Intro to Early Music
By: Mrs. Fritts
Ancient Music
• All ancient people had music
• Ancient music & instruments
Let’s Hear It
• Ancient artifacts that show music
was important
• Often we can only guess how it
sounded
Medieval Music
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c.450-1450
Monophonic chant
Example: Haec Dies
Why is Haec Dies anonymous?
Who probably wrote it?
Medieval Music cont.
• c.1000 medieval music started
having more than one melody line!!!
• This was the beginnings of
polyphony
Medieval Music cont.
• c.1300’s extremely complex
polyphony was created
• Guillaume de Machaut’s Agnus Dei
is an example of the complex
rhythms, harmony, and texture used
in late 1300 polyphony
Renaissance Music
• c.1450-1600
• Music sounded different even
though music was still polyphonic
• Music was smooth, controlled, and
expressive and used imitation
• Expressive sound created by using
dynamics, rubato, and more
consonant harmonies
Renaissance Music cont.
• Some leading composers were:
– Josquin De Prez
– Giovanni da Palestrina
– Thomas Weelkes
• Example: Desprez’s Ave Maria
Renaissance Music cont.
• In the late 1500’s music became
richer and more expressive
• Example: Palestrina’s Agnus Dei
• Also around this time, secular music
started becoming really popular
• Example: Weelkes’ As Vesta Was
From Latmos Hill Descending
Early Baroque Music
• c.1600-1700
• Italian composers wanted music to convey
more emotions
Early Baroque Music cont.
• Opera = singing, acting, costumes, staging,
scenery, all together
• Opera became popular with composers and
audiences
• Example of early opera: Monteverdi’s Tu sei
morta from opera L’Orfeo
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