Renaissance Music

The Middle Ages and the Renaissance music were very different. Most of the people of the Renaissance preferred vocal music. However, there were many instruments during the Renaissance period.


The music of the Renaissance was very different from that of the Middle Ages. Music also changed during the Renaissance, because it had become more blended. Unlike the composers of the Middle Ages, who would have a variety of notes within their music, the writers in the Renaissance began to write music so that it would flow together and harmonize.


The most popular music in the Renaissance was vocal music. This kind of music was used in the church and in secular music as well. The music writers of the Renaissance wrote music in a way that the notes in the music would work in harmony with each other.


Ottaviano de'Petrucci came up with the idea that the printing press could be used for music, and because of this idea everyone could have music. This was a big impact on society because if everyone could buy music all classes could have it and those who had an education were required to learn to sing, dance and play an instrument. A few instruments used in the Renaissance were the recorder, the flute, the fife, and the tabor pipe, which is very much like a recorder, however, it only has three holes. Reed instruments, such as the shawm, rackett, dulcian and the crumhorn, were also used. A few of the Renaissance dances were the branle, a dance that is performed by a group of people who form either a circle or a chain, and the pavan is a dance that is to be danced to with instruments.


The music of the Renaissance was very different from that of the Middle Ages. The Renaissance music flowed more easily than the music of the Middle Ages. Even though vocal music was very popular during the Renaissance, instruments were also played during this time, to which certain dances could be performed.