The Renaissance
In the early fifteenth century, the musicians emphasis on the sonorous, sensuous aspect of the chant rather than on its structural and authoritarian function.
New techniques are:
- paraphrase: embellish traditional chants with extra notes and set them in graceful rhythms. (E.g. Gregorian hymn, ‘Ave maris stella’ and Guillaume Dufay’s Harmonized hymn, ‘Ave Maris Stella.’ )
- homophony: result in plainchant harmonization
The Mass
By around 1450, the polyphonic Mass had been standardized into a five-section form.
- Kyrie: a simple prayer (from Greek Kurie eleeson, ‘Lord, have mercy’)
- Gloria: a long hymn
- Credo: a recital of the Christian’s list of beliefs
- Sanctus: another hymn (from Latin, literally ‘holy’)
- Agnus Dei: another prayer (‘sheep of God’)
High Renaissance Sytle
Around 1500, this new style emerged for Masses, motets and chansons. Chief characteristic:
- Imitative Counterpoint
- Homophony
Tempo and dynamics are relatively constant factors. Some a cappella is involved.