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.
Musica Practica (wind clefs)
for: Voice (melody instrument]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1615860
for: Cor anglais, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 636079
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 327145
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 912877
Fakultätsvorträge der Philologisch-Kulturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Wien 10
V&Runipress
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 773169
Klassifikation und Detailstudien eines modellhaften Repertoires
Wiener Forum für ältere Musikgeschichte 10
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 1008962
für Mezzosopran und Orchester
Studienpartitur
for: Voice, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1344606
Shawnee Press
for: 3-part mixed, opt. flute
Choir score
Item no.: 1126531
Motet
No. 3 from "Geistliche Chor-Music"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Mixed choir (SATTB), basso continuo; 5 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696755
Fantasien und Tientos aus Libro de Música para Vihuela, intitulado Orphénica lyra (1554)
Faksimiledruck mit Übertragung
for: Vihuela [guitar]
Music score (with TABs)
Item no.: 1209692
for: Trumpet
Item no.: 604441
(Paris Rès. Vmc. 64) Per Organo o Clavicembalo
for: Organ [harpsichord]
Music score
Item no.: 648711
for: Mixed choir; basso continuo ad lib.
Item no.: 465113
Sammlung musikwissen- schaftlicher Abhandlungen/ Collection d'études musicologiques 61
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 122443
for: Recorder
Item no.: 413954
Six madrigals by Luca Marenzio
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 333547
Instrumentalmusik für Kammer und Kirche Band 3
Musica Instrumentalis
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 188132
Werke Alter Meister 5~Die Orgel Reihe 2
for: Organ
Item no.: 227215
Werke von Komponisten aus dem 16./17./18. Jahrhundert
for: Trombone, piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1557072
for: Mixed choir (SSAATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 425281
for: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 119865
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 414014
for: 4 melodic instruments
Item no.: 413892
Zeitschrift für Spielmusik
for: 4–5 melodic instruments
Ensemble score
Item no.: 413622
Fiori Musicali
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Item no.: 430077
for: Trombone, piano
Item no.: 474155
Partitur und Stimmen
nach Angelo Gardano
for: KAMMERMUSIK
Score, Parts
Item no.: 153465
Bibliothek Alter Musik 114
for: Flexible baroque ensemble (8 voices)
Item no.: 262148
Partitur+Stimmen
Eidam, O., und Ahrens, Frank, Bearb.
for: 3 guitars
Score, part
Item no.: 491625
for: Laute Solo
Sammelband (Solostimme)
Item no.: 647970
Repertoire Explorer
Study Score 130
for: String quartet [string orchestra]
Study score
Item no.: 318543
Sechs Werke
for: Mixed choir (5–8 parts) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 683337
for: Brass band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1559646
Öl auf Leinwand, 1633, Rembrandt
Poster
Item no.: 235981
für vier - bis sechsstimmigen Posaunenchor oder Blechbläserensemble
for: Brass ensemble
Score for trumpets in B-flat
Item no.: 664695
for: High Voice, Organ, Brass Quartet
Buch
Item no.: 912328
for: 2 descant recorders
Book
Item no.: 369203
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Item no.: 459459
Music for Recorder
Oriel Library 186
for: 8 recorders (SSAATTBB)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 367223
HCCS - Helbling Choral Concert Series
for: Mixed choir; basso continuo ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 485142
dans les 8 tons
Orgue et Liturgie 3
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 362766
for: 4 recorders (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 362631
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 913756
für 5 Stimmen und Instrumente ad lib.
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 375341
Harmonia-Womens Choir
for: Women's choir (SSAA), piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 925793
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SAB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 915103
Liber primus
Milano 1597
Music score (reprint)
Item no.: 781185
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