Renaissance Music Influence

Music helps people communicate how they feel when they just can't find the words to say it. It gives people a way to express who they are inside through many different forms. Music can be found throughout history. In this report I am going to discuss different musical periods in history with two artists or composers works representing that period.

Renaissance Period
The Renaissance Period was a time of cultural rebirth that occurred in Europe. It was a humanistic revival of the classical influence that was also expressed in music. The vocal and instrumental music written and performed in Europe during this period (1400s – 1600s) had more variety in range, rhythm, harmony, and form. Two Renaissance musicians of this time period are Josquin

Others say he was born in Condé-sur-l'Escaut of Hainaut in present-day Belgium, while another group believes that he was born immediately across the border in Picardy in present-day France and he was a Frenchman. He was acknowledged as the most prolific composer of his age. Though very little is known about his career and early life, it is certain that he rendered his services to a number of supporters throughout his life. He lived the most part of his musical career in Italy. He held many important positions there and created several motets and masses, which are esteemed highly as the masterpieces of a musical genius. He composed sacred as well as secular music in his lifetime in a number of vocal forms ranging from masses, chansons, to motets. His stay at Rome had been highly productive for it was here where he developed his mature style. While working in Milan, he had absorbed Italian secular light music; but in Rome, he refined his sacred music and wrote several motets. Before he left Italy, he wrote one of his most famous secular compositions, the ‘frottola El grillo’ (the Cricket). Another well-known work was

Jean-Baptiste Lully's music was written during the Middle Baroque period. Jean-Baptiste Lully born November 28,1632 and died March 22,1687 was an Italian born French composer, an instrumentalist, and dancer who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. He is considered a master of the French baroque style. Lully denied any Italian influence in French music of the period. He became a French citizen in 1661. Lully was born in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, to a family of millers. His general education and his musical training during his youth in Florence remain uncertain, By February 1653; Lully had attracted the attention of Louis XIV, dancing with him in the Ballet royal de la nuit. By March 16, 1653, Lully had been made royal composer for instrumental music. His vocal and instrumental music for court ballets gradually made him indispensable. In 1660 and 1662 he collaborated on court performances of Francesco Cavalli Xerse and Ercole amante. When Louis XIV took over the power of government in 1661, he named Lully superintendent of the royal music and music master of the royal family. Lully's music was known for its power, liveliness in its fast movements and its deep emotional character in its slower movements. Some of his most popular works are his passacailles (passacaglias) and chaconnes, which are dance movements found in many of his works