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.
Critical Report in Volume I – VI
for: Keyboard instrument
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 306881
from : Symphoniae Sacrae III
for: Favorit choir (SMezATBB), orchestra; 2 chapell choirs (SATB, SATB) ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 231955
for: Mixed choir (SSTTB) [5 voices], 2 violins, basso continuo; melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Piano reduction
Item no.: 664042
Pratica Musicale 2
for: Viola da gamba
Music score
Item no.: 560697
New Josquin Edition 22
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 1669320
Pratica Musicale 6
Music score (reprint, hardcover)
Item no.: 371149
Libero Quarto
Monumenti Musicali Italiani X
Girolamo Frescobaldi Opere complete
for: Harpsichord [organ]
2 music scores
Item no.: 744998
for: Voice, piano
Piano score
Item no.: 482807
Klassik
for: Double bass, piano
Buch
Item no.: 277598
for: Mixed choir (SABar); piano, flute, hand drum ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 745895
for: Voice, guitar [lute]
Music score
Item no.: 664037
for: Mixed choir (4 voices) a cappella
Music score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 771728
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 768889
for: 5 voices, 5 viole da gamba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 478152
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 272055
from: Psalms of David SWV 32, 1619
Scripture: Ps 136
for: 2 favorit choirs (SATB, SATB), double bass, organ; chapell choir 8 instruments colla parte ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 1651793
for: Mixed choir (SABar), piano
Score
Item no.: 691856
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 777529
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 797906
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1633219
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 891334
for: Dulcimer
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 827783
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 876781
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4610
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 893702
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 781109
Book
Item no.: 134867
for: Soloists and SATB a Cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 906535
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 878254
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 888537
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 914706
for: Concert Band/Harmonie and 2 Saxophones
Score
Item no.: 975336
With expamples by Giovanni Bassano (1591) – Francesco Rognoni (1620)
for: Bass instrument (C)
Music lesson book
Item no.: 1632375
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 905389
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 317714
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Score
Item no.: 317681
Ancient to Baroque
Seventh Edition
Book
Item no.: 1677416
for: Voice, guitar
Score
Item no.: 213823
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 822621
for: 5 voices [mixed choir] a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 625597
for: Favorit choir (SATTB), orchestra; chapell choir (SATTB) ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 232134
for: Mixed choir (SATTB) [5 solo voices], basso continuo; 5 melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 666524
for: 2 mixed choirs (Fav. SATB, SATB), double bass, orgam; mixed choir (Cap. SSATB), 5 melodic instruments ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 231702
for: 2 voices (SS) [TT], organ
Score
Item no.: 421967
for: Guitar
Music score (anthology), online audio
Item no.: 224103
for: Favorit choir (SSATTBB), basso continuo; 7 instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 231853
mit 21 Notenbeispielen und 35 Abbildungen, davon 13 vierfarbig
Musica Mensurabilis 9
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 767142
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1032149