Outstanding composers of the Renaissance

Historian Jules Michelet in the XIX century was first used the concept of "Renaissance". Musicians and composers, which will be discussed in the article, belonged to the period that began in the XIV century, when the secular domination of the church was replaced by a secular culture with its interest in the human person.

Music of the Renaissance

European countries at different times entered a new era. Earlier, the ideas of humanism arose in Italy, but in the musical culture dominated the Netherlands school, where for the first time special cathedrals (orphanages) were created at the cathedrals, teaching future composers. The main genres of that time are represented in the table:

The most famous composers of the Renaissance in the Netherlands are Guillaume Dufay, Jacob Obrecht, Josken Depre.

Great Netherlanders

Johannes Okegem was educated in the metric of Notre Dame (Antwerp), and in the 40s of the 15th century he became the chorister of the chapel at the court of Duke Charles I (France). Subsequently, he headed the chapel of the royal court. Having lived to a very old age, he left a great legacy in all genres, having established himself as an outstanding polyphonist. We have reached the manuscript of his 13th mass called Chigi codex, one of which is painted with 8 votes. He used not only strangers, but also his own tunes.

Orlando Lasso was born in the territory of modern Belgium (Mons) in 1532. His musical abilities were manifested in early childhood. The boy was abducted three times from home to make a great musician. All his conscious life he spent in Bavaria, where at the court of the Duke Albrecht V acted like a tenor, and then headed the chapel. His highly professional team contributed to the transformation of Munich into the musical center of Europe, where many famous Renaissance composers visited.

To him came such talents as Johann Eckard, Leonard Lechner, Italian D. Gabrieli . His last refuge in 1594, he found on the territory of the Munich church, leaving a grandiose heritage: more than 750 motets, 60 masses and hundreds of songs, among which the most popular was Susanne un jour. His motets (Prophecies of the Sibyls) differed in innovation, but he is also known for secular music, in which there was a lot of humor (Vilanella O bella fusa).

Italian school

Outstanding composers of the Renaissance from Italy, in addition to traditional directions, actively developed instrumental music (organ, stringed instruments, clavier). The most common instrument was the lute, and at the end of the 15th century a harpsichord appeared, the forerunner of the pianoforte. On the basis of elements of folk music, two influential composer schools developed: the Roman (Giovanni Palestrina) and the Venetian (Andrea Gabrieli).

Giovanni Pierluigi took the name Palestrina by the name of the town near Rome, in which he was born and served in the main church as choirmaster and organist. The date of his birth is very approximate, but he died in 1594. During a long life he wrote about 100 mass and 200 motets. His "Mass of Pope Markella" caused admiration of Pope Pius IV and became a model of Catholic spiritual music. Giovanni is the most vocal representative of vocal singing without musical accompaniment.

Andrea Gabrieli, along with his pupil and nephew Giovanni, worked in the Chapel of St. Mark (XVI century), "coloring" the chorus singing with the sound of an organ and other instruments. The Venetian school was more attracted to secular music, and the production of Oedipus by Sophocles in the theatrical stage of Andrea Gabrieli was written by the music of choirs, a sample of a choral polyphony and a harbinger of future opera.

Features of the German school

The German land nominated Ludwig Senfl , the best polyphonist of the 16th century, who, nevertheless, did not reach the level of Dutch masters. Songs of poets-singers from the number of craftsmen (meistersinger) are also special music of the Renaissance. Composers of Germany represented singing corporations: tinsmiths, shoemakers, weavers. They united on the territory. Hans Sachs (years of life: 1494-1576) became an outstanding representative of the Nuremberg School of Singing.

Born in the family of a tailor, he worked all his life as a shoemaker, striking with his reading and musical and literary interests. He read the Bible in the interpretation of the great reformer Luther, knew the ancient poets and appreciated Boccaccio. Being a national musician, Sachs did not possess the forms of polyphony, but he created melodies of the song store. They were close to the dance, easy to remember and had a certain rhythm. The most famous work was "Silver Tune".

Renaissance: musicians and composers of France

The musical culture of France really experienced a renaissance only in the 16th century, when social soil was prepared in the country.

One of the best representatives is Kleman Janeken . It is known that he was born in Châtellerault (the end of the XV century) and went from boy-songwriter to personal composer of the king. From his creative heritage only secular songs published by Attenyan are preserved. There are 260 of them, but those who have passed the test of time have gained real popularity: "Singing of birds", "Hunting", "Skylark", "War", "Cries of Paris". They were constantly reprinted and used by other authors for processing.

His songs were many-voiced and resembled choral scenes, in addition to onomatopoeia and canted voice, there were cheers, responsible for the dynamics of the work. This was a bold attempt to find new ways of imagery.

Among the famous composers of France are Guillaume Cotle, Jacques Modui, Jean Baif, Claude Lejeune, Claude Goodymel , who gave the music a harmonious frame that promoted the assimilation of music by the general public.

Renaissance composers: England

The 15th century in England was influenced by the works of John Dabsteel , and XVI by William Byrd . Both masters gravitated toward spiritual music. Bird began as organist of the cathedral in Lincoln, and ended his career at the Royal Chapel of London. For the first time he managed to connect music and entrepreneurship. In 1575, in collaboration with Tallis, the composer became a monopolist in the publication of musical works, which did not bring him profit. But it took a lot of time to defend their rights to property in courts. After his death (1623) in the official documents of the chapel, he was called "the ancestor of music".

What did the great composers of the Renaissance leave behind? Byrd, in addition to published collections (Cantiones Sacrae, Gradualia), retained many manuscripts, considering them suitable only for domestic worship. Later published madrigals (Musica Transalpina) showed a great influence of the Italian authors, but several Masses and Motets entered the golden fund of sacred music.

Spain: Cristobal de Morales

The best representatives of the Spanish music school passed through the Vatican, speaking in the papal chapel. They felt the influence of the Dutch and Italian authors, so only a few managed to become famous outside of their country. Renaissance composers from Spain were polyphonists creating choral works. The most striking representative is Cristobal de Morales (16th century), who led the metrology in Toledo and prepared not one student. The follower of Josquin Despres, Cristobal introduced a special technique in a number of works, called homophonic.

The most famous were the two requiems of the author (the last one - five votes), as well as the mass "Armed man". He also wrote secular works (a cantata in honor of the conclusion of the peace treaty in 1538), but this applies to his earlier works. Heading at the end of the life of the chapel in Malaga, he remained the author of sacred music.

Instead of concluding

Composers of the Renaissance and their works have prepared the flowering of instrumental music of the XVII century and the emergence of a new genre - the opera, where the intricacy of one leading the main melody comes to replace the intricacies of many voices. They made a real breakthrough in the development of musical culture and laid the foundation for modern art.