Secular Music of the Middle Ages (all monophonic types)

Latin Texts

• Goliard Songs: poetry in Latin, tavern songs or songs critical of church
• Collections: Cambridge Songs, Carmina Burana; poems date from 12th century and earlier
• Monophonic Conductus: music for processionals and other movements connected with church service, but not "sacred" music

Vernacular Texts

• France: Chanson de Geste, epic poems about heros (legendary or historical) like Charlemagne and Song of Roland (1050 AD)
• singers were professional performers called Jongleurs or Menestrels (terms used interchangeably) from 10th century on. Skilled at performance but didn't compose music or poetry. Low level of society
• France: Troubadour and Trouvere Songs: Troubadours and trouveres were of much higher order of society, often of noble birth
• songs celebrated "courtly love"
• Germany: Minnelied was also about courtly love but even more abstract (religious slant); they can also be about nature or inspired by Crusades. Minnesingers were also often from nobility.
• poetry had set format called Bar Form: two stanzas or Stollen and a conclusion or Abgesang (AAB)
• Famous Minnesinger was Walther von der Vogelweide; his best known song is Crusader's Song.
• Germany: Meistersingers: In Late 13th century, Minnesingers declined; tradition was taken over by middle-class Meistersingers who continued monophonic secular song tradition in 14th to 16th centuries