Timeline #1: The Renaissance

  • 476

    The fall of Rome

    slow changes in life, culture, and dissemination of knowledge
  • 476

    Views of music

    Music was either divine meaning from god or cosmic meaning from the stars and planets. They knew about Greek theory and the older ideas of music but they did not have an examples of Antiquity.
  • 476

    The Catholic Church

    The church was very corrupt at this time and suppressed anything that was secular, popular, or entertaining. This resulted in Plainchant. The church also has it's own service in two parts, The Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei) and the Proper (Alleluia, Gradual, Offertory etc)
  • Period: 715 to 731

    Gregorian Chant

    Gregorian chant is the Roman dialect of chant. The chants were cataloged by Pope Gregory. It is set neumatically and melismatically and would have been responsorial.
  • 800

    Early Polyphony

    Polyphony and notation began to emerge in the 800's in the Romanesque era. Organum is the first known form of polyphony
  • 850

    The School of Notre Dame

    The Cathedral of Notre Dame: Paris, made innovations in Polyphony.
  • 900

    Organum

    First described in c. 900, extant in the 800's, and notated c. 1000 CE. It is a Plainchant "melody" with an added melody. It resulted in a piece of parallel 4ths and 5th. 3rds were dissonant and should not be used.
  • Period: 991 to 1033

    Guido d'Arezzo

    d'Arezzo is credited with inventing the staff, he suggested using a red line for F and a yellow line for C. His original music was written by hand. Notes during this time were called neumes and during melismatic times there were many noted per syllable.
  • Period: 1098 to 1179

    Hildegard von Bingen

    Founder at abbess of the convent at Rupertsberg, Germany. She was born into a family and given to the convent at age 8. She is famous for her prophetic powers and revelations, she was thought very highly of. She is the first female composer in contemporary musicology to receive extensive research. As an important poet and composer, her book topics included Theology, medicine, spiritual visions, physical sciences, and music.
  • Period: 1150 to 1201

    Leonin

    Identified with the School of Notre Dame, Leonin is the first composer of polyphonic music whos name we know. He is credited with compiling the Magnus liber organi. He used Discant Organum which uses the six rhythmic melodies- the first organum that had notated rhythm.
  • 1152

    Alleluia, O virga mediatrix

    Hildegard invented the genera. It is a Plainchant from the Mass Proper (feast for the Virgin Mary)
  • Period: 1155 to 1207

    Raimbaut de Vaquaeiras

    He was from southern France and served at the court in Montferrat. He was killed in battle serving his patron in 1207
  • 1200

    Perotin

    Also affiliated with the School of Notre Dame, Perotin used the organum triplum which is a 3-part organum.
  • 1200

    The Medieval Motet

    By late 1200's, composers began writing new texts and music. The genre had more text than chant, 6 rhythmic modes, instrumental inclusion, and texts in French and Latin
  • 1200

    Secular Music

    Courts and cities. Vocal (stories) and Instrumental (dancing)
  • 1200

    Nobility

    Troubadours, trouveres (France)
    Minnesingers, Meistersingers (Germany)
  • Period: 1300 to 1377

    Guillaume de Machaut

    Wrote more than 29 extant motets, several extant chansons, and one of the first polyphonic mass cycles. He wrote Puis qu'en oubli (1350). It was modal tonality with no set system of cadences.
  • Period: 1300 to 1350

    The Ars Nova

    Composer and theorists began to speak about new art with new rhythmic polyphony in the motets.
  • Period: 1325 to 1397

    Francesco Landini

    Music theorist, composer, poet, and organist who was famous because he was blind. He is by far the most famous Italian composer of the 14th century. He wrote a 2 part ballata called Ecco la primavera.
  • 1340

    The Bubonic plague

    Also known as "The Black Death," the Bubonic plague killed over 75 million people. As a result of this, the church was suffering. This was the most corrupt the church had become and there were two rivaling Popes.
  • Period: 1386 to 1466

    Donatello

  • Period: 1390 to 1453

    John Dunstable

    In his music more 3rds and 6ths were used in the harmonies. People would steal his work and put their name on it for publicity and put his name on their work so it would be played.
  • Period: 1397 to 1474

    Guillaume Dufay

    First Renaissance composer
  • Period: 1420 to 1490

    Johannes Ockeghem

    Very respected and prolific, a low bass
  • Period: 1430 to

    The Renaissance

    The Renaissance. meaning rebirth, brought new and compex currents of thought in arts, science, and religion. Changes in art originated in Italy, but musical style came out of England.
  • Period: 1435 to 1511

    Johannes Tinctoris

    A composer and music theorist who wrote about contemporary music. He wrote the first dictionary of musical terms. He also said the quote "There does not exist a single piece of music, not composed within the last 40 years, that is regarded be the learned as worth hearing."
  • Period: 1444 to 1510

    Sandro Botticelli

    Created The Birth of Venus
  • Period: 1450 to 1521

    Josquin des Prez

    Most revered Renaissance composer esp by Martin Luther
  • Period: 1450 to 1517

    Heinrich Isaac

    Prolific German composer
  • Period: 1452 to 1519

    Leonardo da Vinci

  • Period: 1490 to 1562

    Adrian Willaert

    Father of text expression
  • Period: 1505 to

    Thomas Talliss

    Wrote a 40 voice part motet
  • Period: 1505 to

    Thomas Tallis

    important english composer
  • 1517

    The Reformation

    Martin Luther began the Protestant movement known as the reformation. The Catholic church excommunicated him (obviously)
  • Period: 1521 to

    Philipp de Monte

    most prolific composer of the Renaissance
  • Period: 1525 to

    Palestrina

    He is the most famous composer from the Renaissance
  • Period: 1525 to

    Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    awarded the most posthumous fame
  • Period: 1532 to

    Orlando di Lasso

    Ranks in importance with Josquin and Palestrina
  • Period: 1543 to

    William Byrd

    Important Catholic English composer working in Protestant England
  • Period: 1548 to

    Tomas Luis de Victoria

    Carries on Palestrina's style while working in Spain
  • Period: 1557 to

    Giovani Gabrieli

    The leading composrt of instumental ensemble music. Was the first one to indicate the actual instruments wanted in the score. Composed over 100 motets
  • Period: 1564 to

    Shakespeare

    He lived into the early Baroque era. Many Renaissance style songs were composed for and used in his plays.
  • Period: 1567 to

    Claudio Monteverdi

    Moved music from the Reaissance style to the Baroque
  • Period: 1570 to

    John Farmer

    English composer and organist who lived in London. Known for clever word painting
  • Canzona septimi toni

    From a collection of Sacred Symphonies. 2 choirs of instuments, each in 4 parts. 8 musical lines sometimes interacting with eachother.