Renaissance polyphony

Description

This engaging study introduces Renaissance polyphony to a modern audience. It helps readers of all ages and levels of experience make sense of what they are hearing. How does Renaissance music work? How is a piece typical of its style and type; or, if it is exceptional, what makes it so? The makers of polyphony were keenly aware of the specialized nature of their craft. How is this reflected in the music they wrote, and how were they regarded by their patrons and audiences? Through a combination of detailed, nuanced appreciation of musical style and a lucid overview of current debates, this book offers a glimpse of meanings behind and beyond the notes, be they playful or profound. It will enhance the listening experience of students, performers and music lovers alike. Cover Summary Title page Contents List of illustrations List of figures List of tables List of music examples Acknowledgements Note on the music examples Note on the bibliography List of abbreviations 1. Introducing Renaissance polyphony 2. Making polyphony: sources and practice 3. Makers of polyphony 4. Pitch: an overview 5. Voice-names, ranges, and functions 6. Mensural notation, duration, and metre 7. Genre, texts, form 8. ‘Cantus magnus’: music for the Mass 9. ‘Cantus mediocris’: the motet 10. ‘Cantus parvus’: secular music 11. Scoring, texture, scale 12. Understanding musical borrowing 13. Canons, puzzles, games 14. Performance practice: a brief introduction Notes Glossary Bibliography Index of compositions General index Back cover