TIMELINE Renaissance &
300-650 650-1000 1000-1300 1300-1450 Baroque
Outreach
SCIENCE
Program
605 Grand 800 Soap came into 1050 The astrolabe, 1338 Hour-
From medium aevum, “the middle age.” AD 200-1450
Canal of China widespread European use an ancient tool of glass first docu-
constructed in semi-liquid form. navigation, is first mented in 5530 Penn Avenue
Hard form perfected by used in Europe. Siena, Italy Pittsburgh, PA 15206
A Study Guide to
the Arabs in the 1100s. 412-361-2048
1200s Europe
1439 Johannes
Medieval Music
www.rbsp.org
adopts gunpowder
Gutenberg
Astrolabe, 1050 invents the MEDIEVAL MUSIC IN A NUTSHELL
printing press MISSION: Renaissance
and Baroque of Pitts-
ARTS It was in the Middle Ages that music developed into a theory and
burgh has been the
city’s leading presenter
practice that is still recognizable in popular music today. In theory,
413 St. Augustine, 1163 Cornerstone of 1305 Giotto, frescoes
City of God Notre Dame of Paris at Arena chapel, Padua of early music per- Western music was first influenced by the Greek philosophers who
laid 1307 Dante, Divine formances since 1969. wrote many doctrines and descriptions of music that established
Notre 1295 Marco Polo pub- Comedy
Its mission is to further our musical vocabulary. In practice, Western music begins from the
Dame lishes his tales of China 1353 Boccaccio, De-
of the education of the Christian era. The Roman Catholic Church was the main source of
cameron community by foster-
Paris, music for 1400 years, and the music was composed to serve a reli-
1381 The Bible is trans- ing the understanding
1163 lated into English by gious function. The Church absorbed Jewish musical practices as
and appreciation of well as those from parts of the world to which it spread, such as
John Wycliffe
the music, arts and
Giotto, 1386 Chaucer, The Africa, Asia, and Europe.
1305 Canterbury Tales culture of the Renais-
www.notredamedeparis.fr sance and Baroque,
and to present histori- Sacred
EUROPE Chant was the primary style of religious mu-
cally informed per-
330 Constantinople new 715 Pope Gregory II 1189 Richard Coeur de Lion, sic and it was sung in Latin, the language of
formances of music
capital of Roman Empire elected pope king of England
395 Separation of East- 754 Pepin becomes 1209 St. Francis of Assisi
from the Medieval the Church. Pope Gregory I established an
ern and Western Roman king of the Franks founds Franciscan order through the Early Clas- order of the liturgy for the Church which, in
Empires 768 Charlemagne be- 1215 Magna Carta signed sical periods. turn, inspired a uniform repertoire of chant
Ca. 520 Rule of St. Bene- comes king of the 1309 Clement V moves papal for the Church in all countries. The reforms
dict (of Nursia) Franks seat to Avignon PROGRAM: The musi-
cians performing on became standard practice for centuries and
529 Benedictine order 789 Charlemagne or- 1316-
1316-34 Pope John XXII
founded ders Roman rite used 1378 Start of papal schism the concert series ex- the music was so highly regarded that Greg-
590 Pope Gregory I (the in Empire tend their time in Pitts- ory is forever associated with the repertoire,
Great) elected Pope 800 Charlemagne burgh to teach, dem- which is also known as Gregorian chant.
crowned emperor by onstrate, lecture, and
pope perform in schools,
Constantinople, universities, medical Chant was sung on church modes which are
330 800-
800-21 Rule of St.
Benedict introduced in facilities, and concert Example of chant notation. particular sounding scales that still exist in
Frankish lands halls. Activities are American traditional folk music, recent jazz,
tailored to fit a and popular music. Composers of chant consisted of monks, nuns,
antiquitiesexperts.com
school’s current cur-
and other religious persons who did not identify which chants
riculum.
they composed; only late in the Middle Ages did composers begin
Magna Carta, to write their names on their music. Another distinguishing charac-
1215 Study Guide created teristic of this early music is the musical notation. They used a dif-
St. Benedict, www.archives.gov by Mia Bonnewell
520, 529, 800
ferent system of markings than we do now, and often made
elaborate copies of the music since books and written SPOTLIGHT ON MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
manuscripts were rare and therefore highly regarded. BUZZ WORDS
Secular CANTUS FIRMUS
Although music was primarily created for religious (Latin, “fixed song”)
use, there were various forms of secular music spread A melody, such as plainchant,
by wandering minstrels (called Troubadors in south- that is the “fixed line” in a piece.
ern France, Trouvères in northern France, and Minne- It became known as the tenor
singer and Meistersingers in Germany). They made line. Musicians in medieval
their living traveling between villages and castles sing- times might add a second line to
ing, acting, storytelling, performing tricks, juggling, the cantus firmus for variation
dancing, and exhibiting trained animals. The minstrels and harmony. This became the HURDY GURDY: three
were often societal bass line. What we recognize strings, played by turning
outcasts, but are today as soprano and alto lines a crank.
considered one of do not come along for a few
the earliest com- more years.
munities of profes- ORGANS: Great
www.tarleton.edu
sional musicians. CHURCH MODES big ones in
Their music was Scales that were used for chant. churches and also
often related to portative organs,
dancing and was instruments that
performed in the MONOPHONY
could be carried.
context of other entertainment, and therefore was (From Greek, mono- one, alone; HARP:
HARP Oldest
not notated until the late Middle Ages. One example -phony, sound) characteristi-
of the entertainment they provided is the epic narra- A single melodic line. For exam- cally medieval
tive poem sung to music, such as Tristan and Iseult ple, chant or unaccompanied instrument.
and Song of Roland. These poems were long, exciting solo singing. From Ireland
rt
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stories that could take the minstrel a few hours to re- and Britain.
C li
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cite to a captive audience; the poems served as a per- HOMOPHONY
son’s only entertainment until another group of min- (From Greek, homo- the same,
strels happened to pass through town. Recognized belonging to two or more
still today is a collection of medieval poetry on which jointly; -phony, sound) BAGPIPE: Universal
these epic poems were based, called the Carmina Bu- When one melody is predomi- folk instrument.
Player blows air into PSALTRY:
rana. The collection also inspired a notable composi- nant and is supported by har-
the bag and squeezes Plucked string
tion by Carl Orff in 1935-6. mony or chords in the back-
it out through the instrument.
ground. Most of American
Composer of Note: Hildegard von popular music and folk music drone.
Bingen (1098-1179), German Bene- can be called homophonic.
dictine abbess known for her pro- Diabolus in Musica
phetic powers and revelation. She
composed chant, liturgical songs
NEUMES
Marks that represented notes in
and dramas, and a nonliturgical
Gregorian chant. They indicated
sacred music drama, called Ordo
DK Clipart
a general shape, but not neces-
Virtutum, in which all the parts ex-
sarily the rhythmic value.
cept the devil sing in plainchant.
