Music 3802 (Ellsworth)
Study Guide #7
New Currents in the Sixteenth Century

Assignment: Grout and Palisca, Chapter 7
            Skim: 187-192
            Read: 192-205
            Skim: 205-206
            Read: 207-213 (middle)
            Skim: 213 (middle)-214
            Read: 214-233

Study Questions:

1. What are the stylistic characteristics of the frottola? How was it performed? Why
      is it of historical importance?--p. 192-193

2. What are the style characteristics of the 16th-century Italian madrigal? How does
      it differ from the trecento madrigal? How many voice parts does it have?--p.
      194

3. What types of texts were set as madrigals? Where were madrigals
      performed?--p. 194

4. What nationalities are represented among the earliest composers of
      madrigals?--p. 194-195

5. In what ways does Arcadelt’s Ahime, dov’ è’l bel viso represent a transitional
      style between the frottola and the madrigal?--p. 195 (and NAWM 37)

6. Who was Pietro Bembo? What musical qualities did he note in the sonnets of
      Petrarch?--p. 196

7. What contrapuntal, harmonic, and rhythmic devices did Willaert, de Rore, and
      Vicentino employ to pictorialize the text?--p. 196-201 What was the historical
      justification for Vicentino’s experiments?--p. 199-200*

8. What is "chromatic" notation? How was it used to depict the text?--p. 200-201

9. The leading madrigal composers of the late 16th century were of what nationality?
      What role did women play in madrigal ensembles?--p. 201-202

10. Be able to describe the style of Gesualdo--p. 203 (and NAWM 40)

11. In what ways are Monteverdi’s 16th-century madrigals progressive?--p. 204

12. Who was Pierre Attaignant?--p. 207 How do the French chansons in his collec-
      tions differ from those published in the Netherlands?--p. 208-209

13. What are the stylistic characteristics of the German Lied? Where is the main
      melody usually found? How did it influence Lutheran church music?--p.
      210-211 (and review p. 180-181)

14. What happened to native German music in the late 16th century?--p. 211-213

15. What is Musica transalpina? When did the English madrigal school flourish?
      What is a ballett?--p. 214-215

16. How does the English madrigal differ from its Italian counterpart?--p. 215

17. When did the lute song flourish in England? How do the text and musical style
      of lute songs compare with those of madrigals?--p. 216-218

18. How is Dowland’s song Flow my tears related to the pavane?--p. 218 (and
      NAWM 45)**

19. How was the organ employed in church music of the early 16th century?--p.
      221-222

20. In general, how were secular vocal works of the 16th century adapted for in-
      strumental performance?--p. 222

21. From what vocal form was the canzona derived? To what new genre did it lead
      in the 17th century? How did it change in style in its later development?--p.
      222-223

22. What is the general style of 16th-century dance music? How were dances usu-
      ally grouped together?--p. 224

23. What are two methods of improvisation in the 16th century?--p. 226 What is a
      toccata?--p. 227

24. Among what group of composers of the late 16th century was the variation form
      particularly prominent?--p. 230

*We shall find further aspects of the "Greek revival" in the early Baroque period.

**Despite the apparent modern tonal effects, it is important to remember that this lute song, like all music
      prior to the late 17th century, was conceived within the modal system.