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: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 890506
for: 4 beliebige Instrumente (Sopran-, Alt-, Tenor- und Bass-Blockflöte oder Fideln, Violinen, Lauten)
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 146218
for: Frauenchor (SSAA) oder gemischter Chor (SATB)
Choir score
Item no.: 204654
for: 4 beliebige Instrumente (Sopran-, Alt-, Tenor- und Bass-Blockflöte oder Fideln, Violinen, Lauten)
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 142635
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 460537
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 306937
for: Vihuela [guitar]
Music score
Item no.: 124223
for: VDG (VC) KLAV (CEMB)
Item no.: 169048
for: Soprano, 2 Violins and Basso Continuo
Score
Item no.: 990105
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Score
Item no.: 1161059
for: 2 voices (ST), organ
Score
Item no.: 1160957
for: 4–10 voices
Score
Item no.: 1160559
for: 5 voices
Score
Item no.: 1160553
for: 2–3 voices
Score
Item no.: 1160549
for: 6 voices
Score
Item no.: 1160547
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 948241
for: 2 Flutes and 2 Clarinets
Score, Parts
Item no.: 996920
for: Flute Sextet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 995897
for: Male choir
Choir score
Item no.: 202732
for: 2 viole da gamba
Ensemble score
Item no.: 418025
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 293041
for: Piano
Score
Item no.: 380067
for: 5 recorders (SSATB)
Score
Item no.: 418662
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 230141
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 423270
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 423260
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 423183
for: Mixed choir (SSAB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 422895
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 422507
for: Singstimmen (SSMez), Basso continuo, [Bass-Instrument]
Score
Item no.: 422149
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 366642
for: Chor SATB, SATB/ATB
Score
Item no.: 373634
for: SATB
Score
Item no.: 1336824
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 1336783
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 1336776
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340438
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340409
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340389
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340320
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340217
for: Gemeinde (1-stimmig), (Gemischter Chor (SATB))
Score
Item no.: 1340185
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340177
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340078
for: Mixed choir (SAATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340040
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 1339980
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1338212
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 1338194
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1338561