: The Middle Ages 450-1450 People have always made music. Early people imitated the sounds they heard around them. They whistled like birds and howled like wolves. Later peoples, like the Greeks and Romans, used music to tell stories and for dancing. But we don't really know what early music sounded like. In those days people did not notate (write down) music, Instead, they learned music by being told about it. Older musicians showed them how to perform it During the Middle Ages, there were three main social classes of people. The richest people made up the nobility. These were Kings, Queens, and landowners. The second group was the peasantry. These were poor workers who lived terrible lives. The third group was the clergy. These were the monks and priests of the Roman Catholic Church. Each of these groups used music in different ways. First, we will look at the music of the clergy. Around the year 700, monks began to write down their music. This was the official music of the Roman Catholic Church. It is called Gregorian chant. This is named after Pope Gregory | who helped to organize the chants. A chant is a single melody (monophonic texture) set to a Latin text. It was used to create an atmosphere for prayers and rituals in the church service. The rhythm is very flexible and there is no sense of beat. Melodies tend to move by step within a narrow range of pitches. ‘Music Appreciation © by John Tew, published by TEACHINGpoint 53 as part of the Expert Systems for Teachers™ SeriesPrint Name _ Period ______ Date _. Music in History: The Middle Ages 450-1450 This manuscript shows how Gregorian chant looks when notated. Notice that the staff only has four lines. The text would be written under each staff. Each chant was hand written. Because of this written record of the music, there are several thousand chants known today. Most of them were written between the years 600 and 1300. A Minstrel from the Middle Ages The second social class of people in the Middle Ages was the nobility. The nobility had enough money so that they could buy musical instruments. They could also hire musicians to perform for them. These musicians were often minstrels. A minstrel traveled the countryside playing music, telling stories, and performing magic tricks. Music was also performed for dances and feasts. Music Appreciation © by John Tew, published by TEACHINGpoint or as part of the Expert Systems for Teachers™ SeriesPrint Name __ Music in History: The Middle Ages 450-1450 The third social group were the lowly peasants. Most of the people were in this class. They worked long hours, ate poorly, were often sick, and had no money. They often sang or played music as a way to escape from their miserable living conditions. Like the nobles for whom they worked, peasants played music to accompany dancing, too. They also played music as part of their jobs, such as tending sheep or pigs. Most peasants did not own or play musical instruments, except ones that they made themselves. These might be wooden flutes and drums. Minstrels also played for the peasants as they travelled through their villages. In France, the minstrels were called troubadours. Most of the songs that troubadours sang to the peasants were about love, but there were also songs about the Crusades, dance songs, and spinning songs. Most of the travelling musicians were men, but there were also a few women troubadours. They would sing songs and play instruments like the harp, fiddle, and lute. ‘Music Appreciation © by John Tew, published by TEACHINGpoint 55 as part of the Expert Systems for Teachers™ SeriesPrint Name _ This page intentionally left blank Music Appreciation © by John Tew, published by TEACHINGpoint 56 'as part of the Expert Systems for Teachers™ SeriesPrint Name Period _____ Date __ Listening to Music from the Middle Ages Gregorian Chant: “Introitus—Laudate Deum” This musical example of Gregorian Chant comes from the Proper of the Mass, meant to be sung by monks in monasteries. Listen for the monophonic texture. This is a good example of how monophonic texture can have more than one voice, but all the singers sing the same part. In the opening, the entire group sings together on the word “Alleluia.” Then, the solo singer sings the main portion of the chant. Gregorian chant is very simple, but also very effective at setting a spiritual tone for the Mass. “In Saeculem Artifex” This was written by Walther von der Vogelweide (11657-12307). It features the recorder, medieval harp, and violin. Listen for the timbre of the instruments as they tend to sound lighter and softer than instruments of today. This was a secular piece of music that could have been played for nobility at festive occasions. Music of the Nobility and Peasants: “Estampie” This is the type of music that might be played by minstrels and troubadours and was meant for dancing. Have your students visualize a dance for nobility where ladies in colorful clothing touched hands above their heads with their men dance pariners while moving in slow circles. Then, reverse hands and the direction of the circle. If you have a class that likes to try new things, have a couple of students try to imitate the dance of the nobility while the song plays! 4 Mitel from ‘the Mle does ‘Music Appreciation © by John Tew, published by TEACHINGpoint 87 3s part ofthe Expert Systems for Teachers” SeriesPrint Name Date __ This page intentionally left blank ‘Music Appreciation © by John Tew, published by TEACHINGpoint 235 pat ofthe Expert Systems for Teachers™ Series 58PEP APN eee eee OE Worksheet 3.1 Music in History: The Middle Ages 1. What years were the Middle Ages? 2. Why don't we know what Greek and Roman music sounded like? 3. What does “notate” mean? 4, Name the three social classes of people in the Middle Ages. 5. What was the official music of the Roman Catholic Church? 6. Use musical terms to describe what Gregorian Chant is like 7. How does notated music in the Middle Ages look different from today's notated music? How does it look the same? Music Appreciation © by John Tew, published by TEACHINGpoint 59 ‘as part of the Expert Systems for Teachers™ SeriesPrint Name ——__-_---__----___ Period ______ Date Worksheet 3.1 Music in History: The Middle Ages 8. For which two social classes did minstrels play? ‘A) Clergy and nobility B) Nobility and peasants ©) Clergy and peasants 9. Describe the living conditions of peasants in the Middle Ages. 10. For which two activities did peasants play music? A) Dancing and boating B) Tending sheep and archery C) Dancing and tending pigs D) Archery and hunting 11, What were minstrels called in France? ‘Music Appreciation © by John Tew, published by TEACHINGpoint 135 part of the Expert Systems for Teachers ™ Series 60