Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/213

* MUSIC. 177 MUSIC. or tendencies, but dividing lines between the vari- ous schools arc often iniperfeetly marked. I. Thf Old French Nchoot (c. 1100- 1350) .—The principal merits of this school are the invention of the Fauxhourdon (a progression of voices in sixths and thirds) and the Uiscant (contrary motion of voices). This contrary motion led to counterpoint, and this again to the establish- ment of a system of notation in which the dillercnt values of the notes in regard to time were definitely fixed. (See jMensurable Music.) After a dixcaiit was once set in contrary motion to a cunt us firinus composers soon conceived the idea of adding a third and even a fourth -oice. But the masters of the Old French School did not stop here; they succeeded also in im- parting complete independence to the individual voices. Three art-forms were develo])ed : the motel, rondellus (rondeau), and conductus (con- duit). In all these forms are found well-defined passages of writing which to-day we call 'canon' and 'imitation.' The prominent masters are: Leonin. Perotin, De Garlande, Franko of Paris, De Vitrv. De ilachault. De Muris. II. i'he Gallo-Bclyic School (e.1350-1500).— The masters of this school began to feel the emptiness of consecutive fourths and fifths, and so used sixths and thirds more freely. Greater attention was given to the leading of the voices, and technique made great strides. Occasionally the compositions rise above the level of mere techniealit}'. The principal masters are: De Zeelandia, Faugues, Dufay, Binchois, Busnois, Eegis. III. The School of the Netherlands (c.l450- 1000). — This school divides itself into four dis- tinct periods: (A) Okeghem developed the art of canonic writing to such an extent that it became merely ingenious trickery. Instead of unified forms, the works of this school present a conglomeration of detached details. Okeghem's successors were: Hobrecht, Tinctor, .Jannequin. Bruniel, Compare. (B) The leader of the second period is Josquin Depr^s. a pupil of Okeghem. He and his contemporaries strove to make their skill subservient to artistic purposes by em- phasizing the symmetry of form and by ))aying attention to the development of their themes. The leading composers are, besides DeprSs, Agric- ola and Mouton. (C) The extreme artificiality of the two preceding periods led to a reaction in favor of a more simple and natural style. The mas- ters started from Josquin's principle of symmetry-. They also developed the purity of harmonic writ- ing, anil insisted upon definite melodic plirases. Several of them carried this style to Italy, where they became the founders of new schools. These composers were: Gombert. Willaert, Goudirael. Arcadelt. Van Rore. (D) The fourth period shows the influences which the Italian schools had begiui to exert over the mother school. ^^^lereas the importance of the earlier schools rests entirely upon the vocal works, the fourth period marks the rise of instrumental music (organ) in the works of Sweelinek, who prac- tically became the founder of the famous school of the North German organists. The whole school of the Xetherlands reached its culmina- tion in the works of Orlando di Lasso, a master scarcely inferior to the great Palestrina. The great musicians of this period are: Sweelinek. Lasso, Di Monte, Pevernafre. IV. The Old Eiifflish School (c.l22O-inO0) .— (A) England possesses the oldest known speci- men of polyphonic writing, the famous canon "Sumer is icunien in." As long as the school of the Netherlands was regarded as the oldest, this manuscript puzzled musical historians. Coussemaker in 1805 proved the existence of the still older French School ( I. ), and so this canon is now assigned to the year 1'220. During the fifteenth century a school showing the same general characteristics as the Old French School must have existed in England, if we may judge from a few preserved compositions by John of Dunstable. (B) The reign of Henry VIII. wit- nessed a considcralde musical activity, but no new style was created. The representative com- posers, Bedford, Johnson, Jlcrbeeke, and Tye, show the influence of the School of the Nether- lands. (C) These men really prepared the way for the next generation, when the style of the School of Venice predominated. Of this period ninnerous large choral works and madrigals have been preserved. The chief composers are: Farrant, Tallis. Bvrd. Gibbons. V. The School 'of Tchicc ( 1527-1012) .—Wil- laert brought the nuisical art of the Netherlands to Venice, where he settled in 1527. Under the influence of the more impressionable Italian musicians, he gradually acquired a new style. In the style of the Netlierlands each voice was pi-actically independent, and its relation to a definite chord was not strongly pronounced. The Venetian masters established the chord as their basis, and, instead of simultaneous progressions of voices, we find, rather, progressions of chords. The independence of the se|)arate voices was restricted, but not abolished. The custom of writing for a double chorus was introduced, the madrigal was perfected, and for the first time vocal works with instrumental accompani- ment appear. The great composers of this school are: Willaert, A. Gabrieli. Van Rore, Zarlino, Merulo, Donati, G. Gabrieli, VI. The School of Rome (15.35-1074) .—The founder of this school was Goudimel, who settled in Rome about 1535. While the Venetian School regarded the chord as a basis, and gained their effects largely by means of modulation, the Ro- man masters restored greater freedom to the individual voices, and subordinated technique to art. The introduction of secular themes into sacred works had led to serious abuses, but the Roman masters, especially Palestrina, proved that the contrapuntal style is not antagonistic to the dignity proper to church music. To the Roman School also belongs the honor of having originated the oratorio (Carissimi) and a dis- tinct instrumental style (Frescobaldi), Merulo in Venice had done much to develop the toccata, but not until Frescobaldi appeared did instru- mental music become entirely free from the influence of vocal music. The greatest masters are: Goudimel, Festa. Animuccia, Palestrina, Nanini, Anerio. Allcgri, Frescobaldi. Carissimi, VII. The Spanish School ( 1540-1008) .—Spain at no time succeeded in establishing an original school. During the sixteenth century several Spanish composers lived in Rome, and returning to their native land, carried with them the art of the Roman School, so that in reality the Spanish School forms only a part of the Roman School. The most prominent Spanish masters are Da Vittoria and Morales. The Portuguese composer a Goes shows the influence of Gom-