Music In The Elizabethan Era

Eric Estrada
Mrs. Gourde
English 1
27 March 2016
Music in the Elizabethan Era
“How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues by night. Like softest music to attending ears!” (Shakespeare 772). In this quote, Romeo is referring to him and Juliet talks about their love as if it was sweet, soft and pure as music. Romeo’s quote might well be referring to someone playing the lute, which was the most common of the instruments back in the Elizabethan Era, because of its soft, tender, and sweet sounds it produced when played. We have further developed our instruments based off of the simple instruments that people used in the Elizabethan Era.
Music was not only limited to churches, homes of the high class, and royalty. It was also performed and especially
People have elaborated our music into many different styles off of the few genres that they had. The main two were choral and instrumental. Choral music was more reserved for a church than for the court and composers would make many sacred songs, ballads, and madrigals for the church than for court or town music. Madrigals were most likely the most common during mass, a madrigal is vocal music composition traditionally two to eight voices but usually three to six. On the other hand, the style of music played at the higher classes when at a party was light, playful, fast, and happy. This music lightened the mood of the people and kept them content and dancing while also enjoying the music. There was a variety of instruments played to keep the party flowing and
Although there were not many styles of music developed in the Elizabethan era there were a few popular styles that appealed and attracted people and brought them places. An example is that people went to plays not only expecting a good show but a great concert to go with it. William Shakespeare was well known for connecting his plays with concerts to change the mood of them and give the audience a fantastic show. Instruments from the Elizabethan era were elaborated and changed in many different ways to get the instruments and sounds that are heard and played today. Without the progress and appreciation of music from the people in the Elizabethan era, there might not have been as many styles or instruments today. Works Cited
"Music in Elizabethan Era." Music in Elizabethan Era. Web. 8 Mar. 2016.
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"Elizabethan Music." ELIZABETHAN MUSIC. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.
"Elizabethan Music." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Student Resources in Context. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.
"Elizabethan England Life." Elizabethan England Music,Elizabethan Era Musical Instruments History and Facts. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.
Shakespeare, William.The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Elements of Literature Third Course. Ed. Robert Probst, et al. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2003. 734-851.