)
 Orchestra consists of Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Keyboards and Percussions
(Harpsichord, Organ, Recorder, Cello, Cornett, Timpani, Tambourine, etc

 Musical Elements of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque

Periods
MEDIEVAL PERIOD

GREGORIAN CHANTS (Sacred Music) TROUBADOUR MUSIC (Secular Music)

MONOPHONIC USUALLY MONOPHONIC

FREE METER SOMETIMES WITH IMPROVISED

ACCOMPANIMENT

MODAL TELLS OF CHIVALRY AND COURTLY LOVE

USUALLY BASED ON LATIN LITURGY ORIGINATED IN FRANCE

USE OF NEUME NOTATION WRITTEN IN FRENCH LANGUAGE

RENAISSANCE PERIOD
Characteristics of Renaissance Music:
 Mostly polyphonic
 Imitation among voices is common
 Use of word painting in texts and music
 Melodic lines move in a flowing manner
 Melodies are easier to perform because they move along a scale with a few large leaps
 MADRIGAL – a secular vocal polyphonic music composition which originated in Italy and sung
during courtly social gatherings. It is the most important secular form during the Renaissance
period.
Characteristics of the Madrigal:
 Polyphonic
  Sung a cappella
 through-composed\
 Frequently in 3 to 6 voices
BAROQUE PERIOD
Characteristics of Baroque Music:
 Melodies sound elaborate or ornamental and are not easy to sing or remember\
 Primarily contrapuntal textures with some homophony\
 Dynamic contrast – alternation between loud and soft\
 Orchestra consists of strings and continuo; harpsichord and organ are the keyboard instruments
that are commonly used

 Other Art Forms of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque

Music
There are other art forms that would relate to Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Music
and its History. When you think about the arts, we can directly say or incorporate them with
painting, sculpture, architecture, dance and literature to name a few.
Medieval Arts were represented by the Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic Era.
Byzantine art made to glorify the Christian Religion and to express its mystery. It was filled with
spiritual symbolism and illustrated a love of splendour. It was a combination of Eastern
(decorative art forms) and Classical Western Art (naturalistic art). Romanesque art was
characterized by its very vigorous style in painting and sculpture, lavishly decorated
manuscripts and retained many basic features of Roman Architectural styles. It was greatly
influenced by Byzantine Art with a highly innovative and coherent style. Gothic Art reinforced
symbolic meaning.
Renaissance Arts covered artworks produced during the 14 th, 15th and 16th centuries in
Europe. It pertains to arts, particularly in Italy, such as sculptures, paintings, music, architecture
and literature. The common subject of this period is human philosophy. Renaissance art was
characterized by accurate anatomy, scientific perspective and deeper landscape.
Baroque was a period of artistic styles in exaggerated motion, drama, tension and
grandeur. Paintings illustrated key elements of Catholic dogma, either directly in Biblical works
or indirectly in imaginary or symbolic work. Sculptures were typically larger than life size and
was marked by a similar sense of dynamic movement along with an active use of space.
Architecture was designed to create spectacle and illusion; thus, the straight lines of the
Renaissance were replaced with flowing curves. Dance Suite, a collection of dance music, was
introduced and made popular in this period such as Minuet, Polonaise, Overture, Bourree,
Gavotte. Gigue, Reigaudon and many others.

 Vocal and instrumental music of medieval, renaissance and

baroque periods
 Music during Medieval period consists mainly of songs and instrumental pieces
that is based on sacred text and settings though secular music was slowly evolving about
500 A.D. to 1400. Music that uses monophonic plainchant is called Gregorian chant.

In the Renaissance Period, music became a vehicle for personal expression.

Composers found ways to make vocal music more expressive of the texts they were
setting. Secular music absorbed techniques from sacred music, and vice versa. Popular
secular forms such as the chanson and madrigal spread throughout Europe. Courts
employed virtuoso performers, both singers and instrumentalists. Music also became
more self-sufficient with its availability in printed form. Instruments during this period
were acquired from the previous era but with improvements and innovation, only to be
recreated in order to perform music of the period on authentic instruments.
Musical instruments used in Baroque music were partly used already before,
partly are still in use today, but with no technology. The important instruments that
were developed during this period were harpsichord and organ.

During the Middle Ages, most of the music was vocal and unaccompanied. The
church wanted to keep music pure and solemn because it was less distracting. The
oldest Medieval musical instrument was the human voice. The spread of Christianity in
the Dark Ages and the early Medieval period led to the popularity of hymns and secular
songs.
During the Renaissance period, most of the musical activity shifted from the
church to the courts. Musical instruments used during this period include the cornett,
harpsichord, and recorder. A musical instrument called shawm was used for dance
music and outdoor events.
String instruments such as the lute, violin, viola, cello and double bass were used
during the Baroque period. Brass instruments like the trumpet, horn and sackbut were
used. Popular wind instruments included the recorder, flute, oboe and bassoon.
Baroque keyboard music was often composed for the organ or harpsichord.

 Gregorian Chant- is a style of church music with a single line in free rhythm and
restricted scale developed in Latin liturgy
 Madrigal- a popular secular vocal genre of music where the lyrics are based on poetry
usually performed acapella and in polyphonic texture
 Concerto- one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra in a musical work

Prepared by: Ms. Roselle Andrade Bautista

Subject Teacher
Facebook Account: Roselle Andrade
Bautista
Cell phone #: 09260635856/09203983626
 Note: Write your answers on the activity sheet
provided. Submit the only ACTIVITY SHEET after you
finish answering. Thank you and Stay safe.

ANSWER SHEET/ACTIVITY SHEET

Name: _____________________________________ Grade & Section: ___________
Score: _________

PRE-TEST
To assess what you know about the vocal and instrumental music of the Medieval, Renaissance
and Baroque Periods, answer the following:
IDENTIFICATION: Write the correct answer on the space provided before the number.
____________________ 1. Monophonic plainchant named after Pope Gregory I.
____________________ 2. French word which means Rebirth, Revival or Rediscovery.
____________________ 3. Travelling secular performers from North of France.
____________________ 4. Portuguese word which means Pearl of Irregular Shape.
____________________ 5. A period known as Middle Ages or Dark Ages.
____________________ 6. A period known as the Golden Age of A Capella music.
____________________ 7. Prominent instrument during the Renaissance Period.
____________________ 8. Famous composer of the Medieval Period.
____________________ 9. Give at least one famous composer of the Renaissance Period.
____________________ 10. Give at least one famous composer of the Baroque Period.

ACTIVITY 1: MATCHING TYPE. Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of your
choice on the space provided before the number.

COLUMN A COLUMN B

_____ 1. PAINTING A. An art and science of designing buildings and other

physical structures.

_____ 2. SCULPTURE B. An art form created by the movement of the human

body performed on a stage to an audience
utilizing costumes, scenic design and lighting.

_____ 3. ARCHITECTURE C. Application of pigments to a support surface that

establishes an image, design or decoration.
_____ 4. THEATRE D. A branch of the visual arts that operates in three
dimensions through carving and modelling, in
stone, metal, ceramics, wood and other materials.

_____ 5. BALLET E. Collaborative form of performing art that uses live

performers to present the experience of a real
or imagined event in a live audience in a specific
place or stage.
ACTIVITY 2: MULTIPLE CHOICE. Encircle the letter of your choice.
1. Art was purposely made to glorify the Christian Religion and to express its mystery.

A. Romanesque Art B. Byzantine Art C. Gothic Art

2. It reinforces symbolic meanings and its underlying philosophy is to create building of height and light.

A. Romanesque Art B. Byzantine Art C. Gothic Art

3. It is characterized by its vigorous style in painting and sculpture, lavishly decorated manuscripts and
retained many basic features of Roman Architectural Styles.

A. Romanesque Art B. Byzantine Art C. Gothic Art

4. It pertains to arts particularly in Italy such as sculptures, painting, music, architecture and literature.
The most common subject of this period is Human Philosophy.

A. Medieval Period B. Renaissance Period C. Baroque Period

5. The arts of this period are more elaborate and fuller of emotion.

A. Medieval Period B. Renaissance Period C. Baroque Period