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.
Zwei Weihnachtskonzerte für zwei gemischte Vokal-Chöre oder zwei Bläserchöre (Blech- und/oder Holzbläser) oder Sänger- und Bläserchöre
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); 8 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 117133
for: Youth string orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 631860
for: 4 voices [4 melodic instruments]
Choir score
Item no.: 569777
Score, Parts
Item no.: 558541
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 425249
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 771296
for: 2 soloists (ST), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 229786
for: Gemischter Chor (Favoritchor SSATTB), Basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 232069
for: Accordion orchestra
Score
Item no.: 659739
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 633612
for: Cello, piano
Instrumental Solo & Piano Accompaniment
Item no.: 1553401
for: Mixed choir, concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 589287
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2847
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5239
for: Mixed choir (SATTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 3576
for: 4 recorders (AATB)
Score
Item no.: 6091
Singt und klingt
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725384
for: Soprano, Tenor, Bass Voice, SATB, Orchestra
Score
Item no.: 145074
for: 4 voices [mixed choir], (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 345282
for: Women's choir (3 voices) [male choir]
Score
Item no.: 621009
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 142360
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 317728
for: Brass ensemble (8 voices)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 974161
for: Cello, basso continuo
Stimme(n), Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 628927
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Gesamtausgabe, Singpartitur, Sammelband, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 115786
for: Gemischter Chor: SSATTB
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 163823
for: Choir
Gesamtausgabe, Sammelband, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 116268
for: Voice (mezzo-soprano), organ
Music score
Item no.: 563528
for: gemischter Chor (SSATTB), Soli (SSATTBB) und Basso continuo (Orgel)
Piano reduction
Item no.: 279069
for: gemischter Chor (SAAB/ATBB/TBBB)
Choir score
Item no.: 203825
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB); instruments ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 343091
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 634763
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 372536
for: gleiche Stimmen (SMezA)
Choir score
Item no.: 281138
for: Mixed choir, piano [organ]
Choir score
Item no.: 493052
für 8 Blockflöten in 2 Chören
for: 8 recorders (SSAATTBB)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 635554
Entstehungszeit evtl. um 1610
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 232070
German Magnificat
Frühfassung
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1658564
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Item no.: 363843
for: BL CH 1
Item no.: 126972
for: INST (GES) (2-6)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 577805
Weihnachtskonzert
for: Favorit choir (SSB), chapell choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1656093
for: 4 voices [4 melodic instruments]
Set of parts
Item no.: 566332
Motette zu Psalm 118, Vers 17
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 199872
Musicalische Bibliothek 05
for: 10 INST (BFL)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 139565
Zeitschrift für Spielmusik
for: 2 recorders
Ensemble score
Item no.: 413919
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 950142
Weihnachtssätze für Vokal- und Instrumentalensemble
for: Flexible ensemble (5 voices)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 569507