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 "Le premier livre de Chansons", Antwerpen 1564
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 1131
aus "Neue Teutsche Geistliche Lieder, mit dreien Stimmen, nach Art der Welschen Villanellen ..."
Augsburg, 1591
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 3582
aus "Le premier livre de Chansons", Antwerpen 1564
for: Mixed choir (SSAB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 1130
aus "Neue Weihnachtsliedlein mit vier und acht Stimmen"
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 2327
aus: Newer Deudscher Lieder mit dreyen Stimmen, welche nicht allein lieblich zu singen, sondern auf auff allerley Instrumenten zu gebrauchen.
Breslau, 1584
for: Mixed choir (STB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5681
aus: Teutsche Lieder mit dreyen Stimmen
München, 1583
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 6062
from "The Second Booke of Songes or Ayres of foure partes with Tableture for the Lute", 1600
for: Mixed choir (SATB), lute [harpsichord]
Score
Item no.: 3335
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 3121
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 3510
from "Ayres or Phantasticke Spirites for Three Voices", 1608
for: Male choir (TTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4301
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 3166
für zwei Stimmen und Generalbass ad lib.
aus: Musae Sioniae, 9. Teil
for: Women's choir (SS) [2 solo voices]; organ ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 2790
(Dresden, 1577)
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2070
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); basso continuo ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 3597
aus "Musae Sioniae", 9. Teil
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1626
Bicinium für Sopran und Alt
aus "Musae sioniae"
for: Women's choir (SA) [2 solo voices]
Score
Item no.: 3517
aus: Newer Deudscher Lieder mit dreyen Stimmen, welche nicht allein lieblich zu singen, sondern auf auff allerley Instrumenten zu gebrauchen.
Breslau, 1584
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5680
aus: "Neue kurtzweilige Teutsche Liedlein mit dreyen stimmen nach art der Welschen Vilanellen"
Nürnberg, 1589
(transponierte Ausgabe)
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 6262
aus "Hainhofers Lautenbüchern", 1603
for: Mixed choir (SSAB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1152
Geborn ist der Emanuel
aus "Musae Sioniae" 6. Teil
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 2328
from "Ayres or Phantasticke Spirites for Three Voices", 1608
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4299
aus: „Wirtzgärtleins Deutsch und Lateinischer Geistlicher Lieder ...“, Augsburg, 1619
eingerichtet für Männerchor
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4165
aus "50 geistliche Lieder und Psalmen" (Nürnberg, 1586)
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 1415
aus "The First Booke of Songes or Ayres of foure partes with Tableture for the Lute" (1597)
for: Mixed choir (SATB), lute [harpsichord]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1120
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 388182
aus "Le premier livre de Chansons", Antwerpen 1564
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 1129
aus: "Neue kurtzweilige Teutsche Liedlein mit dreyen stimmen nach art der Welschen Vilanellen"
Nürnberg, 1589
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 6338
aus: "Neue kurtzweilige Teutsche Liedlein mit dreyen stimmen nach art der Welschen Vilanellen"
Nürnberg, 1589
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5643
aus "Wirtzgärtleins Deutsch und Lateinischer Geistlicher Lieder ...", Augsburg, 1619
eingerichtet für gemischten Chor
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4163
aus "Wirtzgärtleins Deutsch und Lateinischer Geistlicher Lieder ...", Augsburg, 1619
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4164
aus "Musae Sioniae", 9. Teil
for: Male choir (TTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1627
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Item no.: 377364
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1772
Fürt jede Stimm ir eygen Text
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 3263
aus: "Neue teutsche Gesang", Augsburg 1596
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2724
aus: Neüe Teütsche Gesang
Augsburg, 1596
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5452
aus: Neüe Teütsche Gesang
Augsburg, 1596
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5802
aus: Newe kurtzweilige Teutsche Liedtlein Zu dreyen Stimmen Welche gantz Lieblich zu singen vnd auff Instrumenten Zugebrauchen
Helmstedt, 1587
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5725
aus: Musae Sioniae, 9. Teil
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2137
Hymnus in Sabbato Quadragesimae
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 4837
aus "Neue Lieder gantz lieblich zu singen" (Königsberg, 1589)
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1571
aus: "Neue kurtzweilige Teutsche Liedlein mit dreyen stimmen nach art der Welschen Vilanellen"
Nürnberg, 1589
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5442
(Gelobet seist Du, Jesu Christ)
aus: Newe Deudsche Geistliche Gesenge für die Gemeinen Schulen
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5239
from "Ayres or Phantasticke Spirites for Three Voices", 1608
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4300
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2497
aus "Trium vocum cantiones centum ..." (München 1541)
Ausgabe für gemischte Stimmen
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 3308
aus "Canzonets, Or little short songs for three voices"
London, 1602
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4282
aus: Musicalischer Freuden- vnd Andachtswecker
Nürnberg, 1630
for: Mixed choir (SATB); basso continuo ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 5482
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