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: Brass Band and Horn[s]
Score
Item no.: 976057
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 796965
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 691855
for: Favorit choir (at), chapell choir (SSATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 231771
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 985076
for: Mixed choir (SAB); piano ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 1155577
for: Mixed choir (SMezATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 850494
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 883227
for: Bass guitar
Music lesson book
Item no.: 400193
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 120656
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 897976
for percussion
for: Latin percussion
Score (anthology)
Item no.: 266359
for: Mixed choir (SATTB) a cappella
Choir book
Item no.: 1099059
Easy concert pieces in first position
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part (anthology)
Item no.: 198016
Prozesse und Praktiken
Wiener Musikwissenschaftliche Beiträge 26
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 1555811
Early Music Series
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 884872
D
for: Piano, Voice, Medium Voice
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1612454
Ab
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1589492
O Glorious Virgin
GIA Ars Antiqua
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1155985
Music in Western Europe, 1400-1600
Norton's Introduction to Music History
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 565244
Venice 1572
for: Voices, instruments
Music score
Item no.: 1558397
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 905506
Cm
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1478984
Am
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1037008
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 549554
for: Mixed choir (2–5 parts) a cappella
Choir book (anthology)
Item no.: 930512
for: Mixed choir, basso continuo
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 929245
for: Mixed choir (4–6 parts) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 771731
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 556694
for: Consort
Score (anthology)
Item no.: 330704
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), instruments
Score
Item no.: 661166
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, ATTB), basso continuo; 8 melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 665324
for: 3 soloists (ATB), mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo; 5 melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 664034
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano [keyboard/guitar]
Score
Item no.: 301139
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 478111
for: Mixed choir (SSAATTB); organ ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 929525
for: Concert Band/Harmonie and 2 Saxophones
Score, Parts
Item no.: 975901
for: Blockflötenquartett
Score, Parts
Item no.: 602124
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 822787
for: Voice, guitar [lute]
Music score
Item no.: 186968
for: Mixed choir (SAB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1653682
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 691468
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 636282
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 900621
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 173526
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 901497
for: Flute [recorder], guitar
Score, part
Item no.: 266363
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1654422
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