The Beginnings of Western Music! Homework Due 3/8/13

- Listen to Hildegard von Bingen: O Pastor Pnimarum (plainchant) and then to Michael Praetorius: Two Dance Clusters from Terpsichore. Write 3-4 paragraphs comparing and contrasting these two very contrasting early works in Western Music. In one paragraph tell us who was Hildegard von Bingen and who was Michael Praetorius? When did they live and what was the purpose of the music that they wrote? Due: Friday March 8, 2013!


Words to know:

Plainchant: Plainchant is monophonic, consisting of a single, unaccompanied melodic line. It generally has a more free rhythm than the metered rhythm of later Western music.

Monophonic: In music, monophony is the simplest of textures, consisting of melody without accompanying harmony. This may be realized as just one note at a time, or with the same note duplicated at the octave (such as often when men and women sing together). If an entire melody is played by two or more instruments or sung by a choir with a fixed interval between the voices or in unison, it is also said to be in monophony. Music in which all the notes sung are in unison is called monophonic. Musical texture is determined in song and music by varying components. Songs intersperse monophony, heterophony, polyphony, homophony, or monody elements throughout the melody to create atmosphere and style. Monophony may not have underlying rhythmic textures, and must consist of only a melodic line.

Polyphonic: In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony).

Sacred Music: Is music performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence.

Secular Music: is nonreligious music. Secular means being separate from religion.