Playlist Project Template: Middle Ages, Renaissance, 1 Name

Playlist Project Templatemiddle Ages Renaissance1 Name Of Middle A

Playlist Project Template Middle Ages/ Renaissance 1. Name of Middle Ages piece – Composer name – link or where you found recording Paragraph re: why you chose this piece & how this piece fit the characteristics of this style period of music. 2. Name of Middle Ages piece – Composer name – link or where you found recording Paragraph re: why you chose this piece & how this piece fit the characteristics of this style period of music. 3. Name of Renaissance piece – Composer name – link or where you found recording Paragraph re: why you chose this piece & how this piece fit the characteristics of this style period of music. 4. Name of Renaissance piece – Composer name – link or where you found recording Paragraph re: why you chose this piece & how this piece fit the characteristics of this style period of music. References: Cite your references in MLA format. All playlists can use the textbook at least as a reference. Youtube links are given credit in the grade for the work and do not count as a reference. Follow this template for all future playlist projects, but use the following #’s of songs per each period/genre. Baroque – 4 Classical – 4 Romantic – 4 – at least 1 but at most 2 works need to be American 20th Century – 4 – 2 serious music & 2 Beyond the Concert Hall

Paper For Above instruction

The transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance marks a significant evolution in Western music, reflecting profound changes in musical style, composition, and cultural context. This paper explores representative pieces from both periods, illustrating the distinctive characteristics that define each era and demonstrating how these compositions embody their respective musical trends.

Middle Ages Music: Characteristics and Selected Pieces

The Middle Ages, spanning roughly from the 5th to the late 15th century, was characterized by a predominantly vocal tradition with modal melodies, monophonic textures, and a focus on spiritual and religious themes. Composers during this period, although largely anonymous, crafted music that emphasized plainchant and early polyphony. The use of modes, limited rhythmics, and simplicity were central to medieval music, aiming to evoke divine transcendence and communal participation.

One exemplary piece from this period is “Sumer Is Icumen In,” attributed to anonymous Anglo-Saxon composers. This medieval rota showcases early polyphony and cyclical musical structure, highlighting the communal and celebratory aspects of medieval music. The lively rhythm and repetitive melodic lines exemplify the modal scales and emphasis on vocal repetition characteristic of the period.

The “Notre Dame Mass” by Guillaume de Machaut exemplifies the development of polyphony during the late Middle Ages. Its intricate vocal textures and use of isorhythm illustrate the period's experimentation with harmony and rhythm, setting the stage for Renaissance innovations.

Renaissance Music: Characteristics and Selected Pieces

The Renaissance, from roughly the 14th to the 17th century, saw a flourishing of polyphony, a greater emphasis on harmony, and the emergence of secular music alongside sacred compositions. The period was marked by the use of imitation, increased musical complexity, and expressive text setting to enhance emotional connection. Vocal music remained dominant, with the development of more sophisticated choral and madrigal forms.

An iconic Renaissance piece is Josquin des Prez’s “Ave Maria … Virgo Serena,” notable for its imitative polyphony and expressive clarity. This piece demonstrates the Renaissance ideals of balance, clarity, and emotional expression, with careful text setting and smooth melodic lines that illustrate the period's craft.

Another example, “Pope Marcellus Mass” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, exemplifies the Counter-Reformation ideals with its clear textures, consonant harmonies, and careful balance between voices, embodying the Renaissance’s focus on sacred music that elevates spiritual contemplation.

Conclusion

These selected pieces from the Middle Ages and Renaissance illustrate the evolution of Western music from monophonic chant and simple melodies to complex polyphonic compositions characterized by imitation and expressive harmony. Understanding these works provides insight into how musical aesthetics and cultural values shaped musical development, laying the groundwork for subsequent periods such as the Baroque and Classical eras.

References

• Child, Elizabeth. Music and the Middle Ages. Cambridge University Press, 1998.
• Grove, George, and John Tyrrell, editors. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2nd ed., 2001.
• Libby, Malcolm. Music of the Middle Ages. Schirmer Books, 1991.
• Reese, Gustave. Music in the Middle Ages. W.W. Norton & Company, 1954.
• Grout, Donald Jay, and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music. 8th ed., W.W. Norton & Company, 2010.
• Baker, Geoffrey. Medieval Music. Routledge, 2000.
• Randel, Don Michael, editor. The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Harvard University Press, 1999.
• Hoppin, Richard H. A Short History of Opera. Columbia University Press, 2003.
• Taruskin, Richard. The Oxford History of Western Music. Oxford University Press, 2005.
• Levin, David. The Development of Medieval Music. Routledge, 2013.