The Evolution of Song

The Evolution of Song

Part 1: Ancient and Medieval Times

Let's start at the very beginning...

Let's Listen!

Mass for Christmas Day - Gloria

A very good place to start!

Gregorian Chant

• Why Gregorian?
• Named after Pope Gregory I (590-604 AD)
• Rumor of a "little bird"
• How was music used?
• In church. Single-line melodies chanting liturgical texts
• The Schola Cantorum in Rome is important
• The first singing school; Pope Gregory credited with founding it

Next Class:

Why should we care about Western art music?

The Renaissance and

Baroque Periods

What do you hear?

• Classical music is often marketed as "soothing"
• But it isn't always!
• In fact, "classical" music as we think of it was once the "popular" music of the day
• Every genre that exists today grew out of something else
• Music history is music history

• Single line melodies (monophonic)
• No instrumentalists!
• Are we in a "key" (do we have tonality)?
• Women or children?

On to the Medieval...

Phones out!

• Many similarities
• We start writing music down
• Cue the "church modes" - early tonality
• More textures (polyphony)
• Various genres (chant, organum, motets)
• Sacred and secular

Please take 5 minutes to Google (or buddy up with someone with a device) one of the following Medieval composers, genres, songs, or instruments:

• Hildegard von Bingen
• Guillaume de Machaut
• Organum (NOT organ!)
• Motets
• "Sumer is icumen in"
• Hurdy-gurdy