Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION I
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CANDON CITY
Candon City, Ilocos Sur

MUSIC 9
Quarter 1 – Week 1 – Module 1:
Prepared by: Janella A. Legaspi

Lesson Medieval, Renaissance and

Baroque Music
1
I. OBJECTIVES:
1. Describe the musical elements of selected vocal and instrumental music of Medieval,
Renaissance and Baroque music (MU9MRB-Ia-f-5)
2. Identify the elements of music used in each musical piece
3. Evaluate Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque songs thru rhythmic and melodic
analysis

II. GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. What are the different elements of music?
2. What are the characteristics of the different art period?

III. DISCUSSION:

You are boarding on an adventure through musical time, and this journey will be
more pleasurable if you first become familiar with some basic musical concepts. New
ideas will be introduced gradually, systematically, and actively. In today’s lesson you are
going to learn the different elements and you will be able to easily analyze a song thru
rhythmic and melodic analysis.

ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

• Rhythm - How the beat is broken down

• Melody - The actual tune of the song
• Harmony - How sounds blend
• Form - How the music is structured
• Timbre/tone color – The quality of a sound
• Dynamics - How loud or soft
• Tempo - The speed of the Music

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 Music of the Medieval Period (700 – 1400)

The Medieval period is also known as the Middle Ages or ―Dark Ages‖ that started
with the fall of the Roman Empire. During this time, the Christian Church influenced Europe’s
culture and political affairs.

Monophonic plainchant was named after Pope Gregory I, who made this the approved
music of the Catholic Church. Pope Gregory’s action made monophonic plainchants popular.
Although it was originally transmitted orally, scholars agreed to put it in notation to assist
dissemination of chants across Europe.

Characteristics of the Gregorian Chants:

* Monophonic * Usually based on Latin liturgy
* Free meter * Use of Neume notation
* Modal

Sample of Neume Notation

During the latter part of the Medieval Period,

secular music which was not bound by Catholic
traditions emerged. Most of these songs were
performed across Europe by groups of musicians
called Troubadours.

Troubadour Music:
* Usually monophonic
* Originated in France
* Sometimes with improvised
accompaniment
* Written in the French language
* Tells of chivalry and courtly love

Music of the Renaissance Period (1400 – 1600)

The term Renaissance‖ comes from the word, renaitre which means “rebirth, revival,
and rediscovery. The Renaissance Period is a period of looking back to the Golden Age of
Greece and Rome. The invention of printing in the 1400’s paved the way for a wide distribution
of renaissance compositions. With the emergence of the bourgeois class, renaissance music
became popular as entertainment and activity for amateurs and the educated. Lute was the

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prominent instrument of the renaissance era. The influence of the Roman Catholic Church
started to decline as the new music genre arose. Though sacred music was still of great
importance, secular music became more prominent in the renaissance period. This era was also
known as the golden age of a capella choral music. Other historical facts during this era is the
discovery of the actual position of earth in the solar system by Copernicus, the invention of
compass creating a wider navigation not only of the lands but also of the oceans, and Martin
Luther’s Protestant reformation.

Characteristics of Renaissance Music:

* Mostly polyphonic
* Imitation among the voices is common
* Use of word painting in texts and music
* Melodic lines move in a flowing manner
* Melodies are easier to perform because these move along a scale with a few large
leaps

Vocal Music of the Renaissance Period

1. Mass – is a form of sacred musical composition that sets texts of the Eucharistic liturgy into
music.
Characteristics of the Mass:
* Polyphonic
* May be sung a cappella or with orchestral accompaniment
* Text may be syllabic (one note set to each syllable), neumatic (a few notes set to one syllable),
or melismatic (many notes to one syllable)

Five Main Sections of Mass:

a. Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy)
b. Gloria (Glory to God in the Highest)
c. Credo (I Believe in One God)
d. Sanctus and Benedictus (Holy, holy and Blessed Is He)
e. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)

2. Madrigal - A secular vocal polyphonic music composition which originated from Italy. It
is written and expressed in a poetic text and sung during courtly social gatherings. It is the most
important secular form during the Renaissance period.
Characteristics of the Madrigal:

* Polyphonic * Sung a cappella

* Through–composed * Frequently in 3 to 6 voices

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 Music of the Baroque Period (1685 – 1750)

The word Baroque is derived from the Portuguese word barroco” which means, pearl
of irregular shape. Some of the great composers of this time were George Friedrich Handel,
Johann Sebastian Bach, Claudio Monteverdi, and Antonio Vivaldi.
During this time, the arts highlighted grandiose and elaborate ornamentation. These
were clearly seen in the musical compositions created by Baroque composers.
New instrumental techniques and changes in musical notation were developed. Major
and minor tonality was also created in this period. A lot of the musical terms and concepts that
evolved in this era are still used today.

Characteristics of Baroque Music:

* Melodies sound elaborate and ornamental
* Melodies are not easy to sing or remember
* Primarily contrapuntal textures with some homophony
* Dynamic contrast – alternation between loud and soft * Music genres - operas, oratorios,
suites, tocatas, concertó grosso, fugue
* Orchestra consists of strings and continuo
* Harpsichord and organ are the keyboard instruments that are commonly used
New forms: 1. binary – AB
2. ternary – ABC
3. ground bass
4. fugue

Music Genres of Baroque Music

1. Concerto – A form of orchestral music that employs a solo instrument accompanied by an

orchestra.
2. Concerto Grosso - A form of orchestral music during the Baroque Period wherein the music
is between a small group of solo instruments called concertino and the whole orchestra called
tutti.

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IV. EXAMPLES:

Greensleeves
Medieval Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HciOc2-nOQc

A. RHYTHMIC ANALYSIS
a.1 Beat – 1st beat
a.2 Time Signature – 3
4
a.3 Rhythm – Slow
a.4 Meter

a.5 Dynamics - Moderately quiet

B. MELODIC ANALYSIS
b.1 Melody – Conjunct
b.2 Harmony – Consonance
b.3 Texture – Homophonic
b.4 Form – Strophic

Missa Aeterna Christi Munera Palestrina

Renaissance Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=825kfMgCZAk

A. RHYTHMIC ANALYSIS
a.1 Beat – 1st beat
a.2 Time Signature – 4
4
a.3 Rhythm – Slow
a.4 Meter

a.5 Dynamics - Moderately quiet

B. MELODIC ANALYSIS
b.1 Melody – Disjunct
b.2 Harmony – Consonance
b.3 Texture – Polyphonic
b.4 Form – Rondo

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 Concerto
Baroque Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwIUJbIU57s&t=9008s

A. RHYTHMIC ANALYSIS
a.1 Beat – 1st beat
a.2 Time Signature – 4
4
a.3 Rhythm – Moderate

a.4 Meter
a.5 Dynamics - Moderately loud

B. MELODIC ANALYSIS
b.1 Melody – Disjunct
b.2 Harmony – Dissonance
b.3 Texture – Heterophonic
b.4 Form – Rondo

V. GENERALIZATION:

Medieval music was mainly sung and controlled by Monks. They were more of a gloomy,
monotonous sound that centered on religion. Renaissance music was lighter, more cheerful and
had much more tones to it. Mainly brass and percussion seeing as the harpsichord and piano
had yet to be made and strings were rare. While Baroque music was grand and ordinate like
the art and architecture and has balance between sounds and voices.

VI. EXERCISE:
Directions: Below are jumbled letters which when arranged correspond to elements of music.
Write the correct formed word on the fourth (4th) column. For your clue, read the brief
description on the third column.

No. JUMBLED DESCRIPTION FORMED WORD

LETTERS
1 EMLDOY The actual tune of the song
2 RYHHTM How the beat is broken down
3 POMET The speed of the Music
4 NADYSCIM How loud or soft is the music
5 NYOMHAR How sounds blend
6 OFMR How the music is structured
7 MITREB distinctive tone quality of a sound

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 8 YLEST How the overall characteristics sound
9 TREERNAI The Greek word which the term
Renaissance came from
10 SASM A form of sacred musical composition
that sets texts of the Eucharistic
liturgy into music.

VII. REFERENCES:

2014. In Learner's Material in Music and Arts 9, by et. al Mary Grace J. Bandiola. Pasig
City: Vibal.
n.d. Youtube. Accessed August 23, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HciOc2-nOQc.
n.d. Youtube. Accessed August 23, 2021.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=825kfMgCZAk.
n.d. Youtube. Accessed August 23, 2021.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwIUJbIU57s&t=9008s.

VIII. ANSWER KEY:

10. Mass 5. Harmony

9. Renaitre 4. Dynamics
8. Style 3. Tempo
7. Timbre 2. Rhythm
6. Form 1. Melody
Activity

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