Medieval Madness
The Medieval period officially began following the fall of this empire in 476 A.D.
What is the Western Roman Empire?
Derived from an Old French word meaning "rebirth," this cultural era began in Florence, Italy, inspired by classical ancient Greeks and Romans.
What is the Renaissance?
Meaning "one sound," this musical texture consists of a single unharmonized melody line played or sung without accompaniment.
What is Monophony?
Catholic worship service composed of five standard Ordinary sections: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.
What is the Mass?
A pear-shaped plucked string instrument that served as the most popular home instrument of the Renaissance.
What is the Lute?
This strict social system organized medieval society into a hierarchy of kings, lords, knights, and peasants.
What is Feudalism?
Invented around 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg, this technological innovation lowered printing costs and spread music rapidly across Europe.
What is the movable-type printing press?
Early form of polyphony pioneered at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris by adding a second melodic line above a Gregorian chant.
What is Organum?
A polyphonic sacred choir piece sung in Latin, usually setting texts from the Book of Psalms outside of the Mass service.
What is a Motet?
German Benedictine nun, saint, and writer who produced 69 surviving monophonic chants.
Who is Hildegard of Bingen?
Sweeping Europe between 1346 and 1353, this deadly epidemic wiped out 30% to 60% of the population and inspired artistic motifs like the Danse Macabre.
What is the Black Death (Bubonic Plague)?
This German monk posted the 95 Theses in 1517, starting the Protestant Reformation and introducing catchy German hymns called chorales.
Who is Martin Luther?
A Renaissance vocal technique where melodic lines enter successively, copying or echoing one another to create a fuller harmonic sound.
What is polyphonic imitation?
Popular secular Renaissance vocal genre setting Italian or English love poems for 4 to 5 unharmonized voices.
What is a Madrigal?
Italian composer whose clean, balanced polyphony in Missa Papae Marcelli satisfied Catholic Counter-Reformation guidelines.
Who is Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina?
Italian Benedictine monk who created the 4-line music staff and solfège ("do, re, mi") to help singers read music.
Who is Guido d’Arezzo?
This intellectual movement focused on human dignity, intellect, and agency, encouraging Renaissance composers to sign their names to their music.
What is Humanism?
A style of writing where the musical line directly acts out or illustrates the literal meaning of the lyrics.
What is Word Painting?
A light, dance-like secular Renaissance vocal piece featuring repeating "fa-la-la" refrains.
What is a Ballet?
An early slide brass instrument that served as the medieval predecessor to the modern trombone.
What is a Sackbut?
Traveling poet-musicians from Southern France who sang monophonic songs about courtly love, honor, and war.
Who are Troubadours?
Catholic Church council meeting that demanded sacred church polyphony be simplified so that Latin lyrics remained clear and understandable.
What is the Council of Trent (Counter-Reformation)?
Smooth, unharmonized Latin church chants named after the Pope who reigned from 590 to 604 A.D.
What is Gregorian Chant (Plainchant)?
A polyphonic medieval vocal work built over a fixed chant melody line called a cantus firmus.
What is a Medieval Motet?
French composer recognized as the first true master of Renaissance polyphonic vocal music, famous for El Grillo.
Who is Josquin des Prez?