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 a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 204996
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 920285
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 920253
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 892766
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 889111
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Piano score
Item no.: 613687
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 551231
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 300143
for: Recorders [SATB]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1077785
for: Recorders [SATB]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1032096
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1098092
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1024965
for: 2 VL VA (VL 3) VC KB
Score
Item no.: 191814
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 324866
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 324540
for: Voice
Choir score
Item no.: 835456
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 103502
for: GCH (ORG)
Score
Item no.: 383968
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 383942
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1348123
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1587015
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1587012
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1587011
for: Mixed choir (6 voices) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 673813
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 668222
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 769434
for: Women's choir (SA) [mixed choir (SABar)]
Score
Item no.: 422806
for: Mixed choir (SABar); instrument ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 422767
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 422587
for: 2 VL VC / 3 VDG
Score
Item no.: 345800
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 354421
for: 8 INST (SSAT ATTB)
Score
Item no.: 371179
for: Flexible ensemble (5 voices)
Score
Item no.: 212827
for: SOLI (TT) 2 FL BC
Score
Item no.: 241838
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 304471
Score
Item no.: 310558
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309769
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309757
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309741
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309716
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309706
for: Mixed choir (SATTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309636
for: Frauenchor / Männerchor
Score
Item no.: 585670
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 632677
for: Mixed choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 265566
Score
Item no.: 261798
Score
Item no.: 647264