Renaissance. Abstract Musical Culture of the Renaissance Communication on the Musical Culture of the Renaissance

Renaissance, or Renaissance(fr. renaissance), - a turning point in the history of the culture of European peoples. In Italy, new trends appeared at the turn of the XIII-XIV centuries, in other European countries - in the XV-XVI centuries. Renaissance figures recognized man - his good and the right to the free development of his personality - as the highest value. This worldview is called "humanism" (from the Latin humanus - "human", "humane"). The humanists sought the ideal of a harmonious person in antiquity, and ancient Greek and Roman art served them as a model for artistic creativity. The desire to "revive" the ancient culture gave the name to an entire era - the Renaissance, the period between the Middle Ages and the New Age (from the middle of the 17th century to the present day).

Art, including music, most fully reflects the Renaissance worldview. During this period, as well as in the Middle Ages, the leading place belonged to vocal church music. The development of polyphony led to the appearance of polyphony (from the Greek "polis" - "numerous" and "background" - "sound", "voice"). With this type of polyphony, all voices in a work are equal. Polyphony not only complicated the work, but allowed the author to express his personal understanding of the text, giving the music great emotionality. The polyphonic composition was created according to strict and complex rules, requiring deep knowledge and virtuoso skills from the composer. Church and secular genres developed within the framework of polyphony.

Dutch polyphonic school. The Netherlands is a historical region in northwestern Europe, which includes the territories of modern Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg and North-eastern France. By the XV century. The Netherlands has reached a high economic and cultural level and has become a prosperous European country.

It was here that the Dutch polyphonic school took shape - one of the largest phenomena of Renaissance music. For the development of art in the 15th century, communication between musicians from different countries and the mutual influence of creative schools were of great importance. The Dutch school has absorbed the traditions of Italy, France, England and the Netherlands themselves.

Its outstanding representatives: Guillaume Dufay (1400-1474) (Dufay) (about 1400 - 11/27/1474, Cambrai), Franco-Flemish composer, one of the founders of the Dutch school. The foundations of the polyphonic tradition in Dutch music were laid by Guillaume Dufay (about 1400-1474). He was born in Cambrai in Flanders (a province in the south of the Netherlands) and from an early age he sang in a church choir. In parallel, the future musician took private lessons in composition. In his youth, Dufay went to Italy, where he wrote his first compositions - ballads and motets. In the years 1428-1437. he served as a singer in the papal chapel in Rome; in the same years he traveled to Italy and France. In 1437 the composer was ordained. At the court of the Duke of Savoy (1437-1439), he composed music for ceremonies and holidays. Dufay was highly respected by noble persons - among his admirers were, for example, the Medici couple (rulers of the Italian city of Florence). [Worked in Italy and France. In 1428-37 he was a singer of papal chapels in Rome and other Italian cities, in 1437-44 he served with the Duke of Savoy. Since 1445, canon and director of the musical activities of the cathedral in Cambrai. Master of spiritual (3-, 4-voice masses, motets), as well as secular (3-, 4-voice French chanson, Italian songs, ballads, rondo) genres associated with folk polyphony and the humanistic culture of the Renaissance. Dante's art, which absorbed the achievements of European musical art, had a great influence on the further development of European polyphonic music. He was also a reformer of musical notation (D. is credited with introducing notes with white heads). Dufay's complete works were published in Rome (6 vols., 1951-66).] Dufay was the first among composers who began to compose the Mass as an integral musical composition. To create church music requires an extraordinary talent: the ability to express abstract, non-material concepts by concrete, material means. The difficulty lies in the fact that such a composition, on the one hand, does not leave the listener indifferent, and on the other hand, does not distract from the divine service, helps to focus more deeply on prayer. Many of Dufay's masses are inspired, full of inner life; they seem to help to open the veil of Divine revelation for a moment.

Often, when creating a Mass, Dufay took a well-known melody, to which he added his own. Such borrowings are characteristic of the Renaissance. It was considered very important that the mass was based on a familiar melody, which the worshipers could easily recognize even in a polyphonic piece. A fragment of Gregorian chant was often used; secular works were not excluded either.

In addition to church music, Dufay composed motets for secular texts. In them, he also used a complex polyphonic technique.

Josquin Despres (1440-1521). The representative of the Dutch polyphonic school of the second half of the 15th century. was Josquin Despres (about 1440-1521 or 1524), who had a great influence on the work of the next generation of composers. In his youth he served as a church choir in Cambrai; took music lessons from Okegem. At the age of twenty, the young musician came to Italy, sang in Milan with the dukes of Sforza (later the great Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci served here) and in the papal chapel in Rome. In Italy, Despres probably started composing music. At the very beginning of the XVI century. he moved to Paris. By that time, Despres was already known, and he was invited to the position of court musician by the French king Louis XII. Since 1503, Despres settled again in Italy, in the city of Ferrara, at the court of the Duke d'Este. Despres composed a lot, and his music quickly gained recognition in the widest circles: both nobility and common people loved her. The composer created not only church works, but also secular. In particular, he turned to the genre of Italian folk song - frottola (Italian frottola, from frotta - "crowd"), which is characterized by a dance rhythm and a fast tempo. , live intonation broke strict detachment and caused a feeling of joy and fullness of being. ...

Johannes Okegem (1430-1495), Jacob Obrecht (1450-1505). Younger contemporaries of Guillaume Dufay were Johannes (Jean) Okegem (circa 1425-1497) and Jacob Obrecht. Like Dufay, Okegem was originally from Flanders. All his life he worked hard; in addition to composing music, he acted as the head of the chapel. The composer created fifteen masses, thirteen motets, more than twenty chanson. Okegem's works are characterized by severity, concentration, and a prolonged development of flowing melodic lines. He paid great attention to polyphonic technique, strove for all parts of the mass to be perceived as a single whole. The composer's creative handwriting is also guessed in his songs - they are almost devoid of secular lightness, in character they are more reminiscent of motets, and sometimes even fragments of masses. Johannes Okegem was respected both at home and abroad (he was appointed adviser to the King of France). Jacob Obrecht was a chorister in cathedrals in various cities of the Netherlands, led chapels; for several years he served at the court of Duke d'Este in Ferrara (Italy). He is the author of twenty-five masses, twenty motets, thirty chanson. Using the achievements of his predecessors, Obrecht brought a lot of new things into the polyphonic tradition. His music is full of contrasts, bold even when the composer addresses to traditional church genres.

The versatility and depth of Orlando Lasso's creativity. Completing the history of Dutch Renaissance music is the work of Orlando Lasso (real name and surname Roland de Lasso, circa 1532-1594), called by his contemporaries "Belgian Orpheus" and "prince of music". Lasso was born in Mons (Flanders). From childhood he sang in the church choir, striking the parishioners with a wonderful voice. Gonzaga, Duke of the Italian city of Mantua, accidentally hearing the young singer, invited him to his own chapel. After Mantua, Lasso worked for a short time in Naples, and then moved to Rome - there he received the position of the head of the chapel of one of the cathedrals. By the age of twenty-five, Lasso was already known as a composer, and his works were in demand among music publishers. In 1555, the first collection of works was published, containing motets, madrigals and chanson. Lasso studied all the best that was created by his predecessors (Dutch, French, German and Italian composers), and used their experience in his work. Being an extraordinary person, Lasso strove to overcome the abstract character of church music, to give it individuality. For this purpose, the composer sometimes used genre motives (themes of folk songs, dances), thus bringing ecclesiastical and secular traditions closer together. Lasso combined the complexity of polyphonic technique with great emotionality. He was especially successful at madrigals, in the texts of which the state of mind of the characters was revealed, for example, Tears of St. Peter "(1593) on the verses of the Italian poet Luigi Tranzillo. The composer often wrote for a large number of voices (five to seven), so his works are difficult to perform. ...

From 1556 Orlando Lasso lived in Munich (Germany), where he headed the chapel. By the end of his life, his authority in musical and artistic circles was very high, and his fame spread throughout Europe. The Dutch polyphonic school had a great influence on the development of the musical culture of Europe. The principles of polyphony developed by Dutch composers have become universal, and many artistic techniques have been used in their work by composers already in the 20th century.

France. For France, the 15th-16th centuries became an era of important changes: the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) with England ended, by the end of the 15th century. the unification of the state was completed; in the 16th century, the country experienced religious wars between Catholics and Protestants. In a strong state with an absolute monarchy, the role of court celebrations and folk festivals increased. This contributed to the development of art, in particular the music that accompanied such events. The number of vocal and instrumental ensembles (chapels and consorts), which consisted of a significant number of performers, increased. During the military campaigns in Italy, the French got acquainted with the achievements of Italian culture. They deeply felt and accepted the ideas of the Italian Renaissance - humanism, the desire for harmony with the world around them, for the enjoyment of life.

If in Italy the musical Renaissance was associated primarily with the Mass, then French composers, along with church music, paid special attention to the secular polyphonic song - chanson. Interest in it in France arose in the first half of the 16th century, when a collection of musical pieces by Clement Janequin (circa 1485-1558) was published. It is this composer who is considered one of the creators of the genre.

Major choral programmatic works by Clement Janequin (1475-1560). As a child, Jeannequin sang in a church choir in his hometown of Chatellerault (Central France). Later, according to music historians, he studied with the Dutch master Josquin Desprez or with a composer from his entourage. Having received the ordination of a priest, Zhaneken worked as a choir director and organist; then he was invited to the service by the Duke of Guise. In 1555, the musician became a singer of the Royal Chapel, and in 1556-1557. - the royal court composer. Clement Jeannequin created two hundred and eighty chanson (published between 1530 and 1572); wrote church music - masses, motets, psalms. His songs were often pictorial. Pictures of the battle ("The Battle of Marignano", "The Battle of Renta", "The Battle of Metz"), hunting scenes ("The Hunt"), images of nature ("The Singing of Birds", "Nightingale", "Lark" ), everyday scenes ("Women's chatter"). With amazing vividness, the composer managed to convey the atmosphere of everyday life in Paris in the chanson "Screams of Paris": he introduced the exclamations of the sellers into the text ("Milk!" - "Pies!" - "Artichokes!" - "Fish!" - "Matches!" - "Doves! ! "-" Old shoes! "-" Wine! "). Janequin almost did not use long and flowing themes for individual voices and complex polyphonic techniques, giving preference to roll calls, repetitions, onomatopoeia.

Another direction of French music is associated with the pan-European movement of the Reformation.

In church services, French Protestants (Huguenots) abandoned Latin and polyphony. Sacred music has acquired a more open, democratic character. One of the brightest representatives of this musical tradition was Claude Gudimel (between 1514 and 1520-1572) - the author of psalms on biblical texts and Protestant chants.

Chanson. One of the main musical genres of the French Renaissance is chanson (French chanson - "song"). Its origins are in folk art (rhymed verses of epic legends were transferred to music), in the art of medieval troubadours and trouvers. In terms of content and mood, the chanson could be very diverse - there were love songs, everyday, humorous, satirical, etc. The composers took folk poems and modern poetry as texts.

Italy. With the onset of the Renaissance, everyday music-making on various instruments spread in Italy; circles of music lovers arose. In the professional field, two of the most powerful schools emerged: the Roman and the Venetian.

Madrigal. During the Renaissance, the role of secular genres increased. In the XIV century. the madrigal appeared in Italian music (from pozlnelat. matricale - "song in the native language"). It was formed on the basis of folk (shepherd's) songs. Madrigals were songs for two or three voices, often without instrumental accompaniment. They were written on the verses of modern Italian poets, which told about love; there were songs on everyday and mythological subjects.

During the fifteenth century, composers hardly ever turned to this genre; interest in him was revived only in the 16th century. A characteristic feature of the 16th century madrigal is the close connection between music and poetry. The music flexibly followed the text, reflecting the events described in the poetic source. Over time, peculiar melodic symbols developed, denoting tender sighs, tears, etc. In the works of some composers, the symbolism was philosophical, for example, in Gesualdo di Venosa's madrigal "I die, unhappy" (1611).

The heyday of the genre falls on the turn of the XVI-XVII centuries. Sometimes, simultaneously with the performance of the song, its plot was played out. Madrigal became the basis of madrigal comedy (a choral composition based on the text of a comedy play), which prepared the appearance of the opera.

Roman polyphonic school. Giovanni de Palestrina (1525-1594). The head of the Roman school was Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance. He was born in the Italian city of Palestrina, by the name of which he received his surname. From childhood, Palestrina sang in the church choir, and upon reaching adulthood, he was invited to the post of conductor (choir leader) in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome; later he served in the Sistine Chapel (the Pope's court chapel).

Rome, the center of Catholicism, has attracted many leading musicians. At different times Dutch masters, polyphonists Guillaume Dufay and Josquin Despres worked here. Their developed composing technique sometimes interfered with the perception of the text of the service: it was lost behind the exquisite interweaving of voices and the words, in fact, could not be heard. Therefore, the church authorities were wary of such works and advocated the return of monophony based on Gregorian chants. The question of the permissibility of polyphony in church music was discussed even at the Council of Trent of the Catholic Church (1545-1563). Close to the Pope, Palestrina convinced the leaders of the Church of the possibility of creating works where the compositional technique would not interfere with the understanding of the text. As proof, he composed Pope Marcello's Mass (1555), which combines complex polyphony with the clear and expressive sound of every word. Thus, the musician "saved" professional polyphonic music from the persecution of the church authorities. In 1577, the composer was invited to discuss the gradual reform - a collection of sacred chants of the Catholic Church. In the 80s. Palestrina was ordained, and in 1584 became a member of the Society of Masters of Music - an association of musicians directly subordinate to the Pope.

Creativity of Palestrina is imbued with a bright attitude. The works created by him amazed his contemporaries with both the highest skill and quantity (more than one hundred masses, three hundred motets, one hundred madrigals). The complexity of music has never been an obstacle to its perception. The composer knew how to find a middle ground between the sophistication of the compositions and their accessibility to the listener. Palestrina saw the main creative task in developing an integral large work. Each voice in his chants develops independently, but at the same time forms a single whole with the rest, and often the voices add up to amazingly beautiful combinations of chords. Often the melody of the upper voice hovers above the others, outlining the "dome" of polyphony; all voices are fluid and developed.

The musicians of the next generation considered Giovanni da Palestrina's art to be exemplary, classical. Many outstanding composers of the 17th-18th centuries studied on his works.

Another direction of Renaissance music is associated with the work of the composers of the Venetian school, the founder of which was Adrian Villart (circa 1485-1562). His students were the organist and composer Andrea Gabrieli (between 1500 and 1520 - after 1586), the composer Cyprian de Pope (1515 or 1516-1565) and other musicians. While the works of Palestrina are characterized by clarity and strict restraint, Willart and his followers developed a magnificent choral style. To achieve a surround sound, playing timbres, they used several choirs in their compositions, located in different places of the temple. The use of roll calls between choirs made it possible to fill the church space with unprecedented effects. This approach also reflected the humanistic ideals of the era as a whole - with its cheerfulness, freedom, and the Venetian artistic tradition itself - with its striving for everything bright and unusual. In the work of the Venetian masters, the musical language also became more complicated: it was filled with bold combinations of chords, unexpected harmonies.

A striking Renaissance figure was Carlo Gesualdo di Venosa (circa 1560-1613), prince of the city of Venosa, one of the greatest masters of the secular madrigal. He gained fame as a philanthropist, lute performer, composer. Prince Gesualdo was friends with the Italian poet Torquato Tasso; there are still interesting letters in which both artists discuss issues of literature, music, and fine arts. Tasso Gesualdo di Venosa transposed many of the poems into music - this is how a number of highly artistic madrigals appeared. As a representative of the late Renaissance, the composer developed a new type of madrigal, where feelings were in the first place - violent and unpredictable. Therefore, his works are characterized by changes in volume, intonation, similar to sighs and even sobs, sharp-sounding chords, contrasting tempo changes. These techniques gave Gesualdo's music an expressive, somewhat bizarre character, it amazed and at the same time attracted contemporaries. The legacy of Gesualdo di Venosa consists of seven collections of polyphonic madrigals; among the spiritual works - "Sacred Chants". His music today does not leave the listener indifferent.

Development of genres and forms of instrumental music. Instrumental music has also been marked by the emergence of new genres, most notably the instrumental concert. Violin, harpsichord, organ gradually turned into solo instruments. The music written for them made it possible to show talent not only for the composer, but also for the performer. Primarily appreciated was virtuosity (the ability to cope with technical difficulties), which gradually became an end in itself for many musicians and an artistic value. Composers of the 17th-18th centuries usually not only composed music, but also played the instruments masterly and were engaged in pedagogical activity. The well-being of the artist largely depended on the specific client. As a rule, every serious musician sought to get a place either at the court of a monarch or a wealthy aristocrat (many members of the nobility had their own orchestras or opera houses), or in a temple. Moreover, most composers easily combined church music-making with service with a secular patron.

England. The cultural life of England during the Renaissance was closely associated with the Reformation. In the 16th century, Protestantism spread throughout the country. The Catholic Church lost its dominant position, the Anglican Church became the state one, which refused to recognize some dogmas (basic provisions) of Catholicism; most of the monasteries ceased to exist. These events influenced English culture, including music. Music departments were opened at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. In the salons of the nobility, keyboard instruments were played: the virginel (a type of harpsichord), a portable (small) organ, etc. Small compositions intended for home music playing were popular. The most prominent representative of the musical culture of that time was William Bird (1543 or 1544-1623) - a music publisher, organist and composer. Bird became the ancestor of the English madrigal. His works are distinguished by their simplicity (he avoided complex polyphonic techniques), the originality of the form that follows the text, and harmonic freedom. All musical means are intended to affirm the beauty and joy of life, as opposed to medieval severity and restraint. The composer had many followers in the madrigal genre.

Bird also created spiritual works (masses, psalms) and instrumental music. In his compositions for the virginel, he used motifs from folk songs and dances.

The composer really wanted the music he wrote to "happily carry at least a little tenderness, relaxation and entertainment" - this is what William Bird wrote in the preface to one of his musical collections.

Germany. The connection of German musical culture with the Reformation movement. In the 16th century, the Reformation began in Germany, which significantly changed the religious and cultural life of the country. The leaders of the Reformation were convinced of the need for changes in the musical content of worship. This was due to two reasons. By the middle of the 15th century. the polyphonic skill of composers working in the genres of church music has reached extraordinary complexity and sophistication. Sometimes works were created that, due to the melodic richness of voices and lengthy chants, could not be perceived and spiritually experienced by the majority of parishioners. In addition, the service was conducted in Latin, understandable to Italians, but alien to the Germans.

The founder of the Reformation movement Martin Luther (1483-1546) believed that a reform of church music was needed. Music, firstly, should promote a more active participation of parishioners in worship (it was impossible when performing polyphonic compositions), and secondly, it should generate empathy for biblical events (which was hindered by the conduct of the service in Latin). Thus, the following requirements were imposed on church singing: simplicity and clarity of melody, even rhythm, clear form of chanting. On this basis, the Protestant chant arose - the main genre of church music of the German Renaissance. In 1522, Luther translated the New Testament into German - henceforth it became possible to conduct divine services in their native language.

Luther himself, as well as his friend, the German music theorist Johann Walter (1490-1570), took an active part in the selection of melodies for the chorales. The main sources of such melodies were folk spiritual and secular songs - widely known and easy to understand. Luther composed the melodies for some of the chorales himself. One of them, "The Lord is our support," became a symbol of the Reformation during the period of the religious wars of the 16th century.

Meistersingers and their art. Another bright page of German Renaissance music is associated with the work of the Meistersinger (German Meistersinger - "master singer") - poet singers from among the artisans. They were not professional musicians, but above all craftsmen - gunsmiths, tailors, glaziers, shoemakers, bakers, etc. The city union of such musicians included representatives of various crafts. In the 16th century, Meistersinger associations existed in many cities in Germany.

The Meistersingers composed their songs according to strict rules, the creative initiative was embarrassed by many restrictions. A beginner had to first master these rules, then learn how to perform songs, then compose lyrics to other people's melodies, and only then he could create his own song. The melodies of the famous meistersingers and minnesingers were considered to be the melodies.

Outstanding Meistersinger of the 16th century Hans Sachs (1494-1576) came from a family of a tailor, but in his youth he left his parental home and went to travel in Germany. During his wanderings, the young man learned the craft of a shoemaker, but most importantly, he got acquainted with folk art. Sachs was well educated, knew ancient and medieval literature perfectly, read the Bible in German translation. He was deeply imbued with the ideas of the Reformation, so he wrote not only secular songs, but also spiritual ones (about six thousand songs in total). Hans Sachs also became famous as a playwright (see the article "Theatrical art of the Renaissance").

Musical instruments of the Renaissance. During the Renaissance, the composition of musical instruments expanded significantly, new varieties were added to the already existing strings and winds. Among them, a special place is occupied by viols - a family of bowed strings, striking with their beauty and nobility of sound. In form, they resemble the instruments of the modern violin family (violin, viola, cello) and are even considered their direct predecessors (they coexisted in musical practice until the middle of the 18th century). However, the difference, and significant, is still there. Violas have a system of resonating strings; as a rule, there are as many of them as the main ones (six to seven). The vibrations of the resonating strings make the viola sound soft, velvety, but the instrument is difficult to use in an orchestra, as it quickly becomes out of tune due to the large number of strings.

For a long time, the sound of the viola was considered an example of sophistication in music. There are three main types in the viola family. Viola da gamba is a large instrument that the performer placed vertically and clamped from the sides with his feet (the Italian word gamba means "knee"). Two other varieties - viola da braccio (from Italian braccio - "forearm") and viol d "cupid (fr. Viole d" amour - "viola of love") were oriented horizontally, and when played, they were pressed against the shoulder. Viola da gamba is close to the cello in terms of the range of sound, viola da braccio is close to the violin, and the viol d "cupid is close to the viola.

Among the plucked instruments of the Renaissance, the main place is occupied by the lute (Polish lutnia, from the Arabic "alud" - "tree"). It came to Europe from the Middle East at the end of the 14th century, and by the beginning of the 16th century there was a huge repertoire for this instrument; first of all, songs were performed to the accompaniment of the lute. The lute has a short body; the top is flat, and the bottom resembles a hemisphere. A fretboard is attached to the wide neck, and the head of the instrument is bent back almost at right angles. If you wish, you can see the resemblance to a bowl in the guise of a lute. Twelve strings are grouped in pairs, and the sound is produced both with fingers and with a special plate - a pick.

In the XV-XVI centuries, various types of keyboards arose. The main types of such instruments - the harpsichord, clavichord, harpsichord, harpsichord, virginel - were actively used in the music of the Renaissance, but their real heyday came later.

The aesthetics of the Renaissance is associated with the grandiose revolution that is taking place in this era in all areas of public life: in economy, ideology, culture, science and philosophy. The flourishing of urban culture, great geographical discoveries that immensely expanded the horizons of a person, the transition from craft to manufacture belong to this time.

The revolutionary development of the productive forces, the disintegration of feudal estate and shop relations, which fettered production, lead to the emancipation of the individual, create the conditions for its free and universal development. Undoubtedly, all this could not but affect the nature of the worldview. During the Renaissance, there is a process of radical breakdown of the medieval system of views on the world and the formation of a new, humanistic, ideology. This process is reflected in musical aesthetics as well. Already the XIV century was fraught with the symptoms of the awakening of a new aesthetic worldview. The art and aesthetics of Ars nova, the treatises of John de Groheo and Marchetto of Padua, gradually shattered the traditional system of medieval musical theory. Here the theological view of music, based on the recognition of a certain unperceivable sense of heavenly music, was undermined. However, the centuries-old tradition of medieval music theory was not completely destroyed. It took another century for musical aesthetics to finally break free from the traditional frameworks that fettered it.

The musical aesthetics of the Renaissance in interpreting the question of the purpose of music is based on real practice, characterized by the extraordinary development of music in public life. At this time, hundreds of musical circles were formed in the cities of Italy, France, Germany, in which they enthusiastically study composition or playing various musical instruments. Possession of music and knowledge of it become necessary elements of secular culture and secular education. The famous Italian writer Baldazare Castiglione in his treatise "On the courtier" (1518) writes that a person cannot be a courtier "if he is not a musician, does not know how to read music from sight and does not know anything about different instruments." The extraordinary prevalence of music in the civil life of the 16th century is evidenced by the painting of that time. In numerous paintings depicting the private life of the nobility, we constantly meet hundreds of people engaged in music: singing, playing, dancing, improvising, etc.

The earliest culture of the Renaissance arose and developed in Italy. The Renaissance centuries here are marked by the powerful development of folk poetry and music, and the main role is played by the richest traditions of songwriting in such genres as lauda, ​​frottola, vilanella. Kacchia has become no less popular genre in everyday urban music making, usually displaying a juicy genre scene with the use of prevailing intonations in the text and music - right up to the shouts of peddlers and sellers. Kacchia was often accompanied by a circular dance. The Italian ballad is also a widespread genre of song and dance lyrics associated with solo and choral performance (in France at that time, the viirele genre had similar features). Folk song intonations, a certain weight of the melodic principle, inventiveness of texture - these qualities of secular everyday music also penetrate into sacred music, right up to polyphonic masses.

The melodic-melodic character of the music was associated with the fact that in Italy the traditions of solo and ensemble music-making on stringed bowed instruments quickly developed. In general, the wide spread of instrumental music contributed to the formation of a homophonic warehouse and functional harmony.

Before the violin appeared in the musical circles of Italy (in the last quarter of the 16th century) and the production of violins by the Cremona masters Amati, Stradivari, Guarneri and others began to develop, the lute (the most famous composer-lute player is Francesco Milano), viola, Spanish guitar , theorba (large bass lute).

The violin skill was first formed in the works of B. Donati, L. Viadan, G. Giacomelli (he was famous for the skill of long bowing and the legato technique). A new step in the development of violin performance is associated with the work of C. Monteverdi, who develops the passage technique, uses tremolo, pizzicato, enriches dynamics with polar contrasts pp and ff.

A great revival was observed in the field of organ and harpsichord performance. Since the 40s. In the 16th century, the number of organ collections sharply increased, and a whole galaxy of outstanding organists appeared - Villaert, Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, Claudio Merulo, Cavazzoni. These masters lay the foundations of Italian organ art and create genres of instrumental music - richercar, canzona, toccata.

Harpsichord performance makes extensive use of everyday dances, arrangements of popular secular songs. An outstanding composer-improviser on organ and clavier was Girolamo Frescobaldi, in whose work entire collections of harpsichord music appeared - dance cycles.

The Italian composing school is also represented by the activities of professional polyphonist composers - Adrian Villaerta and his students Ciprian de Roore, Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Their creative heritage is diverse and mainly consists of vocal polyphonic works - dozens of masses, spiritual and secular madrigals, motets, which were performed mainly by the a capella choir.

The powerful development of polyphony in the Netherlands is explained by the richness of folk polyphony and the presence of special schools-dormitories for singers (metriz) at the cathedrals of wealthy Dutch cities.

Several generations of composers belonged to the Dutch polyphonic school. Their activities took place not only in the Netherlands, which at that time covered the territory of modern Belgium, Luxembourg, the south-west of Holland and the north of France (hence the other name of the school - Franco-Flemish). Major representatives of the Dutch school worked fruitfully in Rome (Dufay, Obrecht, Joskin) and other cities (Villaertes, Rohr - in Venice, Isaac - in Austria and Germany, Benshua - in Dijon at the Burgundian court).

The Dutch school generalized the centuries-old development of polyphony in all European countries. Although church music undoubtedly occupied a leading place in the work of these masters, they did not

less, along with spiritual works, composers wrote many secular polyphonic songs, which reflected the rich world of ideas and feelings characteristic of the Renaissance.

The most monumental genre of creativity of the Dutch polyphonists was the Mass, in which the quintessence of the principles of strict polyphony took place. However, the activity of each master reveals innovative features associated with the search for going beyond the established expressive canons. The reliance on the existing song and dance material, the mutual influence of spiritual and secular genres leads to a gradual separation of the melodic voice in polyphony, to the formation of a chord vertical and functional thinking.

The culmination of 16th century Dutch polyphony was the work of Orlando Lasso. It was in his work that the broadest genre interests of the Renaissance were concentrated: he paid tribute to almost all vocal forms of his time - madrigal, mass, motet, French chanson and even German polyphonic song. The composer's works are full of life-true images, have a bright melody, a relief varied rhythm, a consistently developed harmonic plan, which ensured their extraordinary popularity (they were repeatedly used by other composers for lute and organ arrangements).

The development of Renaissance trends and the formation of French national culture were already outlined in the XIV century. Prominent representatives of the early Renaissance art in French music were Philippe de Vitry and Guillaume de Machaut, who left a great legacy in the genres of virel, le, rondo ballads.

Deeply vital and realistic was the chanson genre most characteristic of French musical art, which is a polyphonic song form with secular text and usually folk melodies. It was in this genre that new Renaissance features were most clearly manifested in the content, plot, and features of expressive means.

French chanson of the 15th-16th centuries is a kind of "encyclopedia" of the French way of life of that time. Its content is diverse and can be narrative, lyrical, intimate, sad, comic, descriptive, gallant. The variety of their scales is also characteristic - from several measures to 42 pages.

The simplicity and immediacy of expressive means, a periodic structure with certain endings on D and T, the technique of the solo, which is then picked up by the whole ensemble - are typical features of the genre, the music of which sometimes resembles a folk dance, lyric-epic melody or a perky street city song - the prototype of the future vaudeville. Chanson music is characterized by an emphasis on the rhythmic basis, sometimes it is characterized by a verse or circular round shape, folk instruments can be used for accompaniment.

The most outstanding composer of the French Renaissance was Clement Jannequin, in whose work were reflected both subtle love lyrics (in songs to the texts of the poet Ronsard), and the expression of moods of sadness and sorrow, and scenes of folk fun full of life and movement. His legacy draws special attention to large programmatic choral fantasy songs, full of ingenuity and witty discoveries in the field of choral writing. In them, Zhaneken colorfully depicted the life and everyday life of his time. The most famous are "Battle", "Hunt", "Birdsong", "Street cries of Paris".

In addition to over 200 songs, Janeken wrote both motets and masses. But in the field of music for the Catholic cult, he boldly uses folk melodies, intones spiritual texts to the fanfare of military music, and introduces dance rhythms.

To a large extent, this treatment of folk song and dance material was characteristic of many composers of the Renaissance, who united in their work an interest in spiritual and secular genres, which led to the final separation of secular music into the field of artistic independence and professionalism.

In the 19th century, the historian Jules Michelet first used the concept of the Renaissance. The musicians and composers discussed in the article belonged to the period that began in the 14th century, when the medieval dominance of the church was replaced by secular culture with its interest in the human person.

Renaissance music

European countries have entered a new era at different times. A little earlier they arose in Italy, but the Dutch school prevailed in musical culture, where for the first time at cathedrals special metrizas (shelters) were created to train future composers. The main genres of that time are presented in the table:

Most of the Renaissance in the Netherlands is Guillaume Dufay, Jacob Obrecht, Josquin Despres.

Great Dutchmen

Johannes Okegem was educated at the Metrisse of Notre Dame (Antwerp), and in the 40s of the 15th century he became a choir choirman at the court of Duke Charles I (France). Subsequently, he headed the chapel of the royal court. Having lived to a ripe old age, he left a great legacy in all genres, having established himself as an outstanding polyphonist. Manuscripts of his 13 masses have come down to us under the name Chigi codex, one of which is scheduled for 8 votes. He used not only other people's, but also his own melodies.

Orlando Lasso was born on the territory of modern Belgium (Mons) in 1532. His musical talent manifested itself in early childhood. The boy was kidnapped from home three times to make him a great musician. He spent his entire adult life in Bavaria, where he performed as a tenor at the court of Duke Albrecht V, and then headed the chapel. Its highly professional team helped transform Munich into the musical center of Europe, which was visited by many famous composers of the Renaissance.

Such talents as Johann Eckard, Leonard Lechner, and the Italian D. Gabrieli came to study with him. . He found his last refuge in 1594 on the territory of a Munich church, leaving a grand legacy: more than 750 motets, 60 masses and hundreds of songs, among which the most popular was Susanne un jour. His motets ("The Prophecies of the Sibyls") were distinguished by their innovations, but he was also known for his secular music, in which there was a lot of humor (Vilanella O bella fusa).

Italian school

Outstanding Renaissance composers from Italy, in addition to traditional trends, actively developed instrumental music (organ, bowed string instruments, clavier). The lute became the most widespread instrument, and at the end of the 15th century the harpsichord appeared - the forerunner of the piano. On the basis of elements of folk music, two most influential composing schools developed: the Roman (Giovanni Palestrina) and the Venetian (Andrea Gabrieli).

Giovanni Pierluigi took the name Palestrina by the name of a town near Rome, where he was born and served in the main church as a choirmaster and organist. The date of his birth is very approximate, but he died in 1594. During his long life he wrote about 100 masses and 200 motets. His Mass of Pope Marcellus evoked the admiration of Pope Pius IV and became an example of Catholic sacred music. Giovanni is the most prominent representative of vocal singing without musical accompaniment.

Andrea Gabrieli Together with his pupil and nephew Giovanni worked in the chapel of St. Mark (16th century), “painting” the choir's singing with the sound of organ and other instruments. The Venetian school gravitated more towards secular music, and when Sophocles' Oedipus was staged on the theater stage by Andrea Gabrieli, choral music was written, an example of choral polyphony and a harbinger of the future of opera.

Features of the German school

German soil advanced Ludwig Senfl, the best polyphonist of the 16th century, who, nevertheless, did not reach the level of the Dutch masters. Songs of poets-singers from among the artisans (meistersingers) are also special music of the Renaissance. German composers represented singing corporations: tinsmiths, shoemakers, weavers. They united across the territory. An outstanding representative of the Nuremberg School of Singing was Hans Sachs(years of life: 1494-1576).

Born into a family of a tailor, he worked as a shoemaker all his life, striking with erudition and musical and literary interests. He read the Bible as interpreted by the great reformer Luther, knew ancient poets and appreciated Boccaccio. As a folk musician, Sachs did not master the forms of polyphony, but created melodies of the song warehouse. They were close to dance, easy to remember and had a certain rhythm. The most famous piece was The Silver Tune.

Renaissance: musicians and composers of France

The musical culture of France really felt a renaissance only in the 16th century, when the social soil was prepared in the country.

One of the best representatives is Clement Jannequin... It is known that he was born in Chatellerault (late 15th century) and went from a boy-singer to the king's personal composer. From his creative heritage, only the secular songs published by Attenyan have survived. There are 260 of them, but those that have passed the test of time have gained real fame: "Birdsong", "Hunt", "Skylark", "War", "Screams of Paris". They were constantly reprinted and used by other authors for revision.

His songs were polyphonic and resembled choral scenes, where, in addition to onomatopoeia and canted voice-leading, there were exclamations that were responsible for the dynamics of the work. It was a bold attempt at finding new ways of imagery.

Famous French composers include Guillaume Cotlet, Jacques Mauduy, Jean Baif, Claude Lejeune, Claude Gudimel , gave the music a harmonious structure that contributed to the assimilation of music by the general public.

Renaissance composers: England

The 15th century in England was influenced by the works John Dubstale, and XVI - William Byrd... Both masters gravitated towards sacred music. Bird started out as organist at Lincoln Cathedral and ended his career at the Royal Chapel in London. For the first time, he managed to connect music and entrepreneurship. In 1575, in collaboration with Tallis, the composer became a monopoly in the publication of musical works, which did not bring him profit. But it took a lot of time to defend their property rights in the courts. After his death (1623), in the official documents of the chapel, he was called "the ancestor of music."

What did the Renaissance leave behind? Byrd, in addition to published collections (Cantiones Sacrae, Gradualia), preserved many manuscripts, considering them suitable only for domestic worship. The madrigals (Musica Transalpina) published later showed a great influence of Italian authors, but several masses and motets entered the golden fund of sacred music.

Spain: Cristobal de Morales

The best representatives of the Spanish school of music passed through the Vatican, speaking in the papal chapel. They felt the influence of Dutch and Italian authors, so only a few managed to become famous outside their country. Renaissance composers from Spain were polyphonists creating choral works. The most prominent representative is Cristobal de Morales(XVI century), who led the metrisa in Toledo and prepared more than one student. A follower of Josquin Despres, Cristobal introduced a special technique to a number of compositions called homophonic.

The most famous are the author's two requiems (the last one for five voices), as well as the Armed Man Mass. He also wrote secular works (a cantata in honor of the conclusion of a peace treaty in 1538), but this applies to his earlier works. Heading the chapel in Malaga at the end of his life, he remained the author of sacred music.

Instead of a conclusion

The composers of the Renaissance and their works prepared the heyday of 17th century instrumental music and the emergence of a new genre - opera, where the intricacy of many voices was replaced by the primacy of one leading the main melody. They made a real breakthrough in the development of musical culture and laid the foundation for modern art.

The most striking phenomenon was the widespread at that time secular vocal genres, imbued with the spirit of humanistic trends. A special role in their development was played by the professionalization of musical art: the skill of musicians grew, singing schools were organized, in which, from an early age, they taught singing, playing the organ, and musical theory. All this led to the approval of the polyphony of a strict style, requiring high skill, professional mastery of the compositional and performing technique. Within the framework of this style, rather strict rules of voice-leading and rhythmic organization operate while maintaining the maximum independence of the voices. Although church music occupied an important place in the works of masters of the strict style, along with works on spiritual texts, these composers wrote many secular polyphonic songs. Of particular interest are musical and poetic images of secular vocal genres. The texts are notable for the liveliness and relevance of the content. In addition to love lyrics, satirical, frivolous, dithyrambic texts were extremely popular, which were combined with the excellent professional technique of polyphonic writing. Here are some texts of French chanson, which are an example of everyday poetry "Get up, dear Colinette, it's time to go for a drink; laughter and pleasure are what I strive for. Let everyone surrender to joy. Spring has come ...", "Let the wealth be cursed, it took away I have my friend: I took possession of her love, and the other - wealth, sincere love in love affairs is worth little. "

The culture of the Renaissance first appeared in Italy, and then in other countries. History has preserved information about the frequent movements of famous musicians from country to country, about their work in one or the other chapel, about the frequent communication of representatives of different nationalities, etc. Therefore, in the music of the Renaissance period, we observe a significant relationship between the works created by composers different national schools.

The 16th century is often referred to as the "age of dance". Under the influence of the humanistic ideals of the Italian Renaissance, the dam of church prohibitions was finally broken, and the craving for "worldly", earthly joys revealed itself as an unprecedented explosion of dance and song elements. A powerful factor in the popularization of song and dance in the 16th century. the invention of methods of printing music played a role: dances published in large editions began to wander from one country to another. Each nation contributed to the common hobby, so dancing, breaking away from its native soil, traveled across the continent, changing its appearance, and sometimes its name. The fashion for them spread quickly and changed rapidly.

At the same time, the Renaissance was the time of broad religious movements (Hussite in Bohemia, Lutheranism in Germany, Calvinism in France). All these diverse manifestations of religious movements of that time can be united by the general concept of Protestantism. Protestantism in various national movements played an important role in the development and strengthening of the common musical cultures of peoples, moreover, mainly in the field of folk music. In contrast to humanism, which embraced a relatively narrow circle of people, Protestantism was a more massive trend that spread among broad strata of the people. One of the most striking phenomena in the musical art of the Renaissance is the Protestant chant. Arose in Germany under the influence of the Reformation movement, in contrast to the attributes of Catholic worship, it was distinguished by a special emotional and semantic content. Luther and other representatives of Protestantism attached great importance to music: "Music makes people joyful, makes people forget anger. Eliminates self-confidence and other shortcomings ... Youth must be constantly taught to music, for it forges dexterous, suitable people for all." Thus, music in the Reformation movement was considered not a luxury, but a kind of "daily bread" - it was called upon to play a large role in the propaganda of Protestantism and the formation of the spiritual consciousness of the broad masses.

GENRE:

Vocal genres

The entire era as a whole is characterized by a clear predominance of vocal genres, and in particular vocal polyphony... An unusually complex mastery of polyphony of a strict style, genuine scholarship, virtuoso technique coexisted with the bright and fresh art of everyday dissemination. Instrumental music acquires some independence, but its direct dependence on vocal forms and on everyday sources (dance, song) will be overcome only a little later. Major musical genres remain associated with verbal text. The essence of Renaissance humanism was reflected in the composing of choral songs in the Frottol and Vilanell styles.
Dance genres

In the Renaissance, everyday dance acquired great importance. Many new dance forms are emerging in Italy, France, England, Spain. Various strata of society have their own dances, develop the manner of their performance, rules of behavior during balls, evenings, festivities. Renaissance dances are more complex than the simple curses of the late Middle Ages. Dances with a round dance and a linear-rank composition are replaced by paired (duet) dances, built on complex movements and figures.
Volta - a pair dance of Italian origin. Its name comes from the Italian word voltare, which means "to turn". The size is three-beat, the tempo is moderately fast. The main pattern of the dance is that the gentleman nimbly and abruptly turns the lady dancing with him in the air. This climb is usually done very high. It requires great strength and dexterity from the gentleman, since, despite the sharpness and some impetuosity of the movements, the lift must be performed clearly and beautifully.
Galliard - an old dance of Italian origin, widespread in Italy, England, France, Spain, Germany. The pace of the early galliards is moderately fast, the size is three-beat. Galliarda was often performed after the pavana, with which it was sometimes thematically associated. Galliards 16th century sustained in a melodic-harmonic texture with a melody in the upper voice. Galliard tunes were popular among wide sections of French society. During the serenades, Orleans students played galliard tunes on lutes and guitars. Like the chime, the galliard had the character of a kind of dance dialogue. The cavalier moved through the hall with his lady. When the man performed the solo, the lady remained in place. The male solo consisted of a variety of complex movements. After that, he again approached the lady and continued the dance.
Pavana - a side dance of the 16-17 centuries. The tempo is moderately slow, 4/4 or 2/4 beat. Different sources disagree about its origin (Italy, Spain, France). The most popular version is a Spanish dance imitating the movements of a peacock walking with a beautifully flowing tail. Was close to bass dance. To the music of the pavans, various ceremonial processions took place: the entry of the authorities into the city, seeing off the noble bride to the church. In France and Italy, the pavana is established as a court dance. The solemn character of the pavana allowed the court society to shine with grace and grace in their manners and movements. The people and the bourgeoisie did not perform this dance. Pavane, like the minuet, was performed strictly by rank. The king and queen began the dance, then the dauphin and a noble lady entered the dance, then the princes, etc. Cavaliers performed pavana with a sword and in drapes. The ladies were in formal dresses with heavy long trenches, which had to be skillfully wielded during movements, without lifting them from the floor. The movement of the tren made the moves beautiful, giving the pavane a splendor and solemnity. For the queen, the ladies' attendants carried a train. Before the start of the dance, it was supposed to go around the hall. At the end of the dance, the couples again walked around the hall with bows and curtsies. But before putting on the hat, the gentleman had to put his right hand on the back of the lady's shoulder, his left hand (holding the hat) on her waist and kiss her on the cheek. During the dance, the lady's eyes were lowered; only from time to time she looked at her beau. The pavana was preserved for the longest time in England, where it was very popular.
Allemande - slow dance of German origin in 4-beat. He belongs to the massive "low", jump-free dances. The performers became pairs one after another. The number of pairs was not limited. The gentleman held the lady's hands. The column moved around the hall, and when it reached the end, the participants made a turn in place (without separating their hands) and continued the dance in the opposite direction.
Courant - a court dance of Italian origin. The chime was simple and complex. The first consisted of simple, planing steps, performed mainly forward. The complex chime was of a pantomimic nature: three gentlemen invited three ladies to participate in the dance. The ladies were taken to the opposite corner of the hall and asked to dance. The ladies refused. The gentlemen, having received a refusal, left, but then returned again and knelt in front of the ladies. Only after the pantomime scene did the dance begin. There are differences between the chimes of the Italian and French types. The Italian chime is a lively 3/4 or 3/8 meter dance with a simple rhythm in a melodic-harmonic texture. French - a solemn dance ("dance of manner"), a smooth, proud procession. 3/2 size, moderate tempo, well-developed polyphonic texture.
Sarabande - a popular dance of the 16th - 17th centuries. Derived from the Spanish female dance with castanets. Initially, it was accompanied by singing. The famous choreographer and teacher Carlo Blazis in one of his works gives a short description of sarabanda: "In this dance, everyone chooses a lady to whom he is not indifferent. The music gives a signal, and two lovers perform a dance, noble, measured, however, the importance of this dance does not in the least interfere with pleasure, and modesty gives it even more grace; everyone's eyes are happy to follow the dancers, who perform various figures, express with their movement all phases of love. " Initially, the pace of the sarabanda was moderately fast, later (from the 17th century) a slow French sarabanda appeared with a characteristic rhythmic pattern: ... was banned by the Castilian Council.
Gigue - dance of English origin, the fastest, triplet, turning into triplet. Initially, the gigue was a pair dance, but it spread among sailors as a solo, very fast dance of a comic character. Later it appeared in instrumental music as the final part of an old dance suite.

The Renaissance, or Renaissance, is a period in the history of the culture of Western and Central Europe, covering approximately the XIV-XVI centuries. This period got its name in connection with the revival of interest in ancient art, which became the ideal for cultural figures of the new era. Composers and music theorists - J. Tinctoris, J. Tsarlino and others - studied ancient Greek musical treatises; in the works of Josquin Despres, who was compared with Michelangelo, according to his contemporaries, “the lost perfection of the music of the ancient Greeks was revived: which appeared in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. the opera was guided by the laws of ancient drama.

Music theory classes. From an engraving of the 16th century.

J.P. Palestrina.

The development of the Renaissance culture is associated with the rise of all aspects of the life of society. A new worldview was born - humanism (from the Latin humanus - "human"). The emancipation of creative forces led to the rapid development of science, trade, crafts, new, capitalist relations took shape in the economy. The invention of printing helped spread education. The great geographical discoveries and the heliocentric system of the world of N. Copernicus changed the idea of ​​the Earth and the Universe.

The fine arts, architecture and literature reached an unprecedented prosperity. The new attitude was reflected in the music and transformed its appearance. It gradually departs from the norms of the medieval canon, the style is individualized, the very concept of "composer" appears for the first time. The texture of the works changes, the number of votes increases to four, six and more (for example, the 36-voice canon is known, attributed to the largest representative of the Dutch school J. Okegem). In harmony, consonant consonances dominate, the use of dissonances is strictly limited by special rules (see Consonance and dissonance). The major and minor modes and the bar rhythm system, characteristic of later music, are formed.

All these new means were used by composers to convey the special structure of feelings of the Renaissance man - sublime, harmonious, calm and majestic. The connection between text and music becomes closer, the music begins to convey the mood, or, as they said at the time, the affects of the text, individual words are often illustrated with special musical means, such as “life”, “death”, “love”, etc.

Renaissance music developed in two directions - ecclesiastical and secular. The main genres of church music - mass and motet - are polyphonic polyphonic works for choir, either unaccompanied or accompanied by an instrumental ensemble (see Choral Music, Polyphony). Of the instruments, preference was given to the organ.

The development of secular music was facilitated by the growth of amateur music-making. Music sounded everywhere: on the streets, in the houses of townspeople, in the palaces of noble nobles. The first virtuoso concert performers appeared on the lute, harpsichord, organ, viola, and various types of longitudinal flutes. In polyphonic songs (madrigale - in Italy, chanson - in France), composers talked about love, about everything that occurs in life. Here are the titles of some of the songs: "Deer Hunt", "Echo", "Battle of Marignano".

In the XV-XVI centuries. the importance of the art of dance increases, numerous treatises and practical manuals on choreography, collections of dance music appear, which include popular dances of that time - bass dance, branle, pavana, galliard.

During the Renaissance, national music schools were formed. The largest of them is the Dutch (Franco-Flemish) polyphonic school. Its representatives are G. Dufay, K. Jannequin, J. Okegem, J. Obrecht, Josquin Despres, O. Lasso. Other national schools include Italian (J.P. Palestrina), Spanish (T.L. de Victoria), English (W. Bird), German (L. Zenfl).

The Renaissance era ends with the emergence of new musical genres: solo song, oratorio, opera, the true flowering of which comes in the next century (see Western European music of the 17th-20th centuries).

Renaissance music

1.Music sounded everywhere: in the streets and squares, in the houses of townspeople, in the palaces of noble dignitaries and kings. Music, along with grammar, rhetoric and poetry, was included in the so-called "human sciences."

The leading position was still occupied by sacred music played during church services.

Gradually, the works of church composers begin to penetrate secular trends... The themes of folk songs that are not at all of a religious content are boldly introduced into the polyphonic fabric of church chants. But now this did not contradict the general spirit and mood of the era. On the contrary, in music, the divine and the human were combined in an amazing way.

2. Sacred music reached its highest flowering in the 15th century. in the Netherlands.

Here, music was revered more than other forms of art. Dutch and Flemish composers were the first to develop new rules polyphonic (polyphonic) performance - classic "strict style".

The most important compositional technique of the Dutch masters was imitation - repetition of the same melody in different voices. The leading voice was tenor, who was entrusted with the main recurring melody.

3. The Renaissance was the beginning professional composer creativity

Dutchman's music Orlando Lasso(1532-1594), combines improvisation and impeccable logic.

He introduced many innovative techniques into the favorite genre of motet.

He owns the attempt to master genre passions. Lasso created Passions for all four Gospels. There was no solo singing in them, and the chorus of five voices opened the way to the genre of operatic art. One of the composer's musical masterpieces was song "Echo.

4. Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina(1525-1594)

He is called the last great polyphonist. He worked in the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome and was the official papal composer. His art is devoid of sensual passions, full of harmony and beauty.

He is the brightest representative of the classical music school in Italy.

His legacy includes many works of sacred and secular music: 93 masses, 326 hymns and motets.

5.In Germany works of sacred music in their native language were relevant. Martin Luther himself wrote chorales for the entire religious community. Their simple melodies gained popularity among the people, and professional composers later made their polyphonic arrangements. (J.S.Bach)

Were also popular genres of polyphonic miniature:

conductor, motet.

They could enter texts in their native language.

Choral singing was the most popular form of music-making.

6. Began to appear secular choral genres:

Ballat a(dance song)

Chanson (polyphonic song)

and italian madrigal.

7. The most popular genre of secular music has become madrigals(Italian madrigale - song in the native language) - polyphonic choral compositions written on the text of a lyric poem of love content.

Most often, for this purpose, the poems of the famous masters were used: Dante, Francesco Petrarca and Torquato Tasso. Madrigals were performed not by professional singers, but by a whole ensemble of amateurs, where each part was led by one singer. The main mood of the madrigal is sadness, longing and sadness, but there were also joyful, lively compositions.

Madrigal lived from the 1520s to the 1620s. The idea of ​​the madrigal was revolutionary for the Renaissance. set the task of translating a poetic text into music. That's why madrigal can be conditionally called a romance of the 16th century.

8. An equally popular genre of secular music was song accompanied by musical instruments. Unlike the music played in the church, the songs were quite simple to perform. Their rhymed text was clearly divided into 4-6-line stanzas. In songs, as in madrigals, the text acquired great importance. When performed, the poetic lines should not be lost in polyphonic singing.

The songs of the French composer Clement Janequin (1485-1558), who became famous for his ability to reproduce the voices of living nature in music, were especially famous.

9.In the second half of the 16th century, a stormy development of instrumentalism... Families of strings and wind instruments are expanding, their range is expanding, secular and domestic music-making is spreading

Appear new instrumental genres:

prelude ( before the game) - introductory piece

richercar (exquisite piece) - polyphonic writing,

canzona (song without words) - the forerunner of the fugue.

10 ... There is a need for public performance of music.

A concert is being formed.

First appears in London - paid and in Venice - subsidized by the city magistrate.

The Renaissance era ends with the emergence of new musical genres: solo song, oratorio and opera.

If earlier the temple was the center of musical culture, then from that time the music began to sound in the opera house.

The development of music was promoted invention of music printing.