Renaissance and Baroque Music: Styles, Composers, and Instruments

Renaissance (15th and 16th Centuries)

Period characterized by the recovery of classical ideals (beauty, proportion, symmetry) in various art disciplines (architecture, sculpture). Works of art from ancient Greece and Rome were taken as models.

Renaissance Music

There were no ancient musical examples because we do not conserve any ancient Greek or Roman scores. The most characteristic feature is the improvement of polyphony. The music from this period adopts some of the ancient ideals:

1. Ideals of beauty, proportion, and symmetry.
2. Music must express and imitate the meaning of the lyrics.

Humanism

A new way of thinking that promotes the complete development of the human being through the studies of art and sciences. Leonardo Da Vinci is a key figure.

Printing Press (1450)

A Renaissance invention that made possible the fast spread of culture and music.

Renaissance Music Characteristics

• Development of compositional music techniques.
• Musical expressiveness.
• Application of the Classic Ideals.
• Splendor of polyphony:
  • Four voices.
  • Differentiation among pitches.
  • Highest voice.
  • Imitations.
• Vocal music is dominant.
• The golden age of Spanish music.

Religious Music

• Polyphonic, vocal, and a cappella.
• Cantus firmus: basis for the composition.
• Motet: religious and polyphonic composition with lyrics in Latin.
• Mass: prayers of the liturgy were sung with different melodies.
• Renowned composers were Palestrina and Tomás Luis de Victoria.

Secular Music

Vocal

• Madrigal: secular vocal music composition with lyrics in a vernacular language. It has four voices, and the theme is often love.

Instrumental

• To be a good courtesan, it was necessary to be able to play an instrument.
• Instruments of the period: the lute, the vihuela, the viola, the gamba, and the organ (used in religious settings).
• Consort: small instrumental ensemble, a precursor to the orchestra.
• Tablature: an easy method to write and read scores.

Baroque (1600-1750)

Beginning in 1600: the first opera to survive to the present day (Euridice by Jacopo Peri). End in 1750: death of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Absolutism: Baroque kings exercised complete authority and showed their wealth through the luxury of many works of art. They were patrons.

Christianity split: Catholics and Protestants tried to attract the faithful to their churches. They used music for that purpose (oratorios).

Characteristics: drama, tension, ornamentation, and motion. The importance of the melody.

Vocal Music

Secular

• Birth of the opera: dramatic and musical genre.
• Opera emerged in Florence and was performed at the court.
• First subjects were mythological.
• Opera was divided into: overture (instrumental introduction), aria (vocal soloist), duet, choir...
• The castrati: male singers who were castrated before puberty to retain a very high voice.

Religious

• The Oratorio: dramatic and religious music genre.
• The Passion: an oratorio about the last days in the life of Christ.

Instrumental Music

• Significant development of instrumental music.
• The birth of the orchestra (string, wind, and percussion).
• Instruments: violin family (violin, viola, cello, and double bass), viola da gamba, organ, and harpsichord (instrument with a keyboard).
• Professionalism: musicians with good technique.
• The concerto (dialogue between one - solo concerto - concerto grosso).
• The tutti orchestra divided into three movements:

1. Allegro
2. Adagio
3. Allegro