The Renaissance saw the musical shackles of the Medieval Period being broken, and both secular and sacred music became livelier and more expressive, and through the developments of printed music, more widely available. Browse our sheet music and scores, and pick up a mass or a madrigal today!
The driving force of the Renaissance was humanism (from the Latin “hummanus” or human), the dogmas of the church were overturned by science, and art was inspired by antiquity and a new, harmonious worldview. Vocal polyphony was very much at the forefront of Renaissance music, and a desire for perfect form, and rational, logical sophistication emerged. In church music, the cyclic form of the Mass, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei was still widely deployed, and musical settings of Motets, Litanies, Psalms and Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis broadened the congregation’s musical experience. Secular vocal music also developed through the madrigals, and polyphonic and unison songs.
In contrast to the Medieval Period, the Renaissance began with a new design principle, imitation. A short, lively theme moves from voice to voice, and the composer creates a counter-melody to compliment it. Elements from the Medieval however were still present, and the “cantus firmus” or fixed chant was often a device of choice in the Renaissance. The cantus firmus takes a theme from Gregorian Chant or Folk Music, but the composer uses augmentation, elongates the note values, and uses the cantus firmus as the harmonic basis for this polyphonic work. From here, the canon soon evolved, which was the clear precursor to the baroque fugue.
The Renaissance marked a big step in the development of instrumental music, and a significant move towards independence for solo instruments, and chamber groups. Traditionally instruments were used as accompaniment for choir or solo singing or for dance music, but through the Renaissance Period, pure instrumental solo or ensemble music became more and more popular. In particular, Renaissance Organ Music experienced a great boom due to the technical development of the instrument, and it was during the 16th century that more vocal instrumental music started emerging, and the first works featuring basso continuo were written.
aus "Newes Teutsches Musicalisches fröliches Convivium", Coburg 1621
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 751913
sopra li tuoni a quattro
for: Tasteninstrument oder beliebige Einzelinstrumente
Partitur = Klavier/Cembalo/Orgel
Item no.: 747302
for: 3 recorders (SAT)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1546332
for: 2 melodic instruments
Ensemble score
Item no.: 421170
for: 2 Gitarren (Vihuelas)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1582409
for: SAATB
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 920828
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. Sämtliche Orgel- und Clavierwerke 3,1 | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Organ manuals [harpsichord/piano]
Spielpartitur, Sammelband, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 426099
for: 3 recorders
Ensemble score
Item no.: 195146
for: Recorder, guitar
Music score
Item no.: 394471
for: Concert Band/Harmonie/Fanfare
Score, Parts
Item no.: 886103
for: Posaunenquartett
Score, Parts
Item no.: 973640
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 850927
for: Male choir (TBarB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 850323
for: Women's choir (2 voices) [male choir]
Choir score
Item no.: 850710
for: Voice, piano
Book
Item no.: 963035
for: Women's choir [male choir] (3 voices)
Choir score
Item no.: 822750
for: Mixed choir (3 voices)
Choir score
Item no.: 850599
for: Women's choir [male choir] (3 voices)
Choir score
Item no.: 850784
for: Women's choir (SSA) [mixed choir (SATB)]
Choir score
Item no.: 850521
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 850329
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 957494
for: Solo S + Solo T + SATB
Choir score
Item no.: 458412
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 317582
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 317564
for: Posaunenquartett
Score, Parts
Item no.: 973409
for: 5 Instruments
Book
Item no.: 268238
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 317190
for: 5 brass winds
Score, Parts
Item no.: 318436
for: 3 voices [melodic instruments]
Score
Item no.: 194941
for: Frauenchor (Favoritchor SS), Fagott / 2 Zinken / 2 Violinen, B/TT, 3 Posaunen/AT, Violine / Zink, Flöte / Zink, Kontrabass, Orgel
Score
Item no.: 232100
for: Gemischter Chor (SSATB), 2 Violinen, Kontrabass, Orgel
Score
Item no.: 231926
for: Solo S, [T], 2 Violinen, , Basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 231783
O how fair are all thy dwellings
for: SOLI (TTBARB) KB ORG
Score
Item no.: 231719
for: 2 favorit choirs (SATB, SATB), double bass, organ; 8 instruments colla parte ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 231706
for: 2 voices (TT), organ
Score
Item no.: 166593
for: Mixed choir (SATTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 143226
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 131386
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 131373
for: 5 recorders (SSATB)
Score
Item no.: 157646
for: Viol[Sextet]
Book
Item no.: 898735
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1024919
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 904565
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 907135
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 881686
for: Fanfare
Score, Parts
Item no.: 975810
for: 4 trumpets (B-flat)
Score (C), Parts
Item no.: 348511
for: Mixed ensemble (6 voices)
Score
Item no.: 122082
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 117121
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