Renaissance Music Verses Medieval

The music of the Renaissance and Medieval periods was shaped by its culture in the way that the music expresses what is going on around them. For example in the medieval period people lives were shaped around the church and therefore their music was also. You have the Gregorian chant, which was named after the Pope St. Gregory the Great and then you have all of the songs, which follow the order of mass. You also have the Christmas carol There is no Rose Today that came out of this era also. The Renaissance period was a time of enlightenment and with that came the invention of the printing press and that helped print the music faster and get it to another part of Europe faster. At this time composers actually found work outside of the church and were able to expand on the type of music they composed.

The music that we have today is shaped by the culture that we live in because most of the composers today write about their own lives. Take Rap music most of the rappers are writing song about how they didn’t have anything as children and as teenager so they had to rob and steel to make a living. They also write about sex and drugs and how it makes them feel. The young people who listen and watch these music videos look at all the money they have and the lives that they lead and they try to go out and do the same so they can have that life also.

I think that it certainly does play a role in shaping our culture and society because it is not only something for us to listen to but it helps us with many human emotions. It also helps us understand not only our culture but others as well especially in the time that we live in today. When you go out to dance clubs now and days you don’t only hear music from this culture but others. It’s opened our eyes and shown us that different isn’t necessarily bad. We also have a lot of mixed families and people who are not only of one make ground but many. This has helped us take different cultures music and integrate