Topics in Music from 1400 to 1600: Changing Styles in Sacred Music, 1420-1560

A hands-on encounter with sacred music of the Renaissance, covering the 160-year period 1400-1560. In the Renaissance, the word "music" was synonymous with counterpoint. What wasn't counterpoint was either Gregorian chant or else a confused din of sounds. Like the word "language" can be synonymous with English in remote parts of the world, and other tongues sound like mere grunting. But within the English language, and within the art of counterpoint, there are vast worlds of meaning and expression to explore. We will be travelling a journey that leads us past some of the most glorious music in history.