Renaissance Music

Heinrich Isaac was a contemporary of Josquin des Pres (some of his songs are elsewhere on this website) and composed this religious piece, Benedictus in the 16th century. The listener may notice some 3-part rounds occurring at points in the song, which are characteristic of the music of the time.

Diego Ortiz was a composer in the court of Philip II of Spain who published important pieces that incorporatedad both instruments and vocals. This piece, Canzona in C Minor was written sometime in the 16th century and was originally arranged for a brass quartet.

This piece was composed by Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina in the 16th century. Palestrini composed this song, entitled Exaudi Domine, as a 4-piece motet, a word that illustrates the highly varied composition of the song.

Josquin des Pres is considered one of the most important Italian composers before the 17th century. Martin Luther is quoted as saying, "Josquin is master of the notes, which must express what he desires." This particular piece, El Grillo, is noted for its use of dynamics and emotional phrases throughout the song.

Ludwig Senfl was the composer to the court of Emperor Maximilian I and as such, was commissioned to write numerous musical pieces for the court. This song, entitled Ich Weiss Nit was composed in the 16th century and features a few ascending and descending scales.

Renaissance music has a number of distinct characteristics that separate it from previous styles. In particular, Renaissance music focuses more on the blending of harmonies and melodies. Renaissance music also included more emotional phrasings. As with Renaissance paintings and sculptures, Renaissance music was generally commissioned by rich and powerful men. Some of the musicians featured on this page were the official court musicians for various nobles. As such, many of the performances in this time took place in royal courts for a very elite audience. Amateur musicians, however were known to perform on busy street corners or in crowded markets.