Music from different periods has a distinct sound and character due to several factors taking place at that time. The political situation and overall state of society, technical abilities, different kinds of musical instruments, concerns, and motives of people from that time all contribute to the sound of period music. This essay will explain the factors standing behind differences in the sound of medieval music and renaissance music.
To understand the differences, one needs to refer to historical facts first and define what makes each period different. Music in Middle Ages, in general, was both part of church traditions and secular society. The notational system was only developing, so many songs and musical pieces were learned by heart and passed on from one person to another. In terms of musical instruments’ contribution to sound, medieval music was mostly played with flutes and string instruments, like lutes. Due to instrumental limitations and the absence of a notational system, musical pieces from the Middle Ages were monophonic, which means that they only used one melody.
On the other hand, music during the Renaissance period was more widespread because of the development of the notational system. The notational system allowed people to compose musical pieces, while the invention of the printing press facilitated the sharing process. In the article on renaissance thinking, Zara (2020) emphasized that both Middle Ages music and Renaissance music used the Pythagorean ratio, but time signatures were introduced with the invention of the notation system. The music switched from monophonic style to polyphonic with four octaves, which presented a greater variety of pitches and tones to the music sound. Instruments were used to complement the music even if those instruments were not included in the original piece.
In answering how the sound of Renaissance music differs from Middle Ages music, one could say that due to a combination of different factors, Renaissance music sounds more complex and richer in pitches. While Medieval music was mostly composed for secular society and church, music during Renaissance was more widespread, and there were more opportunities for composers. Music from Middle Ages was mostly played with flute and guitar-like string instruments. Overall, music from the Renaissance period is more complex in structure and composition, has more richness in tones and pitches, and utilizes a wider variety of musical instruments.
Reference
Zara, V. (2021). Music, architecture, proportion and the Renaissance way of thinking. European Review, 29(2), 226-241. Web.