How do you interpret Renaissance music?

First of all, modern-day interpretation of Renaissance music is concerned with the authentic performance practice of music as it would have been played or sung during this period (1453-1600). Several issues must be addressed before the guitarist can offer an honest and meaningful performance of this music. For example, there were no dynamic or tempo markings evident in the music of this period before Giovanni Gabrieli's Sonata pian' e forte (1597), which is the first composition to specify dynamic levels and name specific instrumental parts. Here are a few important concepts to consider:

Tempo
None of the compositions of this period bore indications referring to speed, dynamics or phrasing until the time of Giovanni Gabrieli. So how do you know how fast to play a Renaissance piece? Tempo during the Renaissance was determined by the tactus or human pulse. The human pulse is between 60-80 beats per minute; therefore, this was considered a moderate speed. Anything above 60-80 was considered fast, and below 60-80 was considered slow.

Renaissance compositions were traditionally performed either vocally or instrumentally (ossia) or instruments doubled the voice parts. If a text is present, it can also be used to determine the tempo. A dirge would naturally require a slow tempo whereas a light frivolous text would indicate a faster, dance-like speed.

Modes
Renaissance music is modal and consists of an entire system of melodic scales, for the most part very different from the major and minor system of tonality later developed and perfected in the Baroque period. Key signatures will be modal and must be considered separate from the major and minor system of tonality. For example, the modes will include Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, et.al.

Let's take a short example from Music of the Renaissance [MB98299] and apply some of these observations to the actual music.

The example above provides a wonderful opportunity to introduce the guitar ensemble class to the modes as a warm-up. Look at the first 8 measures of Gtr.1. The first inclination is to say there is a mistake in the printing because the melody is clearly an A natural minor scale but with an F# in the key signature.

Warm-up: Play an A natural minor scale ascending and descending with each note played twice. Play this as a 2, 3 or 4-part round.

AA BB CC DD EE FF GG AA

Next, play the same A natural minor scale but add a sharp to the 6th scale degree (F#). This scale is now no longer A natural minor but A Dorian:

AA BB CC DD EE F#F# GG AA

Rule: To build the Dorian mode from any tonic note, simply spell a natural minor scale first, and then raise the 6th scale degree. This will always produce the Dorian mode.

In conclusion, again, look at the first page of the conductor's score of "Ill Est Bel Et Bon".

Here are some things to consider when performing this piece:

1. The text of this madrigal is lighthearted and humorous so the tempo is fast. (I did not include the text because this is an instrumental arrangement.)
2. Each guitar part enters much in the same manner in imitation. This technique is very common in the Renaissance Period and is called points of imitation.
3. Many times, repeated notes are meant to indicate that the player should build energy. So how do you build energy as an interpreter? Notice that I used a crescendo to build energy at the end of the phrase of each part of the repeated quarter notes.

These are just a few of the many elements to consider when performing Renaissance music relative to authentic performance practice. A wonderful book for further reading on interpretation and style is Knud Jeppesen's The Style of Palestrina and the Dissonance published in New York by Dover Publications, 1970.

Our next session will highlight performance practices in the Baroque Era.