Music 326/526

Music Before 1600

Later Middle Ages and Early Renaissance: Odds and Ends

·        In 14th Century Italian and French music, chromatic alterations were possible under certain conditions.  The rules governing the alterations were called Musica Ficta. Musica ficta was used:

·        at cadences, to make them sound more final

·        to avoid melodic or harmonic tritones

·        “because it sounded good,” e.g. when the alteration creates a leading tone

·        Musica Ficta is in contrast to musica vera

England: became an important musical innovator in early 15th Century

·        Polyphony was found in England since at least the 12th century

·        early polyphony in England was like organum but used 3rds, 6ths or 10ths instead of 4ths and 5ths.  English counterpart of strict or parallel organum would be gymel (2-parts, parallel 3rd, 6th 10th); we have examples of this from around 1270. 

·        English had a different definition of consonance and dissonance than the French: consonance is stability of an interval; dissonance is instability, the need to move and resolve.  French didn’t consider 3rds and 6ths consonances but English did.  English preferred sounds of 3rds and 6ths.

·        Source: Old Hall Manuscript (1420) contains 148 compositions written between 1350-1420.  Lots of liturgical music, some motets and conductus.  Characteristics:

·        works of several composers

·        lots of voices forming 3rds and 6ths

·        alternation of 2-voice texture with 4-part passages

·        alternation of solo voices (e.g. 2 together) with 4-part chorus settings

·        Most famous English composer of 15th century was John Dunstable (1385-1453)

·        also a noted astronomer and mathematician (like many of his time)

·        worked for English Duke (Bedford).  Dunstable went along, interacted with composers of Burgundian School (see next outline)

·        His music

·        uses typical English scheme with 3rds and 6ths

·        often used borrowed melodies (not from Gregorian chant but Sarum rite as well as other melodies), and not just in tenor but any voice; sometimes highly ornamented, and exploring rhythmic relationships with other voices

·        Dunstable’s most famous work: motet: Quam pulchra es; 3 voices in similar rhythms.  Lots of “major” sounding harmony (due to 3rds and 6ths)

·        fauxbourdon (“false burden”) where all voices move parallel: one voice is 4th below treble, the other 6th below: sounds like first inversion chords.  “Improvised” in that voice 4th below was not notated 

·        this is the first time we have seen music that is intentionally harmonically (vertically) oriented

·        Text treatment: it was a priority to understand the text, so this is all one language, one text.  Voices are often on same syllable at same time

·        Carols:

·        not just Christmas songs, but also devotional songs. 

·        Texts in Latin and/or English

·        Carols start with “burden” or refrain followed by verses; burden sung after every verse.  Originally may have alternated between soloist and chorus