Research Paper on People Migrating From Villages to Towns During the Renaissance

Introduction

In the middle ages, people did not engage a lot in urbanization since they lived in villages. What attracted people to the towns were the religious centers. Some of these cities and towns were large because they harbored the cathedrals. However, with the coming of the Renaissance, urbanization increased as many people moved from the villages to the towns and cities.

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There was also a change in learning from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Learning was not considered an important aspect in the middle ages. Most of the learning that took place was greatly influenced by the church and some of the basic courses of study included philosophy, Latin language, and rhetoric. People were discouraged from thinking outside the church. People were also taught how to compose sacred music. However, with the coming of the Renaissance, there was a renewed interest in learning. People were taught mostly on how to prepare for life. This kind of education sought to improve the lives of the citizens, as well as help communities, become better. In the Renaissance, composers who had been restricted into composing sacred music started to adopt secular forms for their own design. Some of the secular forms that were adopted included the madrigal (Kamien 85).

In the middle ages, there were the noblemen and the peasants. The nobles included the king and the priests. There were people who were assigned to serve the nobles as well as ensure their security. The peasants were mostly land workers and the servants of noblemen. The peasants were also carpenters and blacksmiths. Although some of these classes and the jobs were present in the Renaissance, entertainment was accorded great respect during the Renaissance (Kamien 88). People spent most of their time on enjoyment such as going to festivals, playing games and sporting events. Some of the games that people participated in were backgammon, checkers, and chess.

There existed music in the middle ages. The cathedral dominated the medieval landscape and mind and it was the center of musical life. People gathered in the cathedral to sing. The musicians during this time were the priests and they worked for the church. Music also existed in the convents where women sang it from there (von Rohr 109). It is to be noted that women were prohibited from singing in the church. This is the reason that they only did it from the convents. The medieval music was mostly vocal and instruments were not allowed until 1000 when instruments such as organs and bells started to be used.

People in the Middle Ages wore the fine linen and silk togas as well as draped robes. The clothing worn in this era was used to depict one's social class. Men wore belonged to the noble class wore tunics which were made of wool and the women wore full-length dresses made of wool, most of the times with a headdress. The peasant men in the middle ages wore short tunics over trousers and the women simple dresses which reached the ankle. There was a change of the fashion in the Renaissance period as the fashion featured ornamental flourishes. Those of the higher class wore clothing that was more expensive and cumbersome since they had servants to dress them. Those of the lower class wore simple outfits since they were poor and did not have servants to dress them.

In the Middle Ages, the Gregorian Chant was the official music of the Roman Catholic Church for many years. The music sang during this time was special in its own way as it was monophonic in texture having been named after Pope Gregory I. In the Jewish synagogues, there was the singing of the Psalms which was later adopted by the churches.

It is to be noted that it is not only religious music that was present in the Middle Ages, there was also the secular music. Some of the most famous secular music in the Middle Ages was the music that was composed by the Knights who were referred to as the musical poets (von Rohr 109). Some of the major themes of these songs touched on love. Music would also be accompanied by the performance of acrobatics in castles, town squares, and taverns.

In the Renaissance, music continued to be sang but people did not restrict themselves to the churches. The patronage of the music expanded beyond the Catholic Church (Kamien 74). There was also the use of new technology in music which came as a result of the invention of several new instruments. Some of the most commonly used instruments included the harpsichord and the violin family. Additionally, the invention of the printing press in the Renaissance period meant that the sheet music could be more widely disseminated.

Another change in music was that while the Middle Ages music was majorly sacred and meant to appease the deities, the Renaissance music was dominated by its humanist traits. The music was composed to touch the listeners emotionally. In the Renaissance, everyone who was educated was required to be able to play an instrument as well as read notation.

In the Renaissance period, composers made extensive use of the lute or organ for instrumental solos. Besides, they made music that relied greatly on instrumental forms. The music composed during this period was majorly instrumental and was meant for dancing.

Comparison of a Composition from the Middle Ages and The Renaissance

Some of the musical compositions in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance were the Gregorian Chant and Palestrina respectively. The Palestrina, Kyrie was a composition from Pope Marcellus Mass (Kamien 85). One of the similarities between these two compositions is that they were sung during the mass and were divided into predictable syllables. The other similarity is that both compositions were accompanied by some instruments. However, there were some differences that existed between these two compositions. One of the major differences was in the time period the two were performed. While the Gregorian Chant was a common music composition in the Middle Ages, the Palestrina was common during the Renaissance. The Gregorian Chant was either monophonic or union in nature. But the Palestrina consisted of repeat words and pauses. The Gregorian chant ranges from neumatic to melismatic. The refrain of the chant is neumatic in style. While the Gregorian Chant was sung in a common voice from the beginning to the end, the Palestrina was sung with both tenor and soprano voices. It also involved three voice parts that began at the same time.

Self-Assessment

The Renaissance period is also known as the period of enlightenment. Many people consider it as a positive change and an improvement of life from that which was lived in the Middles Ages. From my interaction with life in the Renaissance, I feel that I have been educated and I am able to play instruments as well as read music notation. The Renaissance period emphasized on every educated person being able to play an instrument and read musical notation. Specifically, I feel encouraged to play secular music that was set to poems. The most unique thing about such music is that it was more rhythmical than the rest and was composed of beats that were easy to sing.

In the Renaissance era, people spent a lot of time practicing how to play a particular instrument. Many of them spent time in the courts and churches and this is how they were able to get to know how to play various instruments. In the same way, I also can play instruments very well if I get enough time to interact with them. With proper training, I believe I can play almost any instrument. My favorite instrument is the flute.

References

Kamien, R. Music: An appreciation. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2010.

von Rohr Scaff, Susan. "The Virgin Annunciate in Italian Art of the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance." College Literature, vol. 29, no. 3, Summer 2002, p. 109. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=7106157&site=ehost-live