MEDIEVAL MUSIC

“MIDDLE AGE”
(450-1450)
GREGORIAN CHANT
-monophonic
plainchant named after
Pope Gregory I, who
made it the approved
music of the catholic
church.

-prayer music for

voices performed in
churches.
Characteristics of
gregorian chant:

1. Monophonic
2. Free meter
3. Usually based on
latin liturgy
4. Use of neume
notation
TROUBADOUR
MUSIC
-a secular music
Troubadours
-poet-musicians who
first appeared in the
late 11th century in
Occitania.
Minstrels
- traveling troubadours
Characteristics of
Troubadour:
-monophonic
-Sometimes with
accompaniment
- Tells of chivalry
and courtly love
- Written in french
language
 Famous
composers
1. HILDEGARD OF
BINGEN
- She was a saint, sibyl
of the Rhine, German
Benedictine abbess,
writer, composer,
philosopher, Christian
mystic, visionary and
polymath.
- First nun who
composes music for
their choirs
2. GUILLAMAUME DE
MACHAUT
- French poet and
composer
- Part of the musical
movement know as ARS
NOVA.
- Help developed motet
and secular form songs
- Motet- a piece of music in
several parts with words
-notre dame mass

Example:
Agnus dei.
3. ADAM DE LA
HALLE
-aka “adam le bossu”(adam
the hunchback)
-trouvere, poet and
musician

Works:
Le jeu de robin et de
marion
Leonin and Perotin
- Two succesive choir masters of Notre
Dame.