An Outline of The History of Western Music Grout ... - The Reel Score

(3) Characterized by graceful vocal melodies, and sweetness of harmonies - gone
are few 2nds & 7ths, few parallel 5ths & octaves
(4) Landini Cadance - passage from major 6th to the octave is ornamented by a
lower neighbor leaping up a 3rd in the upper part
7. French Influence
a) Toward end of the 14th century, the music of Italian composers began losing its
specific national characteristics and absorbing the French style
b) Most noticeable after papal return from Avignon to Rome
8. Performance
a) No uniform way of performing music in the 14th century
b) Vocal and instrumental parts often interchangeable
c) Setting of performance set performance characteristics
D. French Music of the Late 14th Century
1. General Trends
a) Paradox that the papal court at Avignon stood out more for its secular music than
for its sacred compositions
b) Chiefly ballades, verlais, and rondeaux for solo voice with supporting instrumental
tenor & contratenor parts
c) Newly composed texts by the composers
(1) Reference to people & events of the time
(2) Majority are love songs
2. Musical Characteristics
a) Rhythm has a remarkable flexibility
b) Intended for professional performers and highly cultivated listeners
(1) This complexity would go out of fashion by end of the 14th century
(2) Same time a simpler type of secular polyphony was being developed in
Northern France
(3) Musica Ficta
i) Practice of raising or lowering certain notes by a half step out side the
standard
ii) Allowed use of what was to become the Phrygian cadence
c) Instruments
(1) Manuscripts rarely tell if a particular part is vocal or instrumental - let alone a
specific instrument
(2) Relied on musicians' habits and on tradition - varied according to
circumstances depending on taste, availability of vocalists & instrumentalists,
and occasion
E. Summary
1. New forms & practices came about because of a pronounced shift of interest from
sacred music to secular composition
a) New rhythmic freedom sometimes taken to uncomfortable extremes
b) Growing sense of organization in planning counterpoint around definite tonal
areas