GROUP 2 (Kayve Buyante, Beverly Cabrera, Leo Cabral)
CHAPTER 3 – Roman Liturgy and Chant
I. Time Period
Medieval Period
a. Religious condition
this period is religious because the church was very much in control of the gamut of medieval
life.
Gregorian Chant was widely used by the Roman Church.
Most important event are:
Christmas
Easter
b. Cultural Condition
Most of the time was spent working the land, and trying to grow enough food to survive another
year. Church feasts marked sowing and reaping days, and occasions when peasant and lord could
rest from their labors.
II. Most Important People
A. Monks of the Benectione Abbey of Solesmes
People who issued the compilation of office hymns and mass chants, the Liber Usualis
B. Priest, Monks, Nuns, Soloist, Cantor
responsible for singing the chants
C. Notker Balbulos
Most famous early writer of sequence texts, a Frankish monk at the monastery of St. Gall of
Switzerland, Balbalus wrote Laudes Deo concinat orbis universus, qui gratis est redemptus, and
further on Coluber adae deceptor.
D. Hildegard of Bingen (1098 – 1179)
Achieved great success as prioress and abbess of her own convent and as a writer and composer.
Hildegard’s most extended musical work is Ordo virtutum, a sacred music drama in verse with
82 songs
III. Musical Changes and Development
A. Plainchant and Monophonic Sacred Music
During the Middle Ages, musical texture was monophonic, meaning it has a single melodic
line. Sacred vocal music such as Gregorian chants were set to Latin text and sung
unaccompanied. It was the only type of music allowed in churches, so composers kept the
melodies pure and simple. Later on, church choirs added one or more melodic lines to
the Gregorian chants.
Chant repertory was standardized, church musicians continued to add it
IV. Important Works
A. Church Calendar
is important for understanding the liturgy
B. Liturgical Books
copied by scribes in the middle ages and printed with the authority of the church
Liber Usualis – used as the official book for use in services and most recording of Gregorian
chants
V. Miscellaneous/Other Informations
A. Tonus Peregrinus (wandering tone)
is a vocal ensemble specialising in early music and contemporary sacred music.
B. Liturgical Dramas
such dialogues and more elaborate place in Latin
CHAPTER 4 – Song and Dance Music in the Middle Ages
I. Time Period – MEDIEVAL PERIOD
European Society (800 – 1300)
9th century there are 3 principal successors to the Roman Empire:
Byzantine Empire in Asia Minor and South-eastern Europe
Arab World and Western Europe
a. Political Condition
After Louis’ Death the Western Empire was divided and the Western part
became France
The French King was weak, directly ruling only area around Paris. Other regions
were governed by nobles who owned allegiance to the King.
German Kings claimed the title of Emperor as Charlemagne’ successors.
By 1250 real power lay in the hands of hundreds of local princes, dukes, bishops
and administrators.
b. Economical Condition
Western Europe saw remarkable economic progress.
The medieval economy was largely agricultural, and population mostly rural.
Artisans made products from shoes to paintings organizing themselves into
groups called “guilds”
From 1050 to 1300, cathedral schools were established throughout Western and
Central Europe teaching future church official Latin grammar and music
c. Social Condition
Society was organized into three broad classes:
- NOBILITY AND KNIGHTS
- PRIEST, MONKS AND NUNS
- PEASANTS
II. Musical Development
a.Latin Vernacular song
Versus – normally a sacred and sometimes attached to liturgy
Conductos – originated in the 12th century as a song that was performed while
liturgical book was carried into place for reading or a celebrant was conducted
from one place to another.
b. Latin Secular Songs
Ancient poetry, laments for Charlemagne and other notables, and satirical,
moralizing, or amorous songs.
c. Goliard Songs
Celebration of love, spring, eating drinking and other earthly pleasures.
d. Vernacular Song
one type of Vernacular poem that survived is the epic, a long heroic narrative.
e. Musical Plays
were built around narrative pastoral songs
III. Most important people
a.. Troubadours/Trobairitz – Poet composers in southern france whose language was
Occitan.
b. Trouveres – language was Old French, also a serving the court as composers of songs
and poems
c. Pope Innocent III – in 1208 he declared a crusade against the Albigensians, a heretical
Christian sect centered in Southern France. This leads to the collapse of Troubadors.
IV. Other Information
a. Song in other lands
English Song, Minnesinger, Laude, Cantigas,
b. Poetry
Refrain: a recurring verse or phrase with music typically sung by dancers
Alba (dawn-song), canso (love song) tenso (debate song)
C. Medieval Instruments
a Vielle or fiddle, the principal medieval bowed instrument and predecessor of
the Renaissance viol and modern violin
Hurdy-gurdy – a three-stringed Vielle sounded by a rotating wheel inside the
instrument turned by a crank at one end.
Psaltery – played by plucking strings attached to a frame over a wooden
sounding board
Transverse flute – was similar to the modern flute, but made of wood an ivory
and w/o keys
Shawm – a double-reed instrument, similar to the oboe
Pipe and Tabor – featured a high whistled fingered with a left hand while the
right hand beat a small drum with a stick.
D. Minstrels and other professional musicians
Poet singer (bards) playing with fiddle, harp or similar instrument.
Jugglers (Jongleurs) performing tricks, telling stories, singing and playing musical
instruments.
Servants (Minitrel) specialized musicians, court workers.
