Download Medieval Composers Sacred Music Part 2

Medieval Composers
Sacred Music Part 2
Alfonso X of Castille
Leonin
Gautier de Coincy
Guillaume de Machaut
Perotin
Phillipe de Vitry
Alfonso X of Castille
1252-1284 – King of Castille in modern day Spain
Commissioned and co-authored “Cantigas de Santa Maria (Songs to the
Virgin Mary) – 420 poems with music notation, one of the largest
collections of music of this period.
Here is a performance of one of these poems.
Gautier de Coincy
French abbot (leader of his local church), poet & musical arranger. His
years are: 1177-1236
Complied Les miracles de Nostre-Dame or ‘Miracles of Notre Dame
(Our Lady) – settings of popular tunes of the day to poems about Mary.
Here is a performance of one of those songs.
Franco of Cologne
Mid 13th century (1200’s) music theorist – one of the most influential
theorist’s of all time.
As his name implies, he worked in Cologne, Germany, yet traveled to
Paris, France enough to have done some work in the Cathedral of
Notre Dame and exposed to the music there.
His most famous work is the Ars cantus mensurabilis, which is a music
theory and performance practice book for music of this time. It was the
primary music theory book for over 100 years.
This book was the first to notate rhythm, suggesting that different
shapes can denote various rhythms (up until this time, only pitch was
notated, rhythm was usually improvised.)
Other topics of the book include chants, conducting, organum – virtually
all sacred music topics of this time.
He may have been a composer as well, but there are no surviving
examples.
Philipe de Vitry
French composer, music theorist & poet. Years: 1291-1361
Known as an accomplished and innovative composer – may have written the Ars
Nova treatise (book) describing composing practices of the late medieval period.
Known for developing the ‘motet’ – a form of sacred music that uses plainchant
as a basis for an entirely new composition. He also used more precise rhythmic
notation.
Here is a performance his Latin motet Vos qui adminiani
Leonin
c.1150-c.1201 – First significant composer of polyphonic (multi-line) organum.
Probably lived and worked at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
He is mentioned in a music theory treatise by ‘Anonymous IV’ as the creator of
the ‘Magnus Liber’ – the ‘great book’ of organum, the first of it’s kind in music
history.
He wrote in rhythmic modes, where the different lines of the chant could have
different rhythms.
Here is a performance of one of his ‘Organum Dupulm’
Perotin
French composer, c.1200 – probably lived and worked in the Cathedral of Notre
Dame in Paris.
Like Leonin, Perotin was mentioned by ‘Anonymous IV’ as Perotin the Master,
taking Leonin’s work to the next level.
Perotin’s work is contained in the ‘Magnus Liber’ including the first written
quadruple organum.
The ‘Magnus Liber’ is available for study at www.imslp.org.
Here is a performance of the organum ‘Alleluia navititas’
Guillaume de Machaut
c.1300-1377 – French composer & poet. One of the primary composers of the
Ars nova (New Art) of medieval composition.
Machaut further developed the motet as both a sacred and secular form –
particularly the ballade (love song).
He wrote Messe de Nostre Dame (Notre Dame Mass) – the first complete cycle of
the mass ordinary (Kyria, Gloria, etc.) by a single composer.
His music is considered some of the finest written in the 14th century, and serves
as a transition to the Renaissance.
Here is a recording of one of the movements of the Notre Dame Mass.
Next Presentation:
Medieval Secular Music
Troubadors, Trouveres & Jongulers