Medieval Music


Figure 1.--Very little is know about secular music in the early medival era (Dark Ages), but with the invention of musical notation we do have some information on the late medieval period. The quickening od commerce and the development of towns the conditions for music making incrased and was often assicuated with dance. We are not sure about the origins of this image. It may be a modern depiction. By the way they are dressed, these are not pesants, but refined city dwealers.

The music of the medieval era is a vast and complex topic in that it encompases a period of avout a millenia from the fall of Rome (5th cetury AD) to the Renaisance (14th-14th centuries). This was a long period during which Europe underwent enormous change, espcialy during the lte or high medieval era. There were two principal types of music during the medieval era, sacred (Church) and seciular music. Most of what we know about medieval music (especially) the Dark Ages is sacred music. Only the church had the institutional capability to create records of music and preserve it for future generations. Church music was dominanted by plainsong (chant) for most of the medieval era. Polyphony was invented (12th century), but did not immediately replace plainsong. An important part of church music was produced by choirs. The early church turned away from commounal singing and excluded women from singing in the church. Thus boys came to play an important role in sacred music. We have not yet created a page on early boy choirs, but we do have details about boy choirs in the high medieval era. Very little is known about secuilar music in the Dark Ages. After the fall of Rome the institutions which trainind singers and musciians disappeared. And what music continued was based on an oral tradition. It was not recorded on paper and virtually nothing has survived. This began to change by the middle period of the medievel era. Music and dance became an important part of courtly life and musical traditions began to develop as commerce and towns began to grow. Music was important during celebration and festivities. The nobility could aford minstrals and troubadors to entertain them when they wanted. The common people had far fewer opportunities. The trubador is perhaps the most important purveyor of secular music during the medieval era. By the late medieval era an increasingly sophisticated musical tradition began to grow, especially with the invention of polypony. And with the invention of notation there ws a a way of preserbing musical works, althogh the lack of an institutional base means that relatively little secular music has survived.

Sacred Music

The music of the medieval era is a vast and complex topic in that it encompases a period of avout a millenia from the fall of Rome (5th cetury AD) to the Renaisance (14th-14th centuries). This was a long period during which Europe underwent enormous change, espcialy during the lte or high medieval era. There were two principal types of music during the medieval era, sacred (Church) and seciular music. Most of what we know about medieval music (especially) the Dark Ages is sacred music. Only the church had the institutional capability to create records of music and preserve it for future generations. Church music was dominanted by plainsong (chant) for most of the medieval era. Polyphony was invented (12th century), but did not immediately replace plainsong. An important part of church music was produced by choirs. The early church turned away from commounal singing and excluded women from singing in the church. Thus boys came to play an important role in sacred music. We have not yet created a page on early boy choirs, but we do have details about boy choirs in the high medieval era.

Secular Music

Very little is known about secular music in the Dark Ages. After the fall of Rome the institutions which trainind singers and musciians disappeared. And what music continued was based on an oral tradition. It was not recorded on paper and virtually nothing has survived. One siurce claims that, "Medieval music was an integral part of everyday life ...." We are not at all dure tht this was the case for the peasantry which was the great mass of the population. We wonder about women during this period. We know that they were excluded from making music in church. And there were no venues for women to formally pursue music. We wonder if mothers did not sing to their babies and if so what they sang. Surely they did during the Roman era. But how much of that music survived the fall of Rome and the collapse of refined culture. We are not sure any one knows. Or did the women sing when they coming together to wash clothing or at wells. Or at events like feast days and weddings. Interestingly, one of the few sources of information on music in the Dark ages comes from examining Medieval art. There are instruments in the borders of many manuscripts of chant. We see angels play everything from organs, vielles and harps to trumpets and shawms in the paintings of the period. As the medieval era progresses so does art and we no longer have to rely on iluminated Bibles. There may have been music in the mannor houses for the nobility, but the vast percentage of Europe's population were peasants as the fedual system took hold. Next to nothing is known about music in their lives. This began to change by the middle period of the medievel era. Music and dance had become an important part of courtly life and musical traditions began to develop as commerce and towns began to grow. Music was important during celebration and festivities. The nobility could aford minstrals and troubadors to entertain them when they wanted. The common people had far fewer opportunities. The trubador is perhaps the most important purveyor of secular music during the medieval era. By the late-medieval era an increasingly sophisticated musical tradition began to grow, especially with the invention of polypony. And with the invention of notation there ws a a way of preserving musical works, althogh the lack of an institutional base means that relatively little secular music has survived. Again increasingly sophisticated are is an important source of information. We see increaingly sophisticated depictions of of instruments and music making, including pipes and tabors, nakers, and bagpipes. The bagpipe is described as the instrument of the peasants. And we begon to see bands shawms, trumpets, and other wind instruments. Band became common in towns by the late-Midle Ages.







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Created: 3:22 AM 12/3/2012
Last updated: 3:22 AM 12/3/2012