John Warrack, author of 6 Great Composers, stated, “Any study of a composer, however brief, must have as its only purpose encouragement of the reader to greater enjoyment of the music” (Warrack, p.2). The composers and musicians of the Renaissance period need to be discussed and studied so that listeners, performers, and readers can appreciate and understand the beginnings of music theory and form. The reader can also understand the driving force of the composer, whether sacred or secular, popularity or religious growth. To begin understanding music composition one must begin at the birth, or rebirth of music and the composers who created the great change.
The Renaissance period of history occurred during the 15th and 16th centuries. Renaissance in its basic definition means rebirth. According to Merriam Webster, renaissance formally means, “a movement or period of vigorous artistic and intellectual activity” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary). Renaissance is the title given to the period of great change in music and art. The Renaissance period ushered in a culture of music that the public could enjoy. Most importantly it was a period that encouraged musicians and composers to create music and take risks with voices, instruments and notes.
The Renaissance period is known primarily for its changes in educating musicians. Composers and musicians alike were trained in choir schools that were held in churches. They were taught music theory, singing and academic courses like grammar and mathematics. Several famous composers were educated in these institutions. One of those who profited from such training was Guillaume Dufay.
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Guillaume Dufay was born an illegitimate son of a priest near Brussels. He be...
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...s, madrigals, and instrumental music for viola and keyboard. Prior to his death in 1623, Byrd composed 140 keyboard pieces, three Latin Masses and a Mass in English. Researchers state that Byrd’s “influence on English music was profound (Matthews, Thompson, p.282).
William Byrd, Thomas Tallis, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Orlande de Lassus, Giovanni da Palestrina, Josquin de Prez, Johannes Ockeghem and Guillaume Dufay helped shine a light onto the dark ages of music and arts. These men and many more, ushered in a culture of arts
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appreciation. Because of these composers and musicians, music was enjoyed by the public and revered by the church. Because of their creativity and their willingness to take musical risks, these composers were the fathers of the Renaissance, the rebirth, the life of the vigorous and intellectual activity, the beginning of music.
All had great influence on later composers, Mozart on Beethoven, Bartók on Copeland and Bach on everyone including his twenty or so children
Atlas, Allan W. Renaissance Music: Music in Western Europe, 1400-1600. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1998.
Harman, Alec, and Anthony Milner. Late Renaissance and Baroque Music. London: Barrie Books LTD., 1959. ML193.H37
Taruskin, R., & Taruskin, R. (2010). Music in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
composer has had an influence on the music we hear today. However, perhaps one of the most
There are two pieces in our Renaissance Era musical feature this evening, the first by Pierre Phalèse called Passamezzo d'Italye - Reprise – Gaillarde. Phalèse began as a bookseller in 1545 and not long after he set up a publishing house. By 1575 he had around 189 music books. Much of his work was devoted to sacred music but there was a small amount of Flemish songs and instrumental works. Phalèse borrowed work from many composers and did not hesitate to include other composer’s music in his works. The sec...
McGee, Timothy J. Medieval and Renaissance Music: A Performer’s Guide. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985.
The Renaissance means the rebirth of ancient learning. The renaissance can be divided into two parts Early Renaissance (1420-1500) and High Renaissance (1500-1520). The Renaissance era was one of the most productive time periods in history as far as the advancement of music goes. At first it was rigid, structu...
The period of the Renaissance was a period of change and creativity in the areas of political, cultural, social and economic. Humanism during this period focused on the intelligence of man, that affect the subjects of art, but also the curiosity to capture the personality. Renaissance art has changed the way people viewed themselves, other people and ultimately the world around them. It was an era that really produces the greatest artists of all time.
The Early Renaissance which took place from c.1450 to c.1495. During this period three key artist emerged from the group these being Sandro Botticelli and Donatello. Each in there owns field painting and sculpture respectively.
The Renaissance time period started in the late 14th century and it lasted all through the 16th century. It all started in the late Middle ages throughout Italy (http://fashionhistory.net) taking at least one-hundred years before it reached the Northern Alps. This was also the period where the word “European” was put in use and understood by other places, and the word “Renascrere” originated from the Italian word “Renascrere” and it meant to be re-born. The word Renascrere fitted perfectly to this age due to the fact that many had intellectual pursuits and creative energy was re-born (www.richeast.org). The Renaissance would be best known for its artistic aspect and famous polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo given the term “Renaissance men.” It was an effective cultural and development of perspective in painting movement spreading to the rest of Europe and the advancements in science. (www.richeast.org)
Burkholder, J. P., Donald J. Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music. Eight
The Renaissance was a time of change. It began in Italy during the 14th century, and spread throughout the North. People all over Europe were affected, for the better and for the worse. Some people finally had a chance to control their own fate. Others, like upper class women, lost their social status. The values and purposes of Renaissance education were to improve the society, increase the economy, and restore the religious beliefs.
The result of this was many opportunities for composers. Not only could they have theirtraditional occupations as servents to various noblemen who served as their patrons, but they could also make a fair living performing their work at public concerts, an innovation of the time.
The word renaissance means “rebirth” or “reconstruction”, The Renaissance era was a time for the revival of learning. The Renaissance took place during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; it was a period in which artistic, social, scientific, and political thought turned in new directions.