Art was a very important part of life during the Elizabethan Era. Visual arts, Performing arts, and of course, Music were great forms of entertainment. Music could express emotions very well and could be used, created, and heard almost anywhere. There were many composers during that time, and they utilized a wide variety of instruments to create songs of many different genres during that era (Instruments).
The Elizabethan Era took place during the Renaissance, which lasted from about 1400 to 1600AD. At this time, music was mostly created from instruments and voices. This was a very religious period in time, so many church pieces were written, as well as music for plays and entertainment. It was during the Renaissance that the Anthem, a song of celebration; the Madrigal, a vocal composition; and the Opera were created and became popular (Madrigal).
Many people today refer to all these types of songs as “classical music.” Some popular lyrical songs of the time were Now Is the Month of May, and Greensleeves, which has connections to King Henry VIII, who was believed to have composed this song for his second wife, and the mother of Queen Elizabeth, Anne Boleyn (Composers).
Renaissance Instruments
Many instruments were used during the Renaissance. There were some that were used in only certain parts of the world, and others that were used in almost all compositions worldwide. Some of the most popular instruments were the bagpipe, harp, percussion, transverse flute, recorder, viol, harpsichord, lute, shawm, and the very popular violin.
Many of these can be heard in popular compositions of the time. Others were less popular, and their use in music was based on the culture of their composers(s). Some of these instruments included the lizard, shofar, hurdy-gurdy, and the serpent (Instruments).
Composers of the Renaissance Era
Many famous composers lived during the Renaissance era. Among them were Thomas Tallis, a church musician; Josquin Des Prez, famous for combining styles and expressing emotion through music; Pierre de La Rui, a vocalist; William Byrd, a master pianist and very popular English composer; and Orlando de Lassus, an Italian with over 2,000 written pieces in many different styles (Top 8).
Works Cited
“A Guide to Medieval and Renaissance Instruments” Musica Antique Oct. 2005. March 6th, 2008
“Elizabethan Composers” Linda Alchin May 2005. March 6th, 2008 Elizabethan-era.org.uk
“Top 8 Renaissance Composers” Aaron Green. Jan 2008. March 8th, 2008 About.com
“Elizabethan music: the madrigal” Michael Best. Dec 2005. March 8th, 2008 Internet Shakespeare Editions
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