Western Music History: From Antiquity to Romanticism

Fall of the Roman Empire

Late 5th, 6th, and 7th centuries: Gregory the Great.

Birth of Polyphony

9th century: Birth of polyphony.

11th century: Primitive Polyphony.

Ars Antiqua

12th and 13th centuries: Ars Antiqua.

Ars Nova

14th century: Ars Nova.

Middle Ages

Until the 14th century: Middle Ages.

12th century: Early Troubadours.

12th century: Alfonso X, Cantigas.

Renaissance

15th and 16th centuries: Renaissance. Josquin des Prez, T. L. de Victoria, Palestrina, Juan del Encina, and the splendor of polyphony.

Baroque

17th century and the second half of the 18th century: Baroque.

Monteverdi: the transition from Renaissance to Baroque.

Classicism

Second half of the 18th century: Classicism.

Romanticism

19th century: Romanticism.

Characteristics of Gregorian Chant

• It is religious music.
• It uses Latin as the language.
• Its function is to highlight the word of God.
• Monodic texture without rhythm.
• A cappella, without instrumental accompaniment.
• It is written with tetragrams and square notes.
• The musical rhythm is free and is determined by the accent of words.
• It is collected in chorus or choir books.

Secular Vocal Music: Troubadours and Jongleurs

The troubadours were poet-musicians, generally of noble birth. They received different names: minstrels, troubadours.

Characteristics of the Music of Troubadours

• Songs written in the vernacular.
• They deal with themes of love.
• Monodic musical texture.
• Instrumental accompaniment.
• The songs of the troubadours are compiled in songbooks.

Late 9th Century: Polyphony

Polyphony emerged almost by accident to enrich the Gregorian chant. Early Polyphony was improvised in the Gregorian chant.

Alfonso X collected the ballads that were Galician-Portuguese and dedicated to the Virgin.

The Artistic Context of the Renaissance

The Renaissance emerged to describe the artistic manifestations of the 15th and 16th centuries, seeking the ideals of beauty and proportion, with inspiration in antiquity.

The Chorale is a musical form of the Protestant church.

The Motet is a religious musical form written in Latin.

The Mass is a vocal form of religion that can be made in the form of a Motet.

El Madrigal is an Italian musical form of four or five voices with polyphonic texture.

The Chanson is a French musical form with various voices and polyphonic texture.

The Christmas Carol is a secular musical form normally composed for four voices with homophonic texture.

The Historical and Artistic Context of the Baroque

The Baroque is an artistic period that includes the 17th and 18th centuries. Its chronology is between two very significant dates: 1600, the premiere of the first opera, and 1750, the death of J. S. Bach.

The Orchestra and the great instrumental and vocal forms were born in the Baroque.

The Opera is a musical form of a narrative. The overture or instrumental prelude is the introduction, and the singers are divided into soloists and chorus.

Interludes are breaks in the works with instrumental accompaniment.

Aria: a song for solo voice with instrumental accompaniment, sometimes with choir accompaniment. Arias are part of operas, oratorios, etc. The lead singer can show off their voice and generally express the feelings of the character.