FREE ESSAY ON MUSIC IN THE MIDDLE AGES

MUSIC IN THE MIDDLE AGES

The middle ages, (450- 1450), after the Roman empire fell this was a time of great change
through chaos. The later part of the middle ages brought a period of growth with
religious structures and universities. Most of society in the beginning of this era was
influenced by the Roman Catholic church. During the middle ages the Roman Catholic
church's official music was the Gregorian chant, named after Pope Gregory I. This music
was sung without instruments, set to sacred Latin texts. It was without meter, and a
little sense of beat. The sound of this chant resulted in the unfamiliar scale also
called, church mode. Music outside the church also greatly attributed to this era. These
songs were usually preformed on court minstrels. Most of these compositions were about
love, the crusades, dance songs, and spinning songs. Most of these songs had a regular
meter and a clearly defined beat, unlike the Gregorian chant. 
In the middle ages music was mostly monophonic, however, between 700- 900 the first steps
were taken to transform music. Monks in monastery choirs began to add a second melodic
line to the Gregorian chant. This music was called organum. Between 900- 1200, organum
became polyphonic, and the melody added to the chant became more independent.
From about 1170- 1200, Notre Dame composers developed rhythmic innovations. They used
measured rhythm with definite time and clearly defined meters. A chant used as a basis
for polyphony is known as a cantus firmus (fixed melody). Near the end of this era, the
church weakened after many suffrages, such as The Hundred Year War and the Bubonic
plague. In this time secular music held more importance than sacred music. A new system
of musical notations had emerged, and a composer could specify any rhythmic pattern. Now
beats could be divided and sometimes use syncopation.
The middle ages are not all that different from any other era. As in each era music has
often been representative of society and the times.