Spanning from 1450 to 1600, the Renaissance was a transformative period marked by significant changes in art, philosophy, and religion. The term “Renaissance” means “rebirth,” symbolizing the cultural revival that swept across Europe during this time.
Fauxbourdon – Homophony
During the Renaissance, one of the most significant changes in music was the shift towards harmony. Composers started focusing not just on the horizontal flow of voices but also on the vertical alignment of notes to form chords. Writing music with harmony in mind, something we now take for granted, was a revolutionary approach at the time.
Let’s take a moment to listen to a piece from the medieval Ars Nova. While listening, keep these three points in mind:
- the harmonies or harmonic progressions are not very distinct
- the music can feel a bit confusing at times
- and the lyrics are challenging to make out, as three people are singing different lyrics simultaneously.
It’s fantastic music, but to modern ears, it may sound somewhat artificial or excessively intricate.
Fauxbourdon
During the Renaissance, composers started to create chords built on intervals of fourths, sixths, and octaves. Moving these voices in parallel movement created harmonic progressions. The parallel movement of a perfect fourth being especially characteristic of the era. This technique, called “Fauxbourdon,” gave Renaissance music a more natural and modern sound compared to medieval music. Additionally, since the voices moved together in the same rhythm, the lyrics became easier to understand, making the music more accessible to common people.
**Usually, it’s not the entire piece but just a small section that employs the fauxbourdon technique.
Homophony
When you listen to Renaissance music, compared to medieval music, you’ll notice that the melody and accompaniment are more distinct. This style, where there’s a clear melody supported by accompaniment, is called “homophony.” A defining feature of Renaissance music is its homophonic sound. There’s also polyphony, which involves independent voices, but that becomes more prominent later.
The main composers of this style are the English composer John Dunstaple (c. 1390–1453), often considered its possible inventor due to British music’s strong folk influence, and the Franco-Flemish (Belgian) composer Guillaume DuFay. Both are central figures of the Burgundian School.
The Hundred Years’ War
Dunstable died in 1453, coinciding with the end of the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453), a conflict between France and England over the French throne and who would become King of France. When we previously looked at the Ars Nova period , I also mentioned this war and its iconic heroine, Joan of Arc.
One of the upsides of this war was the enhanced cultural exchange between England and France. Since most of the battlefields were in France, many soldiers and civilians crossed the sea into France, allowing the Fauxbourdon style to spread across continental Europe.
When you think of the Renaissance, the first image that comes to mind may be Italian art, but the early and middle period of the Renaissance were centered in the Netherlands, Belgium (Flanders), Luxembourg, and northern France.
The Duchy of Burgundy
The Hundred Years’ War and other problems caused the Kingdom of France to weaken. While France was fighting, certain nobles expanded their territories. These territories included the Southern Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Northwest France, and Burgundy. It was a very large area.
The nobles of the Duchy of Burgundy became very wealthy and lived a luxurious court life. The Duchy of Burgundy produced a high level of exquisite art, including church and court music and painting.
However the Duchy of Burgundy was defeated by the King of France in 1477 and disappeared. Fortunately, the tradition of high-level music remained.
Many excellent musicians came from this region. They later became active in the courts and churches of Italy, France, and Germany. Musicians from Flanders had a very high reputation. Important composers from Flanders also appeared in the mid- and late Renaissance periods. This is called the Flemish School.
Guillaume DuFay (c. 1400 – 1474)
Dufay, a Franco-Flemish composer of the Flemish school, was born near Brussels in what is now called Belgium. He is regarded as one of the most brilliant and renowned composers of the early Renaissance.
I’ve been listening to his music in church since I was a child. It’s music that feels very familiar and close to me. He wrote motets, masses, and chansons, just like in the Middle Ages, but the harmonic progressions in the Fauxbourdons are very beautiful.
Let’s listen to his “Ave Maris Stella” …
Dufay – Mass “L’Homme Armée”
Previously we have explored the concept of cantus firmus in medieval mass music. Known as the voice of God, the cantus firmus, or plain chant, was traditionally derived from Gregorian chants with biblical lyrics. During the Renaissance, however, secular melodies also began to be used as cantus firmus in mass compositions.
The most popular melody of the time was “L’Homme Armée,” a folk song about the Armed Men. This war song was widely used by composers as the cantus firmus for their masses.
Listen to Dufay’s Mass of the Armed Men below. In this recording, the Armed Men can be heard singing before the Mass begins. Once the Mass starts, the Armed Men melody is introduced in a different rhythm for the tenor. Additionally, the Mass features numerous Faubourdons.
Early Northern Renaissance art – Jan van Eyck
Jan van Eyck (c. 1395 – July 9, 1441) was a Flemish artist of the Early Netherlandish School and a prominent painter in the Duchy of Burgundy. One of his renowned works is the iconic painting, The Arnolfini Portrait (1434).
