History of Western Music: Renaissance (1400-1600)

By 1400 or shortly thereafter, several composers were writing polyphony in a slightly different way. This led to a more unified sounding work, and gave rise to a number of contrapuntal (note-against-note) forms, such as the Canon (exact repetition in all the voices), the Canzon (a succession of themes, each developed and then discarded3), and the Fugue (one theme developed extensively).

Most of the development during this period was made in Italy. This is only natural as the Catholic church was the dominant force during this period, and was headquartered in Rome. Many of the best musicians wrote masses and other works for the church; nearly all of these works are in Latin, as this was the language used for services at the time. However, with the Reformation and rise of Protestantism in the latter half of the 16th Century, the nature of music had to change.

Composers wrote a lot of Sacred Music (music about the Bible) such as:

• Mass - Chief service of the Church - Latin text

LISTEN: Agnus Dei: http://open.spotify.com/track/62298R9kx9iOPJyJ5zz0OD

Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison	Lord have mercy, Christ Have mercy
Gloria in excelcis Deo	Glory to God in the highest
Credo in unum deum	I believe in one God
Sanctus; Osanna; Benedictus	Holy, holy, holy; Hosanna; Blessed is he….
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God

• Motet - Small choral work - Latin text

LISTEN: Ave Verum Corpus: http://open.spotify.com/track/5dqVorpncA99KBE3LWz9JL

Veni Sancte Spiritus	Come, Holy Spirit
Haec Dies	This is the day
Ave Maria	Hail Mary
Jubilate Deo	Be Joyful in the Lord
O quam gloriosam est regnum	O How Glorious is the Kingdom
Ave Verum Corpus	Hail, True Body
O Magnum Mysterium	O Great and Mighty Wonder

• Anthem - English text - Music for the people

LISTEN: I will exalt thee: http://open.spotify.com/track/35STWslUXBnUu2WiGJ4yir

The Anthem is a short sacred choral piece sung in English. It may be sung a cappella or with organ accompaniment. 

Composers were developing the secular composition

(non-religious music) such as:

• The Madrigal - Secular work which often makes use of word-painting (using music to illustrate the meaning of the words).

The ballett was lighter in style with clear-cut dance-like rhythms. It tended to be strophic (i.e. the same music for each verse) and usually homophonic (chordal) in texture, with a “fa-la-la” refrain.

Listen to a ballet: http://open.spotify.com/track/5PYL5Ipfa2e7GS5u7Gh0To

The ayre (or song) was often performed by a solo voice, accompanied by either lute or viols. 

Listen to an ayre: Flow my teares by John Dowland: http://open.spotify.com/track/4G2uZLVwbKcuoIFC5l8q0V