Music has been part of our lives for thousands of years. In fact there are pictures and writings which tell about music as far back as 4000 years BC It was found in places of worship and in homes.
Music was known as the language of gods and as such was regarded sacred. Because of this, sometimes only priests were allowed to sing and play.
The Renaissance Period (1450-1600)
Renaissance means re-birth. The artistic period called The Renaissance was a time during which a massive growth and development occurred in music and art. It was also a time of renewed interest in exploring all aspects of living. Musically, vocal music was the most important, and polyphony was emphasised. (polyphony is the blending of several independent melodies)
The greatest composer of this period was probably Palestrina. He wrote in almost every style that was available and his works were often used a models by other composers. Composers before Palestrina seemed to follow the rules very strictly. Although Palestrina did follow the rules the beauty of the music was his first thought. No-one before Palestrina had played as much attention to the musical detail.
Even though most of the music of this time was non-secular (religious), there were examples of �music for fun�. They tended to be more livelier and more rhythmic than the church music. The madrigal was an example of this secular music.
The point to remember when discussing the music of the renaissance is the importance of polyphony. It is this combination of a number of melodies overlapping by entering and leaving at various times which separates Renaissance music from the music that was to come later.
E-mail us with your Favourite Renaissance Flute Fancy.
Thank you for calling. Please come back and visit us soon.
For free templates.