Music and the Counter-Reformation

The early decades of the 16th century were fateful ones for the Roman Catholic Church. With the threat of Lutheranism in and , the success of Calvinism in , and the formation of in independent Church of England with King Henry VIII as its head, Catholic officials realized that a reform of their church was timely and necessary. After much delay, the council which aimed at a “cleansing” of the Catholic Church finally met in December, 1545, at , an imperial city beyond the Italian frontier in the . Among the many reforms which resulted from the decrees of the Council of Trent were concerned with the use of music in worship. Although discussions on church music made up only a small portion of the work of the Council of Trent, the fact that it dealt with music at all demonstrates its importance in church life. Another problem addressed by the Council of Trent was the inappropriate manner in which some of the cathedral Canons chanted the Divine Office. Patrick May December 6, 2010

Catholic Counter Reformation Catholic Counter Reformation By: muff Events: 14 Editors: view all » Views: 338 dont have one Added: Nov 11, 2008 Modified: Nov 11, 2008 Category: Tags: reformation Related Links: Add this timeline to a list / favorite Embed ShareThis Embed Customize: You can embed this timeline to your blog, website, or other web pages. Change the embed timeline size: Copy the below code and insert to the page you want: This timeline is part of these lists Music and the Counter Reformation The Council of Trent To respond to the influence of Protestantism with its emphasis on unmediated, individual devotion, the Roman Catholic curia convened the many sessions which together are known as the Council of Trent. In the context of reforming the liturgy, the church laid down precepts governing how music should be conceived and set. While reflecting the views of St. Augustine who felt that the beautiful sound of music could overwhelm contemplation of the meaning of the text, the reforms were also influenced by the humanist perspective on the power inherent in text. Bishop Cirillo Franco in a letter of 1549 stated the problems of the old style: I should like, in short, when a Mass is to be sung in church, that its music be framed according to the fundamental subject of the words, in harmonies and rhythms apt to move our affections to religion and piety, and likewise in Psalms, Hymns, and other praises that are offered to God..... Index

Counter-Reformation A copy of the Vulgate (the Latin edition of the Catholic Bible) printed in 1590, after many of the Council's reforms had begun to take place in Catholic worship. The Counter-Reformation (also the Catholic Revival[1] or Catholic Reformation) was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent (1545–1563) and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War (1648), and was initiated in response to the Protestant Reformation. The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort composed of four major elements: Ecclesiastical or structural reconfigurationReligious ordersSpiritual movementsPolitical dimensions Council of Trent[edit] A session of the Council of Trent, from an engraving. Pope Paul III (1534–1549) initiated the Council of Trent (1545–1563), a commission of cardinals tasked with institutional reform, addressing contentious issues such as corrupt bishops and priests, indulgences, and other financial abuses. Religious orders[edit] Politics: The Netherlands[edit]

SUMMARY OF WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC HISTORY SUMMARY OF WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC HISTORY by Marlon Feld The following is an outline of the history of Western classical music. Although "Western" and "classical" are inexact terms, they do name a reasonably coherent musical tradition that stretches from the Dark Ages to the present day. The descriptive texts will not delve deeply into matters of musical meaning or technique; the purpose of the outline is to give you a basic working familiarity with different periods and styles. Medieval History (Plainchant through Machaut) Western classical music history is traditionally understood as beginning with plainchant (also called "Gregorian" chant), the vocal religious practice of the Roman Catholic Church. LISTEN: Plainchant: Alleluia pascha nostrum (before 800) [Text] The earliest major repertory of Western secular (non-religious) music which has come down to us is that of the troubadors and trouveres, French poet-musicians of the Middle Ages who set their own poems to music. LISTEN: J.

Music of the Renaissance: A Study Guide The purpose of this tutorial is to provide an outline of prominent dates, terms, composers, compositions, social contexts, and ideas that may be encountered in a study of Renaissance era music history. This is by no means a complete list, but it should serve as a solid overview of the time period. For additional information I recommend reading Renaissance Music by Allan W. Introduction The Renaissance (1400-1600), a term not coined until the 19th century, was a period of “rebirth” for classical antiquity (Greek and Roman values, especially those expounded by Cicero). Important events leading into the 15th century 1305-1377 was a time when the papacy, whose home base was still in Rome, moved to Avignon. The bubonic plague was rampant between 1347-1389. The 100 Years War raged between France (with Joan of Arc on its side) and England between 1337-1453; the fight was to determine which country owned France. Music of the 15th century English music (and its influences on continental music)

Music :: Fundamentally Reformed Overview of the Issue With many fundamentalists, music is a topic for heated discussion. A majority of fundamentalists teach against the use of contemporary orchestration in church. I’m not talking keyboards and violins, I mean guitars and drums. Such music is worldly, even Satanic. Classical music styles are preferred, and everything from Southern Gospel to Rap, Jazz and Country is frowned upon. I don’t want to downplay this issue. My Blog Posts on the Topic One can view all my posts on the topic by clicking this link, but the major posts, where I hash out the details of this debate are listed below. The Music Debate Are certain forms of modern music unacceptable for Bible believing Christians to enjoy or employ in corporate worship? Music Recommendations Many fundamentalists are simply unaware of how good many modern praise songs really are.

The Reformation Brings New Approach to Sacred Music The Reformation Brings New Approach to Sacred Music As the Protestant Reformation swept across Europe, those who rebelled against Catholicism cast their new forms of worship in opposition to the Catholic Mass—including its music. How sacred music developed as part of the Reformation was explored in a presentation on Sept. 22 by Jane Dawson, Ph.D., the John Laing Professor of Reformation History at Edinburgh University’s School of Divinity. By the late Middle Ages, Dawson said, the performance of sacred music was relegated mainly to professionals who could understand its elaborate polyphonic structure. Protestant reformers, however, feared the power of music to influence and distract, so they entered the notion that church music must serve the words—because the words were the word of God. "They also stipulated that words should be audible and that the language must be comprehensible," Dawson said. For the first time, Scots were singing together in church.

Counter-Reformation: Causes, Key Events, and Resources Email The Counter-Reformation of 16th century Europe, the movement aimed at reforming the Roman Catholic Church from within, came on the heels of and in response to the Protestant Reformation. While history books use the terms Counter-Reformation and Catholic Reformation interchangeably, a closer look at the causes of the Counter-Reformation and the history of the Catholic Reformation reveals a significant difference between them. Implied by the word ‘counter,’ the Counter-Reformation movement came in response to an existing set of circumstances. In particular, the Protestant movement had sparked a fierce desire for reform within the Church, and many Catholics were on a mission for change. The root causes of the Counter-Reformation can be traced back to the period of the Renaissance when people were taught to question and challenge the status quo. In fact, in the 1500s there was no religious or legislative power greater than the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe. M.