The Respectable Side of Music

The Renaissance was a great time of growth for humanity, a time where there was a huge emphasis on thought, reason, and sensory experiences. Two different aspects of sensory experiences are visual art and music. Music may be one of the most under respected art forms, especially today. However, during the Renaissance, composers such as Francesca Landini and Josquin de Prez crafted music that was so beautiful that it demanded respect. In their works, they used the same central concepts and principals of organization that writers and visuals artists used.

If Frncesca Landini's Ballata is taken for an example, the words show a huge emphasis on secularism. The entire song is about the celebration of Spring and the beauty that comes with that time of the year. The composer encourages us to stop and appreciate what present has to offer, instead of rushing around preparing for the future. There is also an element of individualism in the third stanza when it says, “In this happy time/ Everything has beauty.” This statement implies that nature is not the only beautiful thing, but also the life surrounding it.

In visual art, we talk about how it hold four principals of organization: balance, unity, focal area, and dynamics. Like visual art, music also holds these principals or the music might even be inspired by a piece of art. Josquin de Prez's Ave Maria is a great example of this. Within this beautiful motet, balance can be found not only in the music, but also in the words. The song opens with a Salutation to the Virgin, followed by 5 strophes in praise, and closed with a petition, invoking the protection of the protection of the Virgin. Unity is perfected as the voice(s) come together with the music. Unity in the words is clear, as the entire song is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The focal area of the music is definitely centered on the voice(s) and not the music. The words, again, are focused on Mary. Lastly, dynamics are dependent on the particular rendition of the song, but most of the ones I have heard tend to peak in the middle and are softer at the beginning and end.

Music in the Renaissance also increased in clarity, rhythm, and melody as time progressed. Composers learned to use text painting, which is a way of using music to bring texts and pieces of art to life through music. There was also an increasing virtuosity and versatility of the preformer and composer of music throughout this time period. The Renaissance man would be able to play an instrument or even also be able to compose music. This was truly a great time of growth for the art of music.