2.4- Music During the Northern Renaissance

Rise in Secular Music

  • Secular – No association with religious meaning or ceremonies
  • Lyrics in the vernacular

The Madrigal

[audio:MusicandMadrigals.mp3]
  • A vocal composition for a small group of singers
  • Usually a capella
  • Usually polyphonic
  • Appealed to education, courtly audiences
  • Topics of love, and frivolity
  • Witty settings of text
  • Word painting
  • Madrigals flourished in England

Important Madrigal Composers in England

Thomas Weelkes

As Vesta Was Descending
https://www.mhhe.com/socscience/music/kamien/student/olc/43.htm
Hark All Ye Lovely Saints

Thomas Morely

Now is the Month of Maying

Philis, I Fain Would Die Now
Click here to view.

John Dowland

A historical video (dated but still good) about the madrigal:
A Fine Knack for Ladies

Musical Instruments

Musical instruments have evolved substantially since the Renaissance.   Take a quick tour of some of the instruments that were used during this era.
https://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrumt.html

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Posted on April 30th, 2009 at 6:36 pm and last modified on February 8th, 2012 at 7:52 pm, and is filed under 2.0 Northern Renaissance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

6 Responses to “2.4- Music During the Northern Renaissance”

  1. Melvin Baird writes:
    No. 1 — October 11th, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    Secular music called magical was aimed toward people with class.

  2. sarah ledoux writes:
    No. 2 — March 6th, 2010 at 11:57 pm

    I love the website with the information about and examples of all of the instruments. Wow!

  3. Ted Graham writes:
    No. 3 — July 15th, 2010 at 2:00 am

    My favorite instrument is the recorder

  4. Rebecka writes:
    No. 4 — September 17th, 2010 at 3:52 am

    WOW, Interesting how many of those instruments sound like some of our modern instruments. I personally liked the sound of the gemshorn; very mellow and smooth sounding. I thought the Hurdy-Gurdy had a unique sound that I had never really heard before, plus it has a great name. 🙂

  5. Miles Dinstel writes:
    No. 5 — February 13th, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    A Lute, in the hands of a skilled player, is the most epic of all Renaissance instruments.

  6. Jody writes:
    No. 6 — September 18th, 2012 at 7:47 pm

    I enjoy the musical skill both in voice, music, and composition reflected in this music.