🎶Music History – Medieval Unit 4 – Monophony and Secular Music's Emergence

What is Monophony?

• Monophony is a musical texture consisting of a single melodic line without accompaniment or harmony
• Monophonic music features a single voice or instrument performing a melody alone
• Contrasts with polyphony, which involves multiple simultaneous melodic lines
• Monophony was the predominant musical texture in the Medieval period (500-1400 AD)
• Monophonic chants were used in religious settings, such as Gregorian chant in the Catholic Church
• Secular monophony emerged in the form of troubadour and trouvère songs in the 12th and 13th centuries
• Monophonic melodies often followed modal scales and had limited range
• Rhythmic patterns in monophonic music were derived from the natural rhythms of the lyrics

Origins of Secular Music

• Secular music developed alongside sacred music in the Medieval period
• Emerged in the 12th century with the rise of troubadours in southern France
• Troubadours were poet-musicians who composed and performed songs in vernacular languages
• Trouvères, the northern French counterparts of troubadours, emerged in the 13th century
• Secular music was influenced by Arabic and Byzantine musical traditions
• Crusades and increased cultural exchange facilitated the spread of new musical ideas
• Secular songs often focused on themes of courtly love, chivalry, and nature
• Development of secular music coincided with the growth of vernacular literature and poetry

Key Characteristics of Medieval Monophony

• Melodies were often modal, using scales different from modern major and minor scales
• Limited range, typically within an octave or less
• Rhythms were derived from the natural stress and meter of the lyrics
• Melodies were often syllabic, with one note per syllable
• Some melodies featured melismas, where multiple notes were sung on a single syllable
• Phrases often ended on the final or tenor note of the mode
• Monophonic songs were typically strophic, with the same melody repeated for each verse
• Ornamentation and improvisation were common in performance

Popular Secular Song Forms

• Canso: A love song typically consisting of five to seven stanzas with a melody repeated for each stanza
• Ballade: A song with three stanzas and a refrain, often telling a story or expressing emotions
• Virelai: A song with a refrain that alternates with verses, often featuring a rhyme scheme of ABBA
• Rondeau: A song with a recurring refrain and a specific rhyme scheme, typically AABBA
• Alba: A dawn song expressing the parting of lovers at daybreak
• Pastourelle: A song depicting an encounter between a knight and a shepherdess
• Sirventes: A song expressing political or satirical themes
• Lai: A long narrative song with irregular stanza lengths and complex rhyme schemes

Famous Troubadours and Trouvères

• Guillaume IX, Duke of Aquitaine (1071-1126): Considered the first known troubadour
• Bernart de Ventadorn (1130-1190): One of the most celebrated troubadours, known for his love songs
• Comtessa de Dia (fl. late 12th century): A rare female troubadour known for her cansos
• Adam de la Halle (1240-1288): A prominent trouvère, also known for his polyphonic works and plays
• Blondel de Nesle (fl. late 12th century): A trouvère known for his association with Richard the Lionheart
• Thibaut de Champagne (1201-1253): A trouvère and the King of Navarre, known for his influence on the development of the song forms
• Walther von der Vogelweide (1170-1230): A prominent Minnesänger, the German equivalent of a troubadour

Instruments Used in Secular Music

• Secular monophony was often performed with instrumental accompaniment
• Vielle: A bowed string instrument, predecessor to the modern violin
• Harp: Plucked string instrument used for accompaniment and solo performance
• Lute: Plucked string instrument with a rounded back and a fretted neck
• Flute: Woodwind instrument used for melodies and accompaniment
• Shawm: Double-reed woodwind instrument, predecessor to the modern oboe
• Bagpipes: Wind instrument with a continuous drone, popular in folk music
• Percussion instruments, such as drums and tambourines, were used for rhythmic accompaniment

Cultural Impact and Legacy

• Troubadours and trouvères played a significant role in the development of vernacular poetry and literature
• Secular monophony influenced the development of polyphony in the later Medieval period
• The themes and forms of secular songs influenced later Renaissance and Baroque music
• Troubadour and trouvère songs provide insight into the courtly culture and social norms of the time
• The tradition of singer-songwriters can be traced back to the troubadours and trouvères
• Secular monophony contributed to the spread of musical ideas across Europe through cultural exchange
• The legacy of Medieval secular music is evident in modern folk and popular music traditions

How to Recognize Medieval Monophony

• Single melodic line without harmony or counterpoint
• Modal melodies with limited range, often within an octave
• Rhythms derived from the natural stress and meter of the lyrics
• Strophic form, with the same melody repeated for each verse
• Syllabic text setting, with occasional melismas
• Phrases ending on the final or tenor note of the mode
• Accompaniment by period instruments, such as vielle, harp, or lute
• Lyrics in vernacular languages, such as Old French, Old Occitan, or Middle High German
• Themes of courtly love, chivalry, and nature in secular songs