Codex Faenza: Instrumental Music Of The Early 15th Century

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Cat No: 8553618

Release Date: 01 January 2000

Label: Naxos / Naxos Classics

Packaging Type: Jewel Case

No of Units: 1

Barcode: 730099461825

Genres: Classical

Composer/Series: Codex Faenza

Description
The Codex Faenza: Instrumental Music of the Early XVthCentury From the Middle Ages the music of thebeginning of the fifteenth century that survives is almost exclusively vocal,with liturgical song from monastic sources and courtly songs, motets and madrigalsfrom aristocratic circles. The rare examples of medieval instrumental music,such as the Robertsbridge Codex, and the manuscripts in Paris(Bibl.nat.,f.fr.844c) and in London (BL 29987) confirm this. The monophonicsongs of the troubadours, trouv?¿res and Minnesingers, with their melodicbalance and beauty, and the polyphonic compositions in their richness of soundare the model on which medieval music is formed. On the other hand contemporarymusic theory, that provided the basis of musical notation, continued aspeculative tradition marginal to practical musical performance.A wealth of visual representations anddocumentary evidence bears witness to the great share of instrumental music inthe musical life of the High and Later Middle Ages. It almost seems as if itpredominated over vocal music. In many troubadour and trouv?¿re poemsthere are examples of how the singer's audience took immediate pleasure indance, an estampie. In nearly all representations of church and secularfestivities there is found a small group of instrumentalists, generally withlute, harp, fiddle, flute, organ, shawm and percussion. In spite of this it isvery difficult to say definitely how these instruments were played and used,since the representations of musician angels and humans make use rather of thesymbolism of instruments than showing real performance and there is nodocumentation of practical instrumental performance methods. Certainly vocalcompositions were accompanied by instruments, as witnessed by wordless unvocalcontratenor parts, or were even purely instrumental. It is certain too thatinstrumental music in its various forms was dependent on forms of vocal music.Nevertheless music by instrumentalists remains always a sound of the moment,dictated by conditions, namely the instruments available, technicalpossibilities of performance and, not least, the inventiveness of theperformers. Among other things this use of improvisation led to the use ofinstrumental alternation in organ Masses in which singers alternate with theorgan in the Ordinary or the Mass. In these organ improvisations thenotes of a chant held in long notes, provide a basis, the so-called tenor orholding part, while the discantus or superius, the upper parts,move freely in quicker note-values. This use of quicker notes in improvisationis known as diminution.The Codex Faenza stands out in particularin the period around 1400 for its exclusively instrumental compositions. It ispreserved in the Biblioteca Communale of Faenza, classified as BC 117. Themanuscript was copied between 1400 and 1420 and is of great importance in thehistory of music. An anonymous composer provides evidence here of the practiceof diminution and of vocal pieces in tablature, that is h
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