University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Literature and Styles in Music I

Rise of Instrumental Music

I Increase in Instrumental Music in the 16th Century

A. Demonstrated by increased number of instruction books describing instruments and giving instructions for playing them (i.e., addressed to practicing musicians)

Sebastian Virdung's A Summary of the Science of Music (in German) 1511
Michael Praetorius' Syntagma Musicum (Treatise on Music) 1618
- both show large number of wind instruments available
- Also show tendency for instruments to be built in "families" from bass to soprano allowing for a "matched consort" which provides uniform timbre & homogeneous color
Principal wind instruments
- Double reeds: shawms, Krummhorns
- cornetts, trumpets, trombones (sackbuts)
- recorders, flutes
- strings: viol family (fretted, strings a 4th apart except for one major 3rd)

II Rise of Solo Instruments

Organ: adds solo stops and softer stops for accompanying
- 3 types of organs: Positive, Portative, Regal
- Clavichord: metal tangent strikes and remains in contact with string (thin sound, but vibrato possible)
- Harpsichord type (including virginal, clavecin, spinet etc.): string plucked by plectum set in motion by depressing key (larger sound, but dynamic shadings possible only by adding stops)
- Lute (most popular domestic instrument)
  - 1 single and 5 double strings
    - 3rd between 3rd and 4th strings rather than 4th and 5th string
  - Most versatile instrument:
    - Accompanies both singers and ensembles
    - As solo instrument, capable of ornaments, runs, and even pseudo- counterpoint

III Instrumental Music Increases in Independence through 16th Century

At beginning of century, instruments used mostly to alternate or substitute for voices
When versions or transcriptions of vocal pieces published specifically for instruments, more ornaments are included and sometimes more chromaticism
- improvised cadenzas possible

IV New Instrumental Music Genres

A. Instrumental genres based on vocal prototypes:

Ricercar: derives from motet
- early ricercari: free, improvisatory form with occasional use of imitation
- later ricercari: more motet-like, e.g., more extensive use of imitation
- after 1540: adapts motet style almost completely: series of themes developed imitatively with overlapping cadences
  - differs from vocal motet in freer voice-leading and use of typical instrumental embellishments

Canzona: derives from chanson
- rhythm and texture simpler than ricercari
  - repeated dactylic rhythms common
  - symmetrical phrase lengths and repetition more common
  - imitation limited to opening phrases or nonexistent
  - early canzonas are instrumental versions of pre-existing vocal chansons
  - eventually original compositions written in style of vocal chanson
In Nomine
- instrumental form (generally for ensembles) most frequently used by English composers
- develops succession of themes in imitative style
- name derives from use of borrowed cantus firmus (usually played in long notes) of a Vespers antiphon made famous by an instrumental piece based on that borrowed melody by Taverner
B. Dance Music
- Dance music becomes very popular in the 16th century
  - much dance music actually used for social dancing
  - style somewhat similar to canzona, i.e., distinctive rhythmic patterns, repetition of rhythms and brief phrases
  - little sustained counterpoint; melody in top voice, often ornamented
  - dances often grouped in 2's or 3's, e.g., pavane-gaillarde
C. Improvisatory-style Pieces
1. Basse-Danse: originally improvised over borrowed bass melody (cantus firmus)
2. Improvisatory-style pieces common for lute and harpsichord (including pieces titled Prelude, Fantasia, even Ricercar)
D. Theme and Variations
1. Variations on theme or short ostinato pattern
2. English school of Virginalists in the late 16th - early 17th century become particularly adept at variations
  - major composers:
    - William Byrd (1543-1623)
    - John Bull (1562-1628)
    - Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
    - Thomas Tompkins (1572-1656)
  - Major collections
    - Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
    - Mulliner Book
    - Parthenia
  - Variations often on dance melodies or well-known tunes of the day
    - from 6 - 20 variations in a set (usually in pairs)
    - often the melody would remain intact but would be surrounded by different "figuration" patterns
    - underlying harmonies and phrase structure would be preserved (although different meters would sometimes be used)
Last Update 6/21/06
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