Music of the Renaissance

by Giulio Ongaro

The Renaissance was not a spontaneous cultural explosion, but rather an evolution and cross-fertilization of artistic, philosophical, and scientific principles. This reference presents and examines the rich and varied world of music in Renaissance Europe. Giulio Ongaro offers an advanced technical knowledge of music, presented accessibly in a multidisciplinary approach. After an introductory essay on the cultural backdrop of the Renaissance, narrative chapters provide an overview of Renaissance music, recreate the lives of Renaissance musicians, describe the different genres of music, and explain the relationships between Renaissance music and dance. Coverage also includes musical instruments from the period and the business of music publishing during this period. These chapters synthesize music theory, history, and culture into a comprehensive narrative on music throughout Continental Europe and the British Isles. Illustrations, chapter bibliographies, a timeline, and a subject index complete the volume.

In many ways, this is a companion volume to Music from the Age of Shakespeare in its accessible, interdisciplinary examination of music history. Ongaro's volume on Renaissance Music synthesizes music theory, history, and culture into a comprehensive narrative on music throughout Continental Europe and the British Isles.

Genres: Music

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2003

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating this feels strange. It has aided my exam prep. Ongaro includes written excerpts of lines from motets that can be looked up & easily heard from online. So I had polyphonic music playing while reading, & it felt like I was in a cathedral. Pretty cool way of bringing 21st century tech benefits to enhance the study of 16th century music. There's a chapter on musical instruments: this too can be supplemented by viewing & hearing online how they actually looked & sounded. For an [CSET Music] exam prep, I found this to be very helpful for covering historical & cultural topics i.e. Renaissance period. One walks away w/key musicians & composers, instruments, purposes & settings, and a summary understanding of the origins & consequences of the period. Political, economic & cultural factors are faithfully discussed as well, however the book never feels too heavy or abstract.