A.D. 1100-1430
Musical
Characteristics
|
Gothic Era
|
 | Vocal music organized according to text |
| Considerable use of contrary motion and elaborate melismaticism |
| Vocal characteristics present in instrumental music |
| Rhythmic
modes utilized to solve rhythm problems |
| Harmony was a result of polyphonic
texture, not chords |
| Texture was vastly polyphonic (3- and 4-part) |
| Instruments were used to double vocal parts |
| Mensural
notation remained in use until around 1600 |
| Troubadors appear in Germany and call themselves minnesingers
|
|
Ars Antiqua (1175-1315)
|
|
|
Ars Nova (1315-1430)
|
| Musical leadership shared by France and Italy |
| Tempus
Imperfectum is most common |
| Rhythmic modes abandoned for more complex, diversified rhythms |
| More secular than sacred |
| Cantus
firmus was less often used |
| Landini
Cadence |
| 5-line staff is common |
| Thirds and sixths treated as dissonances |
| Mannered notation used |
| Italian style differed in that:
 | It did not employ cantus firmus |
| Was less rhythmically complex |
| Employed simpler textures |
| Introduced a characteristic florid vocal style |
|
|
Genre and Forms
|
| Plainsong |
| Plainsong Mass |
| Plainsong Passion |
| Sequence/Trope (Dies Irae) |
| Organum
| Parallel/Strict |
| Free |
| Melismatic |
| Notre Dame/Measured |
|
| Liturgical Drama |
| Monophonic Conductus |
| Minnelied |
| Leise |
| Clausula |
| Rota |
| Laude |
| Laudi Spirituali |
| Carol |
| estampie, danse royale, istanpitta |
| Polyphonic Conductus |
| Cantiga |
| Motet (isorhythmic) |
| Hocket |
| Rondeau |
| Virelai |
| Ballade |
| Madrigal |
| Caccia |
| Ballata |
|
Theorists, Treatises and Collections
|
| Leonin
(ca 1163-1190) Great master of the Ars Antiqua and Notre
Dame; helped establish the rules for polyphony which led to
counterpoint |
| Perotin
(ca 13th c.) Great master of the Ars Antiqua and Notre Dame;
helped establish the rules for polyphony which led to counterpoint |
| Franco of Cologne (ca 1250)
Theorist and musician; devised rules for a system of notation known
as Franconian Notation; Ars cantus mensurabilis |
| Marchetto di Padova (ca 1250 - ca 1325) Professor at
the university in Padua; Pomerian - first to establish the
acceptance of tempus imperfectum |
| Philippe
de Vitry (1291-1361) Ars Nova |
|
Composers and Major Works
|
| Santiago di compostela |
| St. Martial manuscripts |
| Summer is icumen in - most famous rota; composer is
anonymous |
| Cantigas de Santa Maria (ca 1250-1280) collection by
Alfonso el Sabio |
| Jacopone
da Todi (1230-1306) most important composer of laudi; the "Stabat
mater dalorosa" is attributed to him |
| Robertsbridge codex (ca 1325) |
| Guillaume
de Machaut (ca 1300-1377) primary French composer of the
Ars Nova' poet, notary and secretary; wrote the first polyphonic
(4-voice) setting of the complete Mass by a single composer (Messe
de Notre Dame-1360) |
| Francesco
Landini (1325-1397) primary Italian composer of the Ars Nova |
| John
Dunstable (ca 1380-1453) primary English composer of the
Ars Nova; made use of the declamatory motet |
|
Last Updated:
Thursday, August 04, 2005 |