The Renaissance, a Time of Revival

The Renaissance was a movement in Europe throughout the 14th-17th Centuries, and explored, expanded, and forever changed literature, art, religion, human philosophy, and music. Fortunately, much of the Renaissance music has been saved due to the creation of the Printing Press in the 1400s, which was about the time this sacred music started. Due to all of the political, economic, and religious events happening during this time, styles of composing, means of circulating music, and new musical genres were all drastically impacted and reformed.

Many people have a misconstrued perception of what Renaissance music actually sounded like, often of light instrumental dancing music using string instruments, like in this video: “A Knight’s Tale” (click on title to go to video) is a movie set in the Renaissance period, and in this scene, the characters are performing a timely dance…I thought it would be fun to add to this particular post. :)

In actuality, music at this time was more orthodox, and choral. “Polyphonic” was a genre important especially for church choruses, and was often composed of multiple choirs of singers, brass and strings, resembling classical music, as well as opera. Many popular instruments were created in this grand period, including the trumpet, tambourine, harp, lyre, viol (predecessor of violin), sackbut (trombone), bagpipe, flute, and cornett.

I added five new songs to the playlist, including “Angelus ad Pastores Ait” by Andrea Gabrieli, “Sicut Cervus” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, and “O Magnum Mysterium” by Tomas Luis de Victoria. Gabrieli was an Italian composer and organist in the 16th Century, as well as the first internationally renowned member of the Venetian School of Composers. Those composers spread Venetian music throughout Europe, and had an enormous influence over the music concluding the Renaissance, which in turn developed the well known genre: opera. Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer in the 16th Century, as well as a representative of the Roman School of Musical Composition, where he had a large impact on the Roman Catholic Church music, and the beginning of “polyphonic” compositions. Victoria is known as the most important and famous Spanish Renaissance composers of the late 16th-early 17th Centuries, the Counter-Reformation.

The other two songs are different versions of the renowned song, “Ave Maria.” First is by Giulio Caccini, a famous Italian composer of the late Renaissance period, and one of the founders of Opera music. In contrast, the second version is by the current R&B artist, Beyonce. I thought it was very interesting to compare the difference of the two versions, one from the song in its original time period, one from today’s period. My, how music has changed! And yet, music today would be nothing if it weren't for this crucial time in music history....

Playlist: Songs 156-160