Birth of Modern Europe

Mr. Meyers

Eileen Guzmán

Unit One, Day

Due date

Title

I. Introduction:

Parisian music underwent many transformations from

its first forms through to the mid-nineteenth century. Music played a vital role in European societies. Vastly important and crucial to Parisian society, music was shaped according to the customs and traditions of the times. As societies perspective on religion changed, music changed with it to come in accordance with the ever-changing view on religion. Depending on the amount of separation between church and state, dictated the popular music at the time.

II. Body:

The Middle Ages (500-1420): During the Middle Ages, Paris was full of devout Roman Catholics. This power enabled the church to have quite a large influence over the popular music in France at the time. The Gregorian Chant was often used in latin texts for Roman Catholic worship. It was derived from the Greek musical theory as well as some aspects of musical practice in the Jewish synagogue. They were almost always written as monophonic tunes though towards the end of the middle ages polyphonic tunes were used more then they had been previously. Monophonic pieces have one melodic lines as opposed to

a. monophonic

b. polyphonic

1. Troubadours and Trouvéres

a. nobles

b. peasants

2.

A. The Renaissance (c. 1420-1600): A period of rebirth, the Renaissance was characterized by the weakening power of the church. This allowed more room for innovation and experimentation.

1. Birth of Renaissance music:

a. Founders

1. Gilles Binchois (c.1400-1460)

a. brief bio

b. significance

2. Guillaume Dufay (1397-1474)

a. brief bio

b. significance

B. The Baroque Period (c. 1600-1750): An antithesis to the Renaissance, contrast, as opposed to consistency was the main focus of music created during this period.

1. birth of opera

2. oratorio

3. solo harpsichord music flourished

4. first permanent orchestras

C. Classical Period (c. 1750-1820):

D. The Romantic Era (1820-1900):

III. Conclusion:

Music’s relationship to society can be related to the dominoe effect; that is, when dominos are placed side by side and when one is pushed over it causes the rest of the dominos to fall down with it. AS Paris continues its continual “modernizing” process, the music will become more and more “modern” to go along with the new aspects of Parisian society.

Bibliography

1. http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/beginlst/renaiss.htm

2. http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/beginlst/baroque.htm#france-i

3. http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/beginlst/baroque.htm#france-l

4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/opera/historybaroque.shtml

5. http://www.hypermusic.ca/hist/classical.html

6. http://www.mfiles.co.uk/classical periods.htm

7. http://www.ecclectica.ca/issues/2003/1/harris.asp

8. http://www.classicstoday.com/Classics/ConcertReview_ASPFiles/ViewConcertReview.asp?Acrion=User&ID=316