Medieval

period
Historical background

Middle Ages
relocations,
* lots of barbarian invaders
* upheavals,
(disturbances,commotions)
* knights
* 1/3 of Europe-
BLACK DEATH
Historical background

Middle Ages
THE MIDDLE AGES: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
After the fall of Rome, no single state or government united
the people who lived on the European continent. Instead,
the Catholic Church became the most powerful institution
of the medieval period. Kings, queens and other leaders
derived much of their power from their alliances with and
protection of the Church.

www.history.com
Historical background

Middle Ages
THE MIDDLE AGES: ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Another way to show

devotion to the
Church was to build grand
cathedrals and other ecclesiastical structures such
as monasteries. Cathedrals were the largest buildings in
medieval Europe, and they could be found at the center
of towns and cities across the continent.
Historical background
The Clergy and The Nobles
(Worked closely together)
 MEDIEVAL MUSIC
MEDIEVAL MUSIC
Important Facts
1.TROUBADOURS
TROUBADOURS
French musicians
Travelled all around in Europe to perform

*Their music was secular.

(not bound by the traditions
of the church. Talks about love, joy and pain.
secular.
Most secular musicians had day
jobs. Full time musicians were poor.
*

2 . Most prominent instrument

ORGAN
*

ORGAN
At first it could only
be played by hitting it
with your fist.

It was so loud that it

could be heard for
miles around.
3. The CHURCH
was the
center of musical life.
 Most composers wrote for the church
and remained anonymous.
*Musicians were priests and worked for
Conclusions

the church SINGING LITURGICAL

SONGS

SACRED MUSIC
Women were not allowed
to sing in the church.
 4. The music of the church was the

Gregorian chant
Unacompanied monophonic song

Monophonic- 1 melody
sung inLatin,
the language of the church.

notes were called

NEUMES
Gregorian Chant
Middle Ages / Medieval

Gregorian
chant

-named after
Pope Gregory I
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The Gregorian STAFF

* It is a single line (no harmony) AT FIRST

* It has flexible rhythm, without meter,

* 4 lines and 3 spaces

AGNUS DEI
The Agnus Dei is possibly the finest
composition known
from the Middle Ages
REFERENCES

1. www.scribd.comMis-Gloria
2. EXPRESSIONS Book 9
3. www.history,com/topics/middleages