Medieval music

Music in Middle Ages Middle Ages starts in 476 and finishes in 1492

Early Middle Ages

The fall of the Roman Empire 476

Late Middle Ages

Discovery of America 1492

Music in Middle Ages Two types of texture (composition of the music):

Monody: it is a type of musical texture where only one melody is sung. This type of texture is sung during the Early Middle Ages (Gregorian chant and Cantigas).

Polyphony: it is a type of musical texture where several melodies can sound at the same time.

This type of texture is used during the Late Middle Ages (12th, 13th and 14th centuries.)

Example

Music in Middle Ages Two types of music: religious and profane music

Religious music: gregorian chant: this is the music that monks and nuns used to sing in mass or in their prayes.

Monks in a monastery

Profane music: cantigas, songs: This music was sung in parties for the king or the noble people.

Minstrels in a party, singing and playing instruments

Music in Middle Ages Religious music: gregorian chant

Characteristics:

l

Example audio

l

The language is always latin. Other languages are forbiden in church.

l

The texture is always monody: only one melody is sung.

l

Only men could sing. Women were not allowed to sing in church.

l

Music was sung a capella (without instruments).

l

The rhythm of the music is soft. No time signature.

l

Gregorian chant was anonymous. At the beginning

the music was known by oral transmission

Music in Middle Ages Types of Gregorian Chant:

• Syllabic: one note is sung in every syllable • Pneumatic: two or three notes are sung in every syllable • Melismatic: more than four notes are sung in every syllable.

Example syllabic

Example audio Pneumatic and melismatic

Music in Middle Ages Birth of musical notation 1- Neumas 3- Four lines Tetragrama

4- Actual notation 2- One line

Music in Middle Ages Profane music: cantigas Characteristics: l The language is vernacular language (German, French, Galician...) no latin l Topics: love, war, mockery... l The texture is always monody: only one melody is sung. l Everybody could sing, both men and women. l Music was sung with accompaniment of instruments. l The songs used to have a lot of rhythm. l They were written by composers: troubadours or minstrel. l Songs had structure: refrain and verse.

Example audio

Music in Middle Ages Profane music: cantigas Characters: - Trobaudour: he was the person who composed the songs.

Martín Codax, Afonso, the 10th, the Wise.

- Minstrel: (xograr). He didn't compose, only recited or sang.

- Goliardo: he was a priest and a minstrel.

Music in Middle Ages Profane music: cantigas Cantigas de Santa María: - They were songs dedicated to Virgin Mary and written

by Afonso the 10th the Wise.

- The songs tell miracles made by Virgin Mary.

- A big book was found with more than 400 songs and many valuable pictures with a lot of information from the Middle Ages.

Music in Middle Ages Medieval instruments Wind: hornpipe, (chirimías), recorder, bagpipe (gaitas) String: hurdy-gurdy (zanfona), lute (laúde), fídulas (fiddle) antigo violín.

Percussion: drums, tambourines (tambores, pandeiretas)

Click on the photo to see the video

Music in Middle Ages SUMMARY: Comparison religious and profane music Religious music: Gregorian chant

Profane music: cantigas

The language is always latin.

The language is vernacular language

The topic is always religious topic.

(German, French, Galician...) no latin

The texture is always monody:

Topics: love, war, mockery...

only one melody is sung.

The texture is always monody.

Only men could sing.

Everybody could sing, both men and women.

Music was sung a capella

Music was sung with accompaniment of instruments.

The rhythm of the music is soft.

The songs used to have a lot of rhythm.

No time signature.

They were written by composers: troubadours or minstrel.

Gregorian chant was anonymous.

Songs had structure: refrain and verse.