User:Miguel Pena/sandbox

notes on polyphony development

Exact time when polyphony took form is difficult to trace. Use of harmony was already common among the oral, secular tradition. It first took hold in sacred music with a desire to vary the plainchant.

Organum - first form of polyphony. Started with variations to plainchant about 12th century at Notre Dame in Paris. Began by adding identical note an octave higher or lower, (which added texture (music) but not harmony. Then additionally at the perfect fifth. Concept of harmony lead to desire for more variations at Mass. Other notes added. Motet.

Development of major forms of sacred music.

Primitive harmony; ballade, virelai, rondeau.

Sacred and secular. Sacred based on Bible text. Required education. Secular oral tradition, passed down, no education required. Troubadors, trouvers, minnesangers.

Changes in secular music, new traditions.

social systems in development: sacred/secular

Medieval music is not just Gregorian chant like that made popular by the Benedectine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos.

uses about a half dozen notes and about as many different rhythmic patterns. Add to this the fact that there is no harmony, and you have a genre of music where every piece sounds almost exactly the same.

Organum – first form of polyphony adding notes to the plain chant. Harmony evolved by adding notes to the plainchant. On the fifth and the ninth.

Medieval music: two genres: sacred and secular

Sacred based on Bible text and required education. Secular music was an oral tradition, no education needed. Sacred music meant to honor God. Secular for entertainment.

two general categories: sacred and secular. Sacred required ability to read and knowledge of music theory. Medieval secular music was usually passed along orally and very rarely written down, so little has survived.

Spread to southern France, northern Italy and Germany. (Troubadors, trouveres, minnesangers (poets))

Instrument development

Construction of cathedrals - needed acoustical structures to resonant sound.

Sociological impact of polyphonic music