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: Guitar
Single part(n)
Item no.: 393785
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1120960
for: 2 voices (TT/SS), 2 violins, basso continuo
Basso continuo (orchestral part)
Item no.: 605055
for: Gemischter Chor, Orchester
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116991
for: Cello
Single part Cello
Item no.: 428969
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Item no.: 1620793
for: für Chor SSATTBB, 2 Violinen, 4 Posaunen (4 Viole da brazzo) und Basso continuo Violine 2
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1135055
for: für 2 gemischte Chöre (SAATB) und Orchester
Choir score
Item no.: 1134854
for: Basso continuo
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 484981
for: Organ
Ensemble score
Item no.: 115651
for: Basso continuo, Cello
Stimme
Item no.: 880671
for: 1. Capellchor (SSATB)
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 876792
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1161041
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1160987
for: Instrumental Parts
Set of parts
Item no.: 1656239
for: Männerchor: TTTTB, Gemischter Chor: SSB
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 877755
for: SSAATB
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1212479
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 206971
for: Voice (high)
Book
Item no.: 818451
for: Brass ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 818277
for: Men's Voices
Choir score
Item no.: 818594
for: Voice
Book
Item no.: 819124
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 879065
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 629941
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 853544
for: 5-Part Choir a Cappella
Score
Item no.: 852160
for: Choir a Cappella
Score
Item no.: 852046
for: Choir a Cappella
Score
Item no.: 851877
for: 4-Part Choir a Cappella
Score
Item no.: 852791
for: für Chor SSATB, Streicher und Basso continuo Violine 2
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1135253
Nr. 30/31 aus "Sacrae Cantiones 1565"
for: Mixed choir (SATTBB) [6 solo voices]
Choir score
Item no.: 646592
Geistliche Musik
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1092257
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 906526
Choral
for: Double Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 826202
Klassik
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 886242
Harmonia-Womens Choir
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 903870
for: Voice
Choir score
Item no.: 1172835
Nr. 2/3 aus "Sacrae Cantiones 1565"
for: Mixed choir (SATTBB) [6 solo voices]
Choir score
Item no.: 772801
My young life has ended
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 993570
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 906478
Motette aus einem Münchner Chorbuch von 1530
Edition Schultheiss
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1105837
for: Voice
Choir score
Item no.: 1172758
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir part Alto
Item no.: 1549923
for: Voice
Choir score
Item no.: 1172834
Klassik
for: SATTB
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1193836
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 911284
for: Voice
Choir score
Item no.: 1173631