History of Western Music: Greece, Middle Ages, and Renaissance

Music in Ancient Greece

The concept of music in Greece encompassed the art of sounds, poetry, and dance. Music had a monodic texture with heterophonic accompaniment. They used alphabetic notation for the pitches and metrical feet to measure durations.

The Middle Ages (5th to 15th Centuries)

This period was dominated by the power of the Church and a profound theocentrism, leading to the predominance of religious music.

Gregorian Chant

The Gregorian chant was the liturgical chant of the Christian Church. Its text is in Latin and has a monodic texture. It uses modal scales and a free rhythm based on the accentuation and phrasing of the text.

Development of Polyphony

Polyphony appeared in the late 9th century and developed in three main stages:

• Primitive Polyphony (9th–12th C.): Improvised polyphony based upon the Gregorian chant.
• Ars Antiqua (12th–13th C.): Voices were measured using Greek metrical feet.
• Ars Nova (14th C.): Mensural notation and the secular polyphonic song appeared.

Secular Music in the Middle Ages

Secular music was represented by the songs of troubadours. They used monodic textures and the scales of the Gregorian chant, but they were sung in vernacular languages, accompanied by instruments, and had a marked rhythm.

Key Figures and Works

• Pope Gregory the Great: Main driving force behind the expansion and unification of the liturgy.
• Important Book: Carmina Burana.
• Goliards: Students who performed satirical, political, or religious critique, and carnal love songs.

The Renaissance (15th to 16th Centuries)

Unlike other arts, Renaissance music did not return to classical models. It evolved, taking the previous Ars Nova as its basis.

Under the influence of Humanism, the composer sought freedom of creation. Music acquired great social prestige, serving different religions and reflecting the opulence of the high class.

Religious Vocal Music and the Reformation

Religious vocal music reflected the division of the Church:

• The Chorale was the hymn of Luther's Protestant Church.
• The Anthem was the Anglican religious form.
• The Catholic Counter-Reformation based its music on the expressive clarity of the text, taking polyphony to its peak with the Motet.

Secular Vocal Music Forms

Secular vocal music developed several forms of song depending on the country:

• Italy: The Madrigal.
• France: The Chanson.
• Spain: Simpler and more popular forms like the Villancico, the Romance, and the Ensalada.

Instrumental Music Independence

Instrumental music became independent from singing. Specific instrumental pieces began to appear, based on the adaptation of vocal works and on the techniques of improvisation and variation.