Outstanding Renaissance composers

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Historian Jules Michelet in the XIX century was the first to use the concept of "Renaissance". The musicians and composers that will be discussed in the article belonged to the period that began in the XIV century, when the medieval dominance of the church was replaced by secular culture with its interest in the human person.

Renaissance music

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

Polyphonic song	Motet	Polyphonic Mass
A secular vocal genre developing in two directions: close to the song (canzona, villanella, barcarolle, frottola) and associated with traditional polyphony (madrigal)	Translated from French - "word". polyphonicvocal music during which one of the voices is joined by others with the same or different lyrics	Multi-voiced music for prayer texts in five parts

The most famous Renaissance composers in the Netherlands are Guillaume Dufay, Jakob Obrecht, Josquin Despres.

Great Dutch

Johannes Okeghem was educated at the Notre-Dame metris (Antwerp), and in the 40s of the 15th century he became a chorister 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 called Chigi codex have come down to us, one of which is painted for 8 voices. 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 ability 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 led the chapel. His highly professional team contributed to the transformation of Munich into the musical center of Europe, where many famous Renaissance composers visited.

Talents such as Johann Eckard, Leonard Lechner, Italian D. Gabrieli came to study with him. In 1594, he found his last resting place on the territory of the Munich church, leaving a grandioseheritage: more than 750 motets, 60 masses and hundreds of songs, among which the most popular was Susanne un jour. His motets ("Prophecies of the Sibyls") were innovative, but he is also known for 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 directions, actively developed instrumental music (organ, bowed string instruments, clavier). The lute became the most common instrument, and at the end of the 15th century, the harpsichord, the forerunner of the piano, appeared. Based on the elements of folk music, two of the most influential composer schools developed: the Roman (Giovanni Palestrina) and the Venetian (Andrea Gabrieli).

Giovanni Pierluigi took the name Palestrina from the town near Rome where he was born and served as choirmaster and organist in the main church. 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" was admired by Pope Pius IV and became a model of Catholic sacred music. Giovanni is the brightest representative of vocal singing without musical accompaniment.

Andrea Gabrieli, together with his student and nephew Giovanni, worked in the chapel of St. Mark (XVI century), "coloring" the singing of the choir with the sound of organ and other instruments. The Venetian school gravitated more toward secular music, and during the production of Sophocles' Oedipus on the theater stage, Andrea Gabrieli wrote the music of the choirs,an example of choral polyphony and a harbinger of the future of opera.

Features of the German school

The German land put forward Ludwig Senfl, the best polyphonist of the 16th century, who, however, did not reach the level of the Dutch masters. The 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 in the family of a tailor, he worked all his life as a shoemaker, striking with his erudition and musical and literary interests. He read the Bible in the interpretation of the great reformer Luther, knew ancient poets and appreciated Boccaccio. Being a folk musician, Sachs did not master the forms of polyphony, but created melodies of a song warehouse. They were close to the dance, easy to remember and had a certain rhythm. The most famous piece was "Silver Chant".

Renaissance: musicians and composers of France

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

One of the best representatives is Clement Janequin. It is known that he was born in Chatellerault (end of the 15th century) and went from a singing boy to the personal composer of the king. Of his creative heritage, only secular songs published by Attenyan have survived. There are 260 of them, but real famewon those that have passed the test of time: “Birdsong”, “Hunting”, “Lark”, “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 cantilena voicing, there were exclamations responsible for the dynamics of the work. It was a bold attempt to find new imagery techniques.

Among the famous French composers are Guillaume Cotelet, Jacques Maudui, Jean Baif, Claudin Lejeune, Claude Goudimel, who gave the music a harmonious warehouse, which contributed to the assimilation of music by the general public.

Renaissance Composers: England

The 15th century in England was influenced by the works of John Dubsteil, and the 16th century by William Byrd. Both masters gravitated toward sacred music. Bird began as an 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 monopolist in the publication of musical works, which did not bring him any profit. But it took a lot of time to defend their right to property in the courts. After his death (1623) in the official documents of the chapel, he was called the "ancestor of music".

What did the great composers of the Renaissance leave behind? Bird, in addition to published collections (Cantiones Sacrae, Gradualia), kept many manuscripts,considering them suitable only for domestic worship. Madrigals published later (Musica Transalpina) showed great influence of Italian authors, but several masses and motets were included in the golden fund of sacred music.

Spain: Cristobal de Morales

The best representatives of the Spanish school of music traveled through the Vatican, performing 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 metria in Toledo and trained more than one student. A follower of Josquin Despres, Cristobal brought a special technique to a number of compositions called homophonic.

The author's two requiems (the last one for five voices) and the "Armed Man" mass gained the greatest popularity. He also wrote secular works (a cantata in honor of the conclusion of a peace treaty in 1538), but this refers to his earlier works. Heading a chapel in Malaga at the end of his life, he remained the author of sacred music.

Instead of a conclusion

Renaissance composers and their works prepared the heyday of instrumental music of the 17th century and the emergence of a new genre - opera, where the intricacies of many voices are 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 forcontemporary art.