History (Early)

History of Music 14C-20C – Early period

Our musical journey begins during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire (476 CE) and ends in around the middle of the fifteenth century.
Generally speaking, in Medieval times most serious music was religious and the chanting of monks is classified as early music. This developed during 11th through to the 13th centuries as Monody (monodic – one line of music) Gregorian Chant and Plainsong, gradually developing into 2 and 3 lines moving together or  independently (Organum). This was the beginnings of Harmony and composers in the ‘Ars Nova‘ period of the 14th Century (Leonin Perotin, Vitry, Machaut and Landini) helped to cast off some of the shackles imposed by the former ‘Organum’ system of early polyphony.

The Renaissance (c.1400 – c.1600)

Renaissance means rebirth. During this period people became  interested in Ancient Greece and Rome. This was the golden age of discovery, and scientific advances. This period marked the rebirth of humanism, and the revival of cultural achievements in music and the arts generally.

Harmony and Polyphony really took off in the 15th century and new textures and contrasts began to appear. Music was still mainly choral with composers such as Dunstable, Despres, Dufay and Ockeghem.

Music was still using the old Greek modal scales used by the early monks until well into the 16th century but by the latter half of the century composers were beginning to use the familiar major and minor tonal system which most people associate (often unknowingly) with classical music. Choral music was still prolific with masses, motets and madrigals etc. but instrumental music was also marking its mark, especially dance movements (galliards, pavanes courantes etc.) often written for the keyboard.

Well known composers included Boyd, Byrd, Tallis, Gibbons, Palestrina and Frescobaldi.

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Here are a list more composers of the early period

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