welcome to the renaissance

prelude

• no single event started the renaissance

europe in the renaissance

• fifteenth and sixteenth centuries included the end of the hundred years' war, fall of constantinople to the ottoman turks (end of the byzantine empire), rise of western europe as a world power

• introduction of new technologies - printing press

• aim to restore learning, ideals, and values of ancient greece and rome

• end of long-standing conflicts - hundred years' war, end of byzantine empire

economy and society:

• european economy stabilized around 1400 and began to grow

• trade across great distances, towns and cities prospered

• rulers erected impressive palaces decorated with new art, hosted lavish entertainment and supported talented musicians

• merchant class/middle class started to grow

• everyone on the top end was showing off especially with art and palaces

why italy:

• italy was close to the learning and art that inspired the movement

• commercial dominance - trade with byzantinium, wealthy families, profusion of secular princes

• italian peninsula was made up of city states that were often at war with each other

• rulers of the city states sought to glorify themselves and their city's reputation by erecting the castles

• people prioritized earthly manners and personal fulfillment

rediscovery of ancient texts:

• ottoman attacks: byzantines flee to italy with ancient greek manuscripts

• greek classics translated into latin for the first time

• thinkers had broader access to classic literature and philosophy

• byzantine scholars fleeing constantinope brought ancient greek writings to italy

humanism:

• study of the humanities and things pertaining to human knowledge

• sought to revive ancient learning (poetry, grammar, rhetoric, history, moral philosophy)

• humanist education allowed the rich to move in a world that acknowledged values other than Christian morals

• brunelleschi - invention of perspective

renaissance art and architecture

• statue of david

  • nudity moves from something to be ashamed of to something that shows the beauty of the human figure

  • naturalism in line with humanism's quest to see the world as it truly is

  • reveals new interest in the individual

• art achieved greater realism through the use of perspective

  • clean lines, symmetry, proportion

• renaissance architecture prioritized clarity

musical parallels:

• range expanded to include lower and higher pitches

• coordinated separate lines of polyphonic textures through points of imitation

• took on the clarity of line and function characteristic of renaissance architecture and perspective in painting

• trying to make music sound natural, imitating the rhythms of the way people actually speak

the musical culture of the renaissance

• humanism caused a rebirth of interest in music theory's greek past

• beothius read as a classical text rather than a basis for professional training

• all important treatises were translated into latin

• renewed interest in the greek modal system - mistakenly assumed that the old greek modes were identical to the church modes and that they both had ethical effects and powers

• heinrich added four new modes (aeolian, hypoaeolian, ionian, hypoionian)

• humanists believed music and words could strengthen each other

• court chapels established

  • ensembles were hired by patrons

  • composers would also perform their music

  • scribes created copies for all the performers

music and words:

• composers tried new ways to express the content of the text

• followed the rhythm of speech and natural accentuation of syllables

• aligning words with music rather than matching syllables

music printing:

• printing press - producing books and treatises that helped spread the ideas of antiquity

• putting music into the hands of far more people

increased support for music:

• new musical institutions and support for musicians led to an unprecedented flowering of professional music making

• court chapels hired musicians and clerics, members of the chapel furnished music for church services and secular entertainments

training of musicians:

• choir schools taught singing, theory, grammar, math, other subjects

• most composers were trained as choirboys and hired as singers

• only male children were allowed in choirs

• courts employed instrumentalists, whose rights were protected by guilds

• excellent music was enjoyable in itself and valuable as a way of displaying wealth and power

• presence at courts of musicians from different lands allowed composers and performers to learn styles and genres current in other regions

cosmopolitan musicians:

• people were more interested in learning about places beyond where they were