MUSC 752 Lecture 3: Introduction to the Middle Ages
I. What were the Middle Ages?
A. Term coined in Renaissance
1. Seen as great rebirth of Classical Antiquity
2. Time in-between seen as insignificant
B. So kind of pejorative
C. Approximately from fall of Roman Empire in 476 BC to beginning/middle 15th c.
1. Depends on subject
2. Musically, 1425 is a good “boundry”
a. Old Hall MS, - toward cyclic mass
b. Early works by Dufay
D. Two “Middle Ages”
1. 400-1000
2. 1000-1400
E. “Dark” Ages
1. Misnomer
2. Implies no scholarship or intellectual progress
a. Why?
i. Fallacy of survival – if it didn’t survive to the present day, never
existed
ii. Looking back from 1300s, seemed less intellectual environment
b. Was intellectual development but
i. Not written down
ii. Focus on less speculative matters
iii. Emphasis on practical, applied knowledge
c. Artistic advances
i. Romanesque painting
ii. Illumination [Book of Kells, early 9th c.]
iii. Metalwork [purse cover from Sutton Hoo, c. 625.]
c. Does begin to change during Carolingian Empire (Charlemagne)
- 1st “Renaissance” – copying of Greece and Rome
ii. New focus on “book learning”
iii. But in service of Christianity
iv. Attempt to develop style not derived from East or Greco-Roman
3. More traditional “scholarship” in other parts of Europe
a. Arabic world
i. Center of learning
ii. Translated many of works of Greek writers and scholars
iii. Thriving system of universities
iv. Transmitted to rest of Europe via Spain
aa. conquered by Arabs in 711
bb. Caliphate rule south until 1492
b. Byzantine Empire
4. Roman Empire split when Constantine moves capital to Byzantium
(Constantinople/Istanbul)
a. Western = Western Europe, excepting most of Spain, southern Italy
b. Eastern = Greece, Asia minor, parts of Middle East, Northern Africa
i. Byzantine Empire
ii. Inherits splendor of the old Roman empire
- Continues to be cosmopolitan, urban centered,
- Western Europe increasingly rural, sparsely populated
c. Collection, translation writings of classical poets and philosophers,
traditions of Greco-Roman culture maintained
d. “Golden Age,” under emperor Justinian (6th century)
i. Mosaics from San Vitale, Ravenna (Italy) 547 AD
ii. Haggia Sophia
F. Later Middle Ages 1000-1400
1. Pretty good summary of major historical developments in readings
2. See also timeline
a. Right side – history of Catholic church
b. Left side – not directly related to church
c.Will talk about rise of Christianity next time
3. What we think of as “medieval” European
a. Romanesque architecture –rounded arches, heavy interior supports
i. Pisa Cathedral
b. Romanesque painting and sculpture
i. Stylized figures - elongation
ii. Busy, dense
[Tympanum, jambs of St. Pierre in Moissac c. 1115 AD]
d. Leads to Gothic sart, architecture
i. Much like Romanesque, but lighter, less stylized
ii. Flying buttresses, higher ceilings allow for larger, higher buildings
[Chartres cathedral]
iii. Visual arts – less stylization of figures [jamb statues from Chartres]
4. In this period first synchronization of styles of music, other arts
G. I see 1300-1425 as a separate, “High” Middle ages
1. Certain advances in thought, literature, arts that define as new period
2. Will discuss more when we get there