Medieval Music (Vocal and Instrumental)

THE ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

The elements of music can be seen as being the building blocks of music. Without them, music would not exist because sound itself would not exist!

Timbre

•  Also known as tone color;

• It refers to the quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another.

Timbre

•  head voice/falsetto (light)

• chest/speaking voice (throaty)

• guttural voice (raspy/growl)

Rhythm

• It may be defined as the pattern or placement of sounds in time and beats in music.

• fast

• moderate

• slow

Beat and Meter

• Beats give music its regular rhythmic pattern. Beats are grouped together in a measure; the notes and rests correspond to a certain number of beats.

• Meter refers to rhythmic patterns produced by grouping together strong and weak beats. Meter may be in:

Beat and Meter

• Free Meter - has no discernible beat

• duple (2 beats in a measure)

• triple (3 beats in a measure), quadruple (4 beats in a measure) and so on.

Melody

• It refers to the tune of a song or piece of music. It is the memorable tune created by playing a succession or series of pitches.

Texture

• Musical texture refers to the number and the type of layers used in a composition, and how these layers are related.

  ▪ monophonic (single melodic line)

  • homophonic (a main melody accompanied by chords)

  • polyphonic (two or more melodic lines)

Phrasing

• 
  

  • Syllabic – one tone per syllable

  • Neumatic – a few notes set to one syllable

  • Melismatic – many tones per syllable

Form

• Structure of music

  
  

  ▪ Unitary /Strophic – composed of only one section A

  ▪ Binary – composed of sections AB

  ▪ Ternary – composed of three sections ABA/ABC

  ▪ Heterophonic – composed of two or more parts that have the same melody

Medieval Music - Troubadour

Listen to this music example and identify the elements of music used.

Check the appropriate music element observed in the song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ6ykg0TYug&feature=youtu.be

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

(700- 1400)

(Vocal and Instrumental Music)

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

(700- 1400)

It is known as the Middle Ages or “Dark Ages.”

It started with the fall of the Roman Empire, and the Christian church influenced culture and politics in Europe.

Medieval music

• consists of songs, instrumental pieces, and liturgical music from about 500 A.D. to 1400.

• era of Western music, including liturgical music used for the church, and secular music, non-religious music.

• includes solely vocal music, such as Gregorian chant and choral music solely instrumental music, and music that uses both voices and instruments

• (typically with the instruments accompanying the voices).

Medieval music

Gregorian chant

• Sang by Monks during Catholic Mass
• Mass is a reenactment of Christ's Last Supper, intended to provide a spiritual connection between man and God. was named after Pope Gregory I, who made this the approved music of the Catholic Church.

Characteristics of the Gregorian Chants:

• Monophonic
• Free meter
• Modal
• Usually based on Latin liturgy
• Use of Neume notation

Sample Gregorian Chants Video:

• https://youtu.be/fUNoREwIKHg

• https://youtu.be/Igoh5kEqj3Y

After listening to the music

• Have you heard this kind of Music?
• Where or When?
• How did you feel when you listened to the music?

Troubadour

was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350).

Trobairitz - a female troubadour

Secular Music—Troubadours

• Secular music in the Middle Ages included love songs, political satire, dances, and dramatical works, but also moral subjects
• The texts of songs deal mainly with themes of chivalry and courtly love.
• Most were metaphysical, intellectual, and formulaic.
• Many were humorous or vulgar satires.

Troubadour Music

● Not bound by catholic traditions

● Usually monophonic

● Sometimes with improvised accompaniment

● Tells of chivalry and courtly love

● Originated in France, written in French

Sample Troubadour Music Videos:

• https://youtu.be/KZ6ykg0TYug

• https://youtu.be/9ti59NdbG1c

ADAM DELA HALLE

(France, 1237-1288)

● Also known as Adam de Bossu (Adam the hunchback)

● One of the oldest secular composers

● Trouvére, poet and musician

● His Literary and musical works include chanson and poetic debates in the style of the trouvéres, polyphonic rondel and motets in the style of early liturgical polyphony

Compositions of ADAM DELA HALLE

● Le Jeu de Robin et Marion: https://youtu.be/zNNm-wnfZ-U

● La chanson du roi de Sicile: https://youtu.be/rLobQBGzQDg