Turning Points In Music
Like all things Music is ever changing, making it one of the most diverse art forms we have on earth. Over the centuries music has been created by people who have built upon what they have seen and heard around them. Rarely do we see brand new ideas. Rather new ideas implemented into pre-existing forms. These new ideas some would say have led to a turning point in music, where a particular style or tone has been made acceptable and in many cases independent. In the early beginnings of music, we see the most valuable changes in harmony as we know it today. This is why I will be looking at the turning point of dissonance and consonance within early pieces of music and their composers. This turning point for me is absolutely the most vital thing
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in music that we hear today. It can be heard in almost every piece in the western world and in many regards has shaped what western ears like hearing.
Harmony, in music, basically means the sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously.
In practice, this broad definition can also include some instances of notes sounded one after the other. If the consecutively sounded notes call to mind the notes of a familiar chord, the ear will order them accordingly. “In such cases the ear perceives the harmony that would result if the notes had sounded together. In a narrower sense, harmony refers to the extensively developed system of chords and the rules that allow or forbid relations between chords that characterises Western music.” (Butterworth, 1999) The style of western harmony as practiced from c. 1650 to c. 1900 evolved from earlier musical practices of polyphony music; in several voices. It can also be related the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance and, ultimately, from the strictly melodic music of the Middle …show more content…
Ages that gave rise to polyphony. (McNiel, 2015) Though harmony has developed over many centuries through many different composers and pieces, I think for me, there is a clear era that helped define harmony, shaping it to be what we hear today. Its only with meaningful reflection you can really see and appreciate how far we have advanced in music over the centuries. Pre the 14th century; chants and un-notated music were very common, and in many cases were never written down. This as you would imagine limited people’s ability to not only spread music, but also to make music that was of a high standard. Many people of the time could barely read their speaking language; so writing music was only for those who had an education. These people were few and far between. It was only later in 14, 15 & 16th centuries that we really began to master the art of sharing and creating music as we know it today.
Up till the 14th Century, harmony was being used via a harmonising technique, called organum, this particular technique was one of the first true example of harmony.
The first instances were extremely simple, consisting of adding a voice that exactly paralleled the original melody at the interval of a fourth or fifth. (McNiel, 2015) As you would imagine this particular technique wouldn’t allow for continuous harmonies like forth, fifths and octaves. These intervals were considered consonances. Because of their conclusive and clear sonority like timbre; these intervals were generally used to put emphasis on particular words of phrases in the song or chant. Furthermore developing music to use parallel 3rds and 6ths as time proceeded. I have also found that early music also didn’t support the usage of the tri-tone, due to its dissonance, composers were often known to go to strenuous lengths, via musica ficta, to avoid using it. In the modern triadic harmonic system, however, the tri-tone became somewhat more accepted, as the standardisation of functional dissonance made its use in dominant chords desirable. (Butterworth,
1999)
Finally by almost the 15th century we have a break through into what really should be known as the end of ancient modes. A very big turning point for music. A system familiar to what we know today. This was a system which was very much in favour of major and minor modes. For example DuFay’s, Nuper rosarum flores of the late 14th/15th century has some clear turning points into the new modal system and quite clearly illustrates the defined changed in how we order our modes. For example as mentioned by (McNiel, 2015) you can notice the clear consonance relationships between the two voices. You may also notice that when there is a note against, it is always an 8ve, 5th, 3rd & 6ths. We also see in this piece one of the earliest forms of counter point and full triadic harmony, including modern cadences we know today. There is an obvious transition in this piece where dissonances have almost disappeared. We also see another fine example of this extraordinary change in DuFay’s ‘Se la face ay pale’ where triadic melodic motives move in all parts. Dufay also had a strong influence in his new ideas around isorhythms and shaped his pieces accordingly. By doing this out of experimentation, and very careful planning Du Fay was to influence a new way of writing music in the very near future. After studying the score you will also find there is now perfect V-I cadences. Though these pieces still have elements which are borrowed, like most pieces of the time – they still represent a turning point. This is owing to the fact that the arranger has voiced the arrangement in a way that probably hadn’t been very common in the pass. From this point on DuFay especially discovers the culture of rich vertical harmonies and also goes on to have a fascination with pervasive imitation. (Grout, Burkholder & Palisca, 2010)
At the same time there emerged a more sophisticated attitude toward dissonance, using it for somewhat expressive purposes. By the time of the Flemish composer Josquin des Prez, one of the leading composers of the Renaissance, music had assumed a more resonant texture through the use of four-, five-, and six-part writing. This was mentioned by (McNiel, 2015) in lecture four. This was used instead of the older three-part scoring. Which again for me illustrated that the 15th century was without a doubt one of the most progressive eras in developing the fundamentals of harmony as we know it today.
We only really begin to appreciate this change in triadic motion when we look back to pieces such as Viderunt Omnes, were we don’t see any modern triadic harmony at all. This piece, by Perotin had like many other pieces of the time, borrowed material. For example, the bottom line can be derived straight from a plain chant. We see in this example lots of development in the number of voices singing, and perhaps the development of the fifth church mode and the Lydian mode, but very little advancement and experimentation of harmony. The syllabic sections of the chant are treated as long-held drones, and the melismatic sections are treated as sections of music that move to the basic pulse of the three upper parts. However with it being based on the Lydian mode, we do still see an augmented 4th which occurs between the F and B in the mode is very often modified to B flat, making the entire work sound like it is in F major. (McNiel, 2015) For me, this really is hinting again at how significant our turning point is in the 15th century. Though this music doesn’t represent modern harmony, it still in many ways shows that we are experimenting with our music. For example in this piece we can often find that voices are interchanging material with one another, making it one of the first accounts we have of imitation. We also see that dissonances from here on in generally speaking are always found on the strong beats of a phrase, creating a suspension which is then resolved downwards. (Britannicacom, 2015)
As time preceded on from pieces such as this one just mentioned on to pieces like Nuper rosarum flores we begin to see a more English influence in music. This piece comprises of four sections of music and a short concluding “Amen”. We see that in early western music especially that of religious background, often features parallel perfect intervals. These magnificent works were created and performed in cathedrals, and made use of the resonant modes of their respective church or cathedral. As polyphony developed, the use of parallel intervals was slowly replaced by a style we know today, one that of consonance that used thirds and sixths. (Alexander , 2009) The English style was considered to have a sweeter sound, and was better suited to polyphony. The main reason being that this particular foundation allowed more flexibility in part-writing. This style is very much what we know today. More importantly, as mentioned above in DuFay’s piece, a lot of these fundamental music rules have been applied in his pieces, making it for me, a clear turning point in western music.
Regardless of how these pieces shaped harmonies and cadences, they both have something in common, borrowed material. Many of the pieces, post DuFay’s period especially, still continued to use a popular tune of the period as a structural foundation. For example, both tenors are based on the Gregorian Chant melody Terribilis est locus iste. Which seems to be a reoccurring theme. Though the pieces vary in style, there is clearly a very big turning point in DuFay’s piece. Leaning towards an English harmonic system. Borrowed melody in this period was a common thing, and was accepted. It was the changes that the composers put over these melodies that in most occasions led to a development. For Dufay it was that of harmony and understanding how voices interlocked using a different harmonic system of sweet 3rd and 6ths. (Grout, Burkholder & Palisca, 2010)
In many ways Du Fay was without a doubt a very influential person in his day. Fortunately for him, it was a time of change, renewal and new ideas. Though at the time he may not have realised it, but his piece dedicated the dome of Florence, by order of the church; was to be one of the most influential pieces in the history of mankind. The subtle changes used by Du Fay have allowed other composers to explore and delve deeper into a world, which at the time, was very unknown to them, allowing them to be the next generation of composers using a different harmonic system. Leading generations like you and I to explore things like different genres of jazz, classical music and many other genres including country. Though most of these genres were some years later, this particular composer in my opinion gave the grounding in which has allowed us to progress our western music to where it is today.
in music that we hear today. It can be heard in almost every piece in the western world and in many regards has shaped what western ears like hearing.
Harmony, in music, basically means the sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously.
In practice, this broad definition can also include some instances of notes sounded one after the other. If the consecutively sounded notes call to mind the notes of a familiar chord, the ear will order them accordingly. “In such cases the ear perceives the harmony that would result if the notes had sounded together. In a narrower sense, harmony refers to the extensively developed system of chords and the rules that allow or forbid relations between chords that characterises Western music.” (Butterworth, 1999) The style of western harmony as practiced from c. 1650 to c. 1900 evolved from earlier musical practices of polyphony music; in several voices. It can also be related the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance and, ultimately, from the strictly melodic music of the Middle …show more content…
Ages that gave rise to polyphony. (McNiel, 2015) Though harmony has developed over many centuries through many different composers and pieces, I think for me, there is a clear era that helped define harmony, shaping it to be what we hear today. Its only with meaningful reflection you can really see and appreciate how far we have advanced in music over the centuries. Pre the 14th century; chants and un-notated music were very common, and in many cases were never written down. This as you would imagine limited people’s ability to not only spread music, but also to make music that was of a high standard. Many people of the time could barely read their speaking language; so writing music was only for those who had an education. These people were few and far between. It was only later in 14, 15 & 16th centuries that we really began to master the art of sharing and creating music as we know it today.
Up till the 14th Century, harmony was being used via a harmonising technique, called organum, this particular technique was one of the first true example of harmony.
The first instances were extremely simple, consisting of adding a voice that exactly paralleled the original melody at the interval of a fourth or fifth. (McNiel, 2015) As you would imagine this particular technique wouldn’t allow for continuous harmonies like forth, fifths and octaves. These intervals were considered consonances. Because of their conclusive and clear sonority like timbre; these intervals were generally used to put emphasis on particular words of phrases in the song or chant. Furthermore developing music to use parallel 3rds and 6ths as time proceeded. I have also found that early music also didn’t support the usage of the tri-tone, due to its dissonance, composers were often known to go to strenuous lengths, via musica ficta, to avoid using it. In the modern triadic harmonic system, however, the tri-tone became somewhat more accepted, as the standardisation of functional dissonance made its use in dominant chords desirable. (Butterworth,
1999)
Finally by almost the 15th century we have a break through into what really should be known as the end of ancient modes. A very big turning point for music. A system familiar to what we know today. This was a system which was very much in favour of major and minor modes. For example DuFay’s, Nuper rosarum flores of the late 14th/15th century has some clear turning points into the new modal system and quite clearly illustrates the defined changed in how we order our modes. For example as mentioned by (McNiel, 2015) you can notice the clear consonance relationships between the two voices. You may also notice that when there is a note against, it is always an 8ve, 5th, 3rd & 6ths. We also see in this piece one of the earliest forms of counter point and full triadic harmony, including modern cadences we know today. There is an obvious transition in this piece where dissonances have almost disappeared. We also see another fine example of this extraordinary change in DuFay’s ‘Se la face ay pale’ where triadic melodic motives move in all parts. Dufay also had a strong influence in his new ideas around isorhythms and shaped his pieces accordingly. By doing this out of experimentation, and very careful planning Du Fay was to influence a new way of writing music in the very near future. After studying the score you will also find there is now perfect V-I cadences. Though these pieces still have elements which are borrowed, like most pieces of the time – they still represent a turning point. This is owing to the fact that the arranger has voiced the arrangement in a way that probably hadn’t been very common in the pass. From this point on DuFay especially discovers the culture of rich vertical harmonies and also goes on to have a fascination with pervasive imitation. (Grout, Burkholder & Palisca, 2010)
At the same time there emerged a more sophisticated attitude toward dissonance, using it for somewhat expressive purposes. By the time of the Flemish composer Josquin des Prez, one of the leading composers of the Renaissance, music had assumed a more resonant texture through the use of four-, five-, and six-part writing. This was mentioned by (McNiel, 2015) in lecture four. This was used instead of the older three-part scoring. Which again for me illustrated that the 15th century was without a doubt one of the most progressive eras in developing the fundamentals of harmony as we know it today.
We only really begin to appreciate this change in triadic motion when we look back to pieces such as Viderunt Omnes, were we don’t see any modern triadic harmony at all. This piece, by Perotin had like many other pieces of the time, borrowed material. For example, the bottom line can be derived straight from a plain chant. We see in this example lots of development in the number of voices singing, and perhaps the development of the fifth church mode and the Lydian mode, but very little advancement and experimentation of harmony. The syllabic sections of the chant are treated as long-held drones, and the melismatic sections are treated as sections of music that move to the basic pulse of the three upper parts. However with it being based on the Lydian mode, we do still see an augmented 4th which occurs between the F and B in the mode is very often modified to B flat, making the entire work sound like it is in F major. (McNiel, 2015) For me, this really is hinting again at how significant our turning point is in the 15th century. Though this music doesn’t represent modern harmony, it still in many ways shows that we are experimenting with our music. For example in this piece we can often find that voices are interchanging material with one another, making it one of the first accounts we have of imitation. We also see that dissonances from here on in generally speaking are always found on the strong beats of a phrase, creating a suspension which is then resolved downwards. (Britannicacom, 2015)
As time preceded on from pieces such as this one just mentioned on to pieces like Nuper rosarum flores we begin to see a more English influence in music. This piece comprises of four sections of music and a short concluding “Amen”. We see that in early western music especially that of religious background, often features parallel perfect intervals. These magnificent works were created and performed in cathedrals, and made use of the resonant modes of their respective church or cathedral. As polyphony developed, the use of parallel intervals was slowly replaced by a style we know today, one that of consonance that used thirds and sixths. (Alexander , 2009) The English style was considered to have a sweeter sound, and was better suited to polyphony. The main reason being that this particular foundation allowed more flexibility in part-writing. This style is very much what we know today. More importantly, as mentioned above in DuFay’s piece, a lot of these fundamental music rules have been applied in his pieces, making it for me, a clear turning point in western music.
Regardless of how these pieces shaped harmonies and cadences, they both have something in common, borrowed material. Many of the pieces, post DuFay’s period especially, still continued to use a popular tune of the period as a structural foundation. For example, both tenors are based on the Gregorian Chant melody Terribilis est locus iste. Which seems to be a reoccurring theme. Though the pieces vary in style, there is clearly a very big turning point in DuFay’s piece. Leaning towards an English harmonic system. Borrowed melody in this period was a common thing, and was accepted. It was the changes that the composers put over these melodies that in most occasions led to a development. For Dufay it was that of harmony and understanding how voices interlocked using a different harmonic system of sweet 3rd and 6ths. (Grout, Burkholder & Palisca, 2010)
In many ways Du Fay was without a doubt a very influential person in his day. Fortunately for him, it was a time of change, renewal and new ideas. Though at the time he may not have realised it, but his piece dedicated the dome of Florence, by order of the church; was to be one of the most influential pieces in the history of mankind. The subtle changes used by Du Fay have allowed other composers to explore and delve deeper into a world, which at the time, was very unknown to them, allowing them to be the next generation of composers using a different harmonic system. Leading generations like you and I to explore things like different genres of jazz, classical music and many other genres including country. Though most of these genres were some years later, this particular composer in my opinion gave the grounding in which has allowed us to progress our western music to where it is today.