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-Mr. B.

The Baroque Dance Suite

One of the important musical formats of the Baroque Period (circa 1670 thru circa 1750) was the dance suite. The dance suite consisted of several short dance movements of varying tempos and meters. The most common sequence is as follows:

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Intermezzi (might contain 2 or more of the following short dances): Minuet, Bouree,
Polonaise, or Gavotte.
6. Gigue

It should be noted that there were many different dances that could be substituted throughout the suite. Dance forms were regional and went through phases of popularity just as social dances do today. Two commonly used forms not mentioned above include the Florane and the Passepied.

Although originally a practical work that was used for social dancing suites were sometimes written performed as concert literature. One example of the suite as concert literature is Johann Sebastian Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C-Major BVW 1066. Listen to then the entire piece (it makes great background music for studying) and answer the three questions that follow.

Video 1: I. Overture (Prelude)



Video 2: Courante, Gavotte 1, Gavotte 2, Florane


Video 3: Minuet 1, Minuet 2, Bouree 1, Bouree 2, Passepied 1, Passepied 2


1. Research and briefly define what the "BVW 1066" in the title means.

2. Define the following:
a. Prelude
b. Allemande
c. Courante
d. Sarabande
e. Minuet
f. Bouree
g. Polonaise
h. Gavotte
i. Gigue

3. What is a bass continuo and is there a complete one in this piece?

Problems!!!

Technical Problems....Post Will Be Late

The Rennaissance

We will cover all the listening examples for the Renaissance in class. For now, answer the following questions:

1. What was the Renaissance? When did it happen, where did it happen, and why?

2. What was the First Council of Trent? When did it happen and why?

3. What happened in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31st, 1517?

Picturing the Crusades

Music History Kids:

I cannot take the time to teach you the history of the crusades, but I would like you to take the time to view some images from that time. Remember that the artists that crafted these were REAL PEOPLE documenting REAL EVENTS in the same manner that a modern person might cellphone video Ted Kennedy's funeral procession or the protests in Iran. Click to enlarge.

A Map of the World from circa 1200 CE
Jerusalem is located in the CENTER

Frederick Barbarossa
One of the Key Leaders of the Crusading Movement
Pictured with Sons

Barbarossa (more primitive)

Bernard of Clairvaux
One of the Priests that Advocated for the Crusades

Crusader Attack on Jerusalem in 1099

Crusaders Defeat Turks at Antioch

Music of the Middles Ages

BACKGROUND

During the Early middle ages (800 CE - late 1400s) many changes in Western Europe:

1. Governments slowly began to centralize. Fighting was still common, but it frequently took place between large kingdoms instead of small, local warlords.

2. The economy began to expand. A slightly warming climate allowed for greater crop yields. A slightly higher standard of living was possible, especially for nobles.

3. The combination of better government and economy gave rise to a larger noble class. These "lords" were landowners and frequently educated by the church.

4. The church and monastic orders (monks) are still the best educated class and politically powerful. The Pope may be thought of as being an equal to the most powerful kings.

5. Travel routes began to open up. More communications with East were possible.

6. The Crusading movement begins in 1095 CE and brings thousands of European soldiers into contact with Eastern music, art, etc.

NOT SO PLAIN....CHANT

The chant of the church became more complicated in the middle ages. Two composers in particular, Leonin (1150 - 1201 CE) and Perotin (1180-1238 CE), were very original in their compositions. Both lived and worked in the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Both composed organum, a type of chant with two or more parts instead of a single melody. Organum duplum = 2 parts. Organum triplum = 3 parts. Organum Quadruplum = 4 parts. These types of works are not monophonic. They are polyphonic.

Organum Duplum


Note: THE ART WORK HERE IS SOMEWHAT 3D. IT SHOWS MORE DETAIL THEN THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL ART OF THE DARK AGES. JUST AS ART WAS SHOWING GREATER DEPTH, SO TOO WAS MUSIC!!!
Link:

Organum Quadruplum

MUSIC AT COURT

As stated above, the courts or Europe began to be more educated. They hired court musicians that composed music about courtly love and music to dance to. The following links are some examples of the great variety of secular music in medieval Europe.

Adam de la Halle (trouvere)

Dances on Vielle (middle ages fiddle)

Hurdy Gurdy Demonstration (England)

QUESTIONS

1. What does polyphonic mean?

2. What is a troubador?

3. What is a trouvere?

4. What was the Holy Roman Empire? Who was its greatest ruler?

5. Where is the Cathedral of Notre Dame?

6. Why was Western Europe so concerned about the Holy Land that they went to war in 1095 CE (crusades)?

7. What does secular mean?

Just for Laughs

Hello Everyone:

This is a follow-up to the Dark Ages post. These clips are just for fun.

Monty Python: This is a clip making fun of plainchant.





And this is just plain tacky. I watched the entire clip waiting for the punchline, and it never happened. These people are serious. I have sat through a lot of pretty horrific stuff (30 minutes of radio static passed off as "modern music", 3 hours of romantic piano without a stretch break), but this one might just take the cake. Enjoy!