Chant Music and Liturgy in the Middle Ages

  • Slides: 25
Download presentation
Chant: Music and Liturgy in the Middle Ages

Chant: Music and Liturgy in the Middle Ages

What do the following 3 excerpts have in common?

What do the following 3 excerpts have in common?

I. Historical Background: Medieval Period (a. k. a. The Middle Ages) I my high

I. Historical Background: Medieval Period (a. k. a. The Middle Ages) I my high school history courses. a. Agree b. Disagree

I. Historical Background: Medieval Period (a. k. a. The Middle Ages) Music as Aesthetic

I. Historical Background: Medieval Period (a. k. a. The Middle Ages) Music as Aesthetic Object: Sounds that are great to listen to in the present Music as Historical/Cultural Artifact: Document that tells us about past culture

I. Historical Background: Medieval Period (a. k. a. The Middle Ages) A. Invention of

I. Historical Background: Medieval Period (a. k. a. The Middle Ages) A. Invention of the Renaissance (15 th-16 th c. ) B. Dates 1. Beginning = 4 th or 5 th century A. D. • (a)312 A. D. Conversion to Christianity of Constantine • (b)410 A. D. Fall of Rome • (c)476 A. D. End of Roman Empire 2. Music Notation dates from after 800 A. D. 3. End of Medieval Period: 1400 or 1475? C. Cultural Importance of “The Church”

I. Historical Background: (cont. ) D. The Musical Repertoire 1. Gregorian Chant, Plainchant, Plainsong,

I. Historical Background: (cont. ) D. The Musical Repertoire 1. Gregorian Chant, Plainchant, Plainsong, Chant E. Pope Gregory I F. Charlemagne (France) 1. Political Unification + Invention of Notation = “Standardizaton” 2. Change from Oral to Written Tradition= “Crystallization” G. The Function of “Gregorian” Chant = the sounding liturgy (worship)

II. Musical Style of Gregorian Chant A. Texture a. Monophonic b. Homophonic c. Polyphonic

II. Musical Style of Gregorian Chant A. Texture a. Monophonic b. Homophonic c. Polyphonic a. Duple b. triple c. nonmetrical B. Meter C. Rhythm ? Not notated D. Timbre Vocal & all male or female voices E. Melodic Contour F. Note Structure

II. Musical Style of Gregorian Chant A. Texture a. Monophonic b. Homophonic c. Polyphonic

II. Musical Style of Gregorian Chant A. Texture a. Monophonic b. Homophonic c. Polyphonic a. Duple b. triple c. nonmetrical B. Meter C. Rhythm ? Not notated D. Timbre Vocal & all male or female voices E. Melodic Contour a. Mainly stepwise/conjunct b. Mainly angular/disjunct F. Note Structure The modal system Based on 8 modes Each mode uses the same 7 notes as major scale Note other than 1 = final Each mode has 7 notes Modes lack leading-tone effect: lacks, striving, goal-driven quality of later music

III. Style and Function A. The Liturgical Day Mass and Offices Matins Lauds Prime

III. Style and Function A. The Liturgical Day Mass and Offices Matins Lauds Prime Terce 3 -4 AM Daybreak 6 9 Mass Morning Sext None Vespers Compline Noon 3 PM Sunset Before retiring

III. Style and Function (cont. ) B. Two Special Chant Formulas 1. Recitational Chant

III. Style and Function (cont. ) B. Two Special Chant Formulas 1. Recitational Chant 2. Psalm Tones (used to sing Psalms-Bible’s poetry) Tenor Intonation (lead-in) 1 st time only Mediant (comma) Termination (period)

III. Style and Function (cont. ) C. Word-Music Relationships 1. Syllabic 2. Melismatic (melisma)

III. Style and Function (cont. ) C. Word-Music Relationships 1. Syllabic 2. Melismatic (melisma) 3. Neumatic (neumes) D. Performance Style 1. Direct 2. Responsorial 3. Antiphonal

IV. Exercising the Historical Imagination

IV. Exercising the Historical Imagination