HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE MUSIC

The course provides the necessary tools for understanding the musical language and musical genres in Medieval and Renaissance culture. After a general overview, the course will concentrate on the musical production promoted by the Italian Renaissance courts. The knowledge of historical events and developments of the Medieval and Renaissance music history is an important step for the degree’s program in Conservation and Management of the arts and cultural heritage.

Students will be able to effectively:
- Have an overview of the historical profile and musical events from the Middle Ages to the end of the Renaissance.
- Know the different European social and cultural contexts of music production.
- Know the main musical sources, people and genres
- Contextualize musical sources.

No specific musical prerequisites are required

The course will be divided into 3 parts:
1) European musical language from the early Middle Ages to the 14th century: Gregorian chant and repertoires of liturgical chant; orality and musical notation; contexts of music-making; devotional music and profane monody; the origins of polyphony.
2) The development of music from the 15th to the early 17th century: sacred and profane polyphony; main forms and compositional techniques; European music centres; instrumental music; poetry and music.
3) The Italian Renaissance courts: princes patrons and musicians; occasions and venues of musical performance; circulation of musical sources; ceremonies and spectacles.

G. CATTIN, La monodia nel Medioevo, Torino, EDT, 1991 [nuova edizione EDT, 2012]
G. BAROFFIO - E. JU KIM, Cantemus Domino Gloriose. Introduzione al canto gregoriano, Saronno, Urban,
2003
F. A. GALLO, La polifonia nel Medioevo, Torino, EDT, 1991 [nuova edizione EDT, 2012]
A.W.ATLAS, Renaissance Music : Music in Western Europe, 1400-1600, New York-London, Norton, 1998.
Musica e società, vol. 1: Dall'Alto Medievo al 1640, a cura di P. Fabbri e M. C. Bertieri, Milano, McGraw-Hill, 2012
I. FENLON, The Renaissance: From the 1470s to the End of the 16th Century, London, Macmillan, 1989.
F. PIPERNO, Musica e corti nella prima età moderna in Musiche nella storia. Dall'età di Dante alla Grande Guerra, Roma, Carocci, 2017, pp. 75-130.
L. LOCKWOOD, La musica a Ferrara nel Rinascimento. La creazione di un centro musicale nel XV secolo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1987.
I. FENLON, Music and Patronage in Sixteenth-century Mantua, Cambridge University Press, 1982
N. GUIDOBALDI, La musica di Federico. Immagini e suoni alla corte di Urbino, Firenze, Olschki, 1995.
W. KIRKENDALE, The Court Musicians in Florence during the Principate of the Medici, Firenze, Olschki, 1995.

Further bibliographical indications will be provided during the course. Listening examples will also be suggested

The exam will consist of an oral interview on the topics discussed in the course. In particular, the ability to recognize and situate musical genres within the historical period examined will be evaluated.

Frontal lessons integrated with readings, musical examples and guided listening.

Italian

Course attendance is strongly recommended.

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