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.
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2961
for: Voice (low), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 2215
for: Violin [cornett]
Sheet music
Item no.: 6322
for: Mixed choir (SSAATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 610425
for: Voice (high/medium), basso continuo
Score, continuo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 6457
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 299757
Masters of the North German School for Organ 21
3 Chorale Fantasias, Chorale Variation, 6 Hymn Settings
for: Organ
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 560137
for: HOLZBLASINSTRUMENTE BLOCKFLÖTE MIT TASTENINSTRUMENT SOPRAN-BLOCKFLÖTE UND KLAVIER
Item no.: 217351
Edition Schott
for: 3 recorders (SAT)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 756463
for: Organ manuals [harpsichord/piano]
Music score
Item no.: 416705
Opera in Three Acts op. 40
Lyric book
Item no.: 1654055
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 366846
F
for: Piano, Voice, High Voice
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1612452
aus: Selva morale et spirituale
SV 270
Urtext
for: Mixed choir (SSTTB) [5 voices], 2 violins, basso continuo; melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Piano reduction
Item no.: 664042
Pratica Musicale 2
for: Viola da gamba
Music score
Item no.: 560697
English Renaissance rounds
for: 3-11 instruments (bass clef)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 603757
The Creation of a Musical Center in the Fifteenth Century
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 769368
G
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1027471
for: Voices
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 931269
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 768938
for: Mixed choir (4–6 parts) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 930291
for: Mixed choir (SAATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 371932
for: Mixed choir (5–6 parts) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 327921
for: 1-3 voices [Instruments]
Score (anthology)
Item no.: 796056
for: Mixed choir (5 parts) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 478212
for: 2 mixed choirs (SSAT, ATBarB), double bass, organ; mixed choir (SSATB), 5 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 423319
for: 3 voices (SST), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 422095
for: Mixed choir (SATB), instruments
Score
Item no.: 433232
from : Symphoniae Sacrae III
for: Favorit choir (SMezATBB), orchestra; 2 chapell choirs (SATB, SATB) ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 231955
for: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, baritone horn, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1107081
for: Voice (mezzo-soprano), 4 viole da gamba
Score
Item no.: 556015
for: Mixed choir (SATB); organ ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 930907
Critical Report in Volume I – VI
for: Keyboard instrument
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 306881
for: Flexible wind ensemble (5 voices)
Score
Item no.: 866818
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 317363
for: gemischter Chor (dreistimmig)
Choir score
Item no.: 1628459
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1213239
Ancient to Baroque
Seventh Edition
Book
Item no.: 1677416
According to John
for: Soloists and SATB a Cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 906535
New Josquin Edition 22
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 1669320
Pratica Musicale 6
Music score (reprint, hardcover)
Item no.: 371149
Passionsmusik
Urtext Stuttgarter Schütz-Ausgabe
for: Favorit choir (SATTB), orchestra; chapell choir (SATTB) ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 232134
aus: Geistliche Chormusik SWV 394
Mit singbarer englischer Übersetzung
for: Favorit choir (SSATTBB), basso continuo; 7 instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 231853
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 914706
Libero Quarto
Monumenti Musicali Italiani X
Girolamo Frescobaldi Opere complete
for: Harpsichord [organ]
2 music scores
Item no.: 744998
for: Dulcimer
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 827783
for: Voice, piano
Piano score
Item no.: 482807
With expamples by Giovanni Bassano (1591) – Francesco Rognoni (1620)
for: Bass instrument (C)
Music lesson book
Item no.: 1632375
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