Classical Music

LaTonya Downey

Professor Madison

Music Appreciation

10 Feb 2017

        There are several songs (works) from the medieval and Renaissance time period that caught my attention. In the songs I’ve chosen you will hear the works of several talented composers who made music what it is today. The three songs that really stood out to me the most were Pange Ligua, Exsultate Deo and Missa PangeLigua, Kyrie. Pange Ligua is a famous piece by composer Aquinas. In Aquinas’s work you will hear a mixture of neumatic and leaps in the melody, the rhythm is technically duple, it has a free rhythm and the harmony is monophonic. This piece is beautifully created. Listening to this piece gives me a sense of security and inner peace. Secondly, Exsultate Deo happens to be another favorite of mine. This piece is composed by Palestrina. In this song you will hear leaps, steps and also a neumatic melody, the rhythm can be either duple or triple and the harmony is polyphony with a lot of imitation. This is my go-to piece whenever I need to lift my spirits. Last but not least Missa Pange Ligua, Kyrie is an amazing and divine piece by composer Josquin. In this song the melody is melismatic along with leaps, it has a triple rhythm and the harmony is polyphonic and it has imitation.  Listening to music from those special times in history makes me feel like I’ve been missing out on a lot. Although this was my first time listening to this type of music, I know for sure it will not be my last. The people back then took time on their work and you can pretty much tell in a few of my favorites. The composers were extremely talented. Music that came along after this time period can be found in songs later to come due to the composer not being able to copyright material back then.

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