The Renaissance saw the musical shackles of the Medieval Period being broken, and both secular and sacred music became livelier and more expressive, and through the developments of printed music, more widely available. Browse our sheet music and scores, and pick up a mass or a madrigal today!
The driving force of the Renaissance was humanism (from the Latin “hummanus” or human), the dogmas of the church were overturned by science, and art was inspired by antiquity and a new, harmonious worldview. Vocal polyphony was very much at the forefront of Renaissance music, and a desire for perfect form, and rational, logical sophistication emerged. In church music, the cyclic form of the Mass, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei was still widely deployed, and musical settings of Motets, Litanies, Psalms and Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis broadened the congregation’s musical experience. Secular vocal music also developed through the madrigals, and polyphonic and unison songs.
In contrast to the Medieval Period, the Renaissance began with a new design principle, imitation. A short, lively theme moves from voice to voice, and the composer creates a counter-melody to compliment it. Elements from the Medieval however were still present, and the “cantus firmus” or fixed chant was often a device of choice in the Renaissance. The cantus firmus takes a theme from Gregorian Chant or Folk Music, but the composer uses augmentation, elongates the note values, and uses the cantus firmus as the harmonic basis for this polyphonic work. From here, the canon soon evolved, which was the clear precursor to the baroque fugue.
The Renaissance marked a big step in the development of instrumental music, and a significant move towards independence for solo instruments, and chamber groups. Traditionally instruments were used as accompaniment for choir or solo singing or for dance music, but through the Renaissance Period, pure instrumental solo or ensemble music became more and more popular. In particular, Renaissance Organ Music experienced a great boom due to the technical development of the instrument, and it was during the 16th century that more vocal instrumental music started emerging, and the first works featuring basso continuo were written.
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 760508
for: gemischter Chor (SAB) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 761432
for: gemischter Chor (SAB) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 732987
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 760668
for: gemischter Chor (SAB) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 761400
(Laute, Violine)
for: Voice, piano [accordion/keyboard/guitar]; melody instrument ad lib.
Music score
Item no.: 730808
for: gemischter Chor (SAB) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 761422
for: Schulchor, gemischter Chor (SATB)
Music score
Item no.: 1641933
for: Kanon
Music score
Item no.: 1209311
for: Chor (4 Stimmen)
Music score
Item no.: 747445
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 730709
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 730708
Görlitz 1623
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 751456
for: gemischter Chor (SAB) und Klavier
Score
Item no.: 1209110
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 780054
Köln 1599
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 751449
Wittenberg 1529
for: Mixed choir (SMezATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 751457
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 780094