Musical Era - Medieval

Question 1

Historical

Answer 1

Fall of Roman Empire to Renaissance

Catholic Church the most dominant institution

Feudal system (kings, barons, knights, serfs)

900-1500

Question 2

Major Events

Answer 2

Crusades (Christians expel Muslims)

Black Death: 1347-1350, killed half population

Hundred Years War: between England and France

Gothic Style: vaults, arches, large stained-glass windows

Canterbury Tales: story competition between Pilgrims traveling from London to Canterbury cathedral

Question 3

Notation

Answer 3

Prior to 900 only neumes used for general pitch and rhythm

900s pitches and rhythms relative to each other

1000s standardized system

1100s distinct genres and individual composers

Question 4

Genres

Answer 4

Chant
Luade (non-litergical religious songs in Italy)
Mass movements & cycles
Motets (sacred polyphonic composition with Latin texts

Question 5

Secular Genres

Answer 5

Ballades (three stanzas of text with same meter/rhythm, I-I-II)

Rondeauz (I-I-I-II-I-II)

Virelais (ABBA)

Question 6

Ars Antiqua

Answer 6

13th century polyphony, rhythmic upper parts over slow moving, chant based lower part

Question 7

Ars Nova

Answer 7

14th century polyphony, Isorhythm, music grouped by mathematics so text is less important

Question 8

Isorhythm

Answer 8

periodic reoccurrence of rhythmic (tales) and melodic (color) fragments

Question 9

Chant

Answer 9

Monophonic liturgical music of the Christian church

Question 10

Three chant styles

Answer 10

syllabic - one note per syllable

Neumatic - 2-4 notes per syllable

Melismatic - many notes per syllable

Question 11

Polyphony

Answer 11

15th Century

Organum - early polyphonic music based on chant

Question 12

Chant Styles

Answer 12

Old Roman

Mozarabic

Gallican

Ambrosian

Sacred

Gregorian