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:

  1. 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.’ )
  2. homophony: result in plainchant harmonization

The Mass

By around 1450, the polyphonic Mass had been standardized into a five-section form.

  1. Kyrie: a simple prayer (from Greek Kurie eleeson, ‘Lord, have mercy’)
  2. Gloria: a long hymn
  3. Credo: a recital of the Christian’s list of beliefs
  4. Sanctus: another hymn (from Latin, literally ‘holy’)
  5. Agnus Dei: another prayer (‘sheep of God’)

High Renaissance Sytle

Around 1500, this new style emerged for Masses, motets and chansons. Chief characteristic:

  1. Imitative Counterpoint
  2. Homophony

Tempo and dynamics are relatively constant factors. Some a cappella is involved.