Music 301/501

Women in Music

Medieval Sacred Music

·        Time Period: end of ancient era (~500 A.D.) to 1400-1450

·        A time of great control by the Church

·        Wealth determined by land ownership

·        "Intellectual property" also concentrated in Church

·        Standardization of liturgy: the rites of a religious organization, including texts and music

·        Some texts changed for various events in year (Proper of the Mass)

·        Some texts the same no matter what the date (Ordinary of Mass) 

·        Certain tunes came to be associated with certain texts; later tunes became basis for other compositions

·        Liturgy was practiced at Convents and Monasteries

·        Two main divisions: Mass and Divine Office or Canonic Hours

·        Mass:

·        Celebrated daily

·        Many parts; some the same each time, others change by season; some always spoken, others always set to music

·        Eventually, five parts routinely set to music (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus-Benedictus, Agnus Dei; all are from ordinary)

·        Divine Office: a cycle of services celebrated throughout the day

·        Initially derived from Rule of St. Benedict (~535 AD)

·        Benedictine Rule established pattern where all psalms are recited weekly

·        Also includes prayers, lessons, hymns, canticles with antiphons

·        Eight parts celebrated at intervals throughout the day

·        Matins: starts between midnight to 3 am

·        Lauds: daybreak

·        Prime: 6 am

·        Terce: 9 am

·        Sext: noon

·        None: 3 pm

·        Vespers: twilight

·        Compline: before retiring 

·        St. Paul (d. c.67AD) wrote Mulier in ecclesia taceat ("let women keep silent in church"): from later 4^th Century, women not allowed to sing in church,

·        Education levels were low among common people during middle ages; nuns were often better-educated than general public; convents sometimes wouldn't accept girls without some education in reading and singing, but others struggled to find anyone who could perform divine office.

·        Some readings and services done by nuns in vernacular, esp. in late middle ages

·        Some very well-educated nuns in various places:

·        Hroswitha, canoness (10^th Century Germany) wrote plays; in general about religious subjects for teaching purposes.   She is considered an important figure in history of drama

·       Abbess Herrad of Landsberg (12^th C, Alsace) wrote a compendium of contemporary knowledge called Hortus deliciarum (Garden of Delights).  Meant to be an instructional aid for the nuns. Contained also some of Herrad's poems, many set to music

·        Monasteries and Convents had similar administrative posts (Abbot/Abbess, Canon/Canoness, Prior/Prioress); musical post was cantor or cantrix.  Abbess and prioress had some musical duties, but cantrix was responsible for most musical jobs:

·        Organizing choir, designating soloists, choosing chants correct for liturgical season and also for appropriate saints' days

·        Cantrix chose pitch and tempo for chants, rehearsed special services

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179): most famous woman composer of this era

·        Long known as mystic and author of theological works; also wrote medical and scientific treatises

·        Wrote music and lyrics for religious and dramatic works

·        In most textbooks, Leonin is the earliest acknowledged (named) composer; he was active last quarter of of 12^th Century; Hildegard is earlier

·        She collected her sacred works (~1150-60) into "Symphonia harmoniae caelestium revelationum" (Symphony of the Harmony of Heavenly Revelations). 

·        Contains 77 "songs", mostly antiphons, some responsories and other genres

·        Most of the songs were for feast days of various saints, major and local

·        Example Kyrie

·        Text is only 3 (different) words: standard to repeat each phrase 3 times

·        Although text has few words, it could have lots of notes: this is melismatic chant (many notes per syllable)

·        Setting is responsorial: alternation of solo (or reduced numbers) and chorus.  Also employs melodic range larger than usual for chant.