VPMA93H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Thomas Weelkes, Antonio Vivaldi, Keyboard Instrument
Document Summary
Timbre the majority of surviving music is for vocal ensemble; music for instruments alone starts to appear in quantity in the 16th century. Melody mainly stepwise motion in a narrow to medium range for each voice; smooth sounding melodies that are homogeneous (blend together); use of chromaticism and word painting is found in madrigals from the end of the. Harmony based on the system of modes; the consonant sounding chord becomes the basic building block of harmony during this period; more use of dissonance found in the madrigals from the end of the renaissance period. Texture a polyphonic texture of 4 or 5 parts relieved by passages of chordal homophony is the norm; Rhythm rhythm is relaxed without strong downbeats; rhythm in secular vocal music, such as the madrigal, is lively. Form most musical forms are through-composed, with no use of strict, large scale repetition; imitation between vocal lines is used as an organizing device.
