Musical Discussion
The medieval period is the period between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance. Many refer to this period as the period in which an idea was born. During this period the catholic church was mighty and thus ruled in most of Europe. It is believed that this period lasted between the 5th century to the 15th century. Music at this time was characterized by songs, instrumental pieces as well as liturgical pieces. The most popular genre of music at the time was liturgical music due to the strong influence from the catholic followers which was attributed to the vast power that the pope had over the western government as well as policymaking at the time. The Renaissance was the period that followed the middle age, which was characterized by a lot of revolution in the whole of Europe in terms of culture and armistices. It gave rise to a rebirth of a new form of music. Art, especially music during this period was a very focal element of civic growth during the time. However, just like the era before it, the music during this time was mainly made for church use as well as for the use in courts. The church songs evolved from only catholic songs for masses to accommodating the protestants churches. During this period music was also a source of income for the composers. Music during this era faced a lot of challenges as policies controlling how music was made as well as learnt were put in place which saw only religious institutions and the wealthy having the upper hand. The instruments used were more improved as there was the development of enhanced violins as well as a flute.
The Alleluia which got done during the middle age was a religious composition done by the catholic church. It gets mainly associated with the baptism of Christ and gets played at Latin masses for the Roman Catholic church. The song is characterized by some cheerfulness and liveliness which can be attributed to the occasion of its use which is a happy period among the Christians as it symbolizes the movement from a sinful way to a new life in Christ. It is also considered a simple chant due to its plainness in nature. The texture of the composition is monophonic. This is saying that despite the significant number of singers, they make their delivery using only a single melody. The composition shows no consistency in the pulse, which is due to its entanglement to the churches’ Dorian mood. In its delivery, there is a great show of synchronization between the soloist who does the psalm and the choir who are tied to the Alleluia. This piece of art is melismatic due to its use of only a single syllable all through its presentation. Its tempo is largo as it is characterized by slow tempo; this suits its use during the Epiphany. Its dynamics can be described as a mezzo-piano as it is neither softer than forte, nor is it louder than the piano.
In his composition, Trabici made several secular compositions such as the Gagliarda Seconda Detta La Scab Rosetta which was mainly performed in courts for the rich. The texture in this composition is polyphonic. It was made up of multiple lines which were played or recited simultaneously yet having a different melody. Since this type of music was mainly done in the people’s courts for mere amusement and enjoyment from which the performers earned money or some favours in case of the royal families such as the queens the interplay between lines is very important so as to provide the much-needed entertainment needed by the crowd. Being a cappella, there is no instrumental accompaniment which allows for the well-layered rhythmic strata to be clear and elaborate. The good combination of the voices from the different singers gives a gentle rhythm to the composition. It makes it very soothing and lulls its audience, giving it a sense of relaxation. The dynamics in the song were a bit louder than those of the Alleluia so as to bring the audience attention closer as well as offer entertainment. It can, therefore, be considered as forte as it is slightly louder than mezzo-forte. The tempo of the songs is fast passed to provide the entertainment required. It is characterized by the allegro tempo, which is fast and yet bright to allow for the variation in melodies that characterize this form of music that was very prevalent during the Renaissance era. The era was characterized by the use of instruments such as the viola da gamba and the spinet.
The two eras can be considered very important in the development of music as well as the instruments used. The developments in music and the different policies brought about helped revolutionize music. In the Renaissance, period music was commercialized were by composers who received compensation for their work as it is to date. The most entertaining of thee two is the renaissance type of music as it is characterized by several melodies which helps break the monotony