People
This multi-talented benedictine abbess composed (and championed) 12th-century chant using idiosyncratic styles and tons of fifths
Who is Hildegard Von Bingen?
This term describes a collection of pitches that is the structural basis for chant. There are eight kinds of these used in the medieval church
What is a Mode?
These markings were positioned above a text syllable to indicate both the number of notes to be performed and their directional movement. It means “Gesture” in Latin.
What are Neumes?
This king and Holy Roman Emperor established the presence of regulated chant in the Christian church
Who is Charlemagne?
These bad-boy poet singers are said to have written secular songs with topics ranging from religious moral themes to personal topics of indulging in flattery, complaints, debates, satires, love, drinking, gambling, and more. Don’t be fooled they were monks too!
Who are the Goliards?
This patroness was known for supporting the development of troubadour traditions. She also didn’t mind instigating and supporting the great revolt of 1173
Who is Eleanor of Aquitaine?
Also known as Liturgy of the Hours, this prayer cycle functions as the structural core of the Church's day-to-day, especially within monasteries and convents.
What is the Divine Office?
In addition to the musical staff and notes placed on the hand this technology was also brought into practice to help people learn to sing. It goes Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La
What is Solmization?
This type of chant and liturgical text found in the mass changes based on the day of the year within the church calendar
What is the Proper?
Below the Minstrels who are considered professionals of secular music, these street performers were considered low-status, performed in market places, and included other acts besides singing.
Who are Jongleurs?
This early music scholar and author of De institution music believed that music (unlike math) has the power to "move the emotions."
Who is Boethius?
This style of plainchant features a more ornate setting with several or even dozens of notes being sung on a single syllable.
What is melismatic?
Man this chant is boring! Maybe I’ll add new words and music before the chant, maybe I’ll just change the melody with extended melismas, or maybe ill add some new words in this kind of chant composition
What is trope/Troping?
This style of chant performance alternates between a soloist and choir or congregation
This polyphonic music often combined a Latin text with one or two addtional parts singing poetry in the vernacular. (Usually French)
What is a Motet/Double Motet?
A trobairitz who composed one tense and four canso, one of which, A chantar m’er de so qu’eu no volria is the only extant melody widely accepted to have been written by a woman.
Who is the Comtesse de Dia?
This style of polyphony occurs when both voices move at about the same rate. 1-3 notes in the upper part to every note in the lower part.
What is the Discant style?
Based on poetic patters of longs and shorts these were used to group the durations of notes in early polyphony.
What are the rhythmic modes?
This figure is at the center of the myth that a dove from heaven sang all the chants into their ear.
Who is Pope Gregory?
These manuscript anthologies contain 2,600 surviving troubadour poems. Only 10% have melodies attached. (Song books)
What are chansonniers?
This scholar and theorist from modern-day Italy developed a pitch system of precise notation that we still use today. Give them a hand!
Who is Guido of Arezzo?
This is the name of the original chant melody in polyphony. It also goes by “cantus firmus” meaning fixed song.
What is the Tenor?
Documented around 1260, this style of notation marked the first time in Western notation where exact rhythms could be represented by differently shaped notes.
What is Franconian notation/ mensural notation?
A significant part of the medieval liturgy, it is is often structured in couplets and pairs of strophes (AA BB CC) and appeared after the Alleluia and before the Gospel in the mass. A famous one keeps appearing on the big screen.
What are sequences?
In addition to the Troubadours and Trouveres, these 13th- and 14th-century German love singers exemplify the ongoing migration of secular songs throughout Europe.
Who are the Minnesangers?