| Time Capsule Through the Renaissance to the | | | | music into what is now referred to as classical |
| Age of the Baroque | | | | music. An epic explosion of expression through |
| Researched and Authored by: Michael J. Spindler | | | | complex musical structures on a scale that easily |
| of Local Music Hits | | | | over powered the listeners emotions, and once |
| As a young eager fictional cultural anthropologist, | | | | the listener was engaged, the music could sweep |
| the author is on a quest to find a missing time | | | | the audience to the highest highs and lowest |
| capsule. The contents supposedly include articles | | | | depths of sadness and despair. In no other |
| that come from the age of the Renaissance and | | | | musical form of expression is this more evident |
| the Age of the Baroque. The renaissance period is | | | | than in Opera. Opera is a culmination of vocal |
| broken into two periods; the Early Renaissance | | | | expression dancing and weaving through a |
| from roughly 1400 to 1490, and the High | | | | tapestry of sounds woven by an instrumental |
| Renaissance, from approximately 1490 to 1530. | | | | accompaniment on a massive scale. In the |
| The Age of the Baroque covers two centuries, | | | | Baroque Age, for music, Venice Italy was known |
| from 1600 through 1800, and is known as the | | | | as the city of music, the home to a number of |
| “Age of Contradictions”. Both periods | | | | musicians that continue to live through time. In the |
| experienced growth through expression that | | | | early seventeenth century, the pioneer of |
| affected the religious, societal, and politic climates | | | | became Opera was an Italian composer by the |
| of their respective time periods, which continue to | | | | name of Claudio Monteverdi. “The best |
| echo through time. The impact of these dramatic | | | | example is his final masterwork, L'incoronazione di |
| periods continue to morph our present day | | | | Poppea (1642), exceptional in that its protagonists |
| society through the continued evolution of | | | | are not ancient Greek gods and heroes as it had |
| expression that affects the core institutions as | | | | been customary until then, but real people, and in |
| humans strive in new directions. The discovery of | | | | that good does not triumph over evil.” |
| a time capsule may shed a little light on how key | | | | (Bender, n.d.) The significance is once again an art |
| examples impacted the world in their time, both | | | | form being used to move society from the |
| culturally and socially. | | | | clutches of religion, and to celebrate the |
| The day of discovery has arrived. Does any one | | | | importance individuality and new ideas to |
| have a crow bar? Though a little dusty, the first | | | | empower the people. |
| item appears to be from the Early Renaissance | | | | Early renaissance architecture was unique from |
| period. How can the author tell at first glance? A | | | | previous periods in that instead of rehashing |
| large volume of art produced during this period | | | | grandiose architectural styling, the direction |
| was religious. Our first specimen appears to a | | | | architects of the time invested in reinterpretation |
| depiction of “The Crucifixion”. A tempera | | | | of Greco-Roman themes and building principles. |
| medium on wood, the artist, Konrad von Soest | | | | The influence of religion of the time also played |
| (Web Gallery of Art, n.d.) was an active artisan | | | | heavily in this interpretation and developed into an |
| from about 1394 to 1422. According to records, | | | | architectural nuance that celebrated the Roman |
| this work of art was created in either 1404 or | | | | Catholic Church. In the year 1404, Filippo |
| 1414. Why are religious art forms so dominant in | | | | Brunelleschi began his career as an architect. Long |
| this period? The early renaissance was also a time | | | | considered the “Father of the |
| when the Church of Rome and the Catholic | | | | Renaissance”, “Brunelleschi was the first |
| religion dominated the lands. Affecting every | | | | architect to employ mathematical perspective to |
| aspect of life from political motivation, the social | | | | redefine Gothic and Romanesque space and to |
| hierarchy, and of course, the stamping out of any | | | | establish new rules of proportioning and |
| ideas that went against the man made religion. | | | | symmetry.”(Saalman, 1993) |
| Surprisingly, renaissance period also showed an | | | | The early renaissance period is considered a time |
| explosion of the portrait and self portrait. A true | | | | of a transitional era from medieval thought of an |
| gem to any collection this art form typically | | | | anonymous existence to one of enlightenment |
| depicts people in wealthy circles in their time and a | | | | and uniqueness of man. The early fathers of |
| glimpse how life was lived. The next opportunity | | | | philosophy may have begun in Greece, but new |
| the reader has to view a portrait, take a moment | | | | values and interpretations found new meaning in |
| to explore the surroundings of the person | | | | the renaissance age. “Educational practice was |
| depicted. Illustrated in these works of art are | | | | revolutionized by the recovery of ancient |
| several clues as to living conditions, material | | | | documents, the rejection of institutional authority, |
| wealth, and attitude that can be determined. | | | | and renewed emphasis on individual freedom.” |
| Artists were also notorious for including items that | | | | (Kemerling, 2001) |
| were symbolic of aspirations, life, and blessings | | | | With the developing technologies to mass produce |
| with the subject person in the portrait. | | | | the written word. Literature, once only for the |
| The next item out of our time capsule is an | | | | wealthy and the church, gave birth to the |
| exhibit from the Age of Baroque. The | | | | explosion of ideas and progressive thinking that |
| extraordinary piece is “An Angel Frees the | | | | pushed society even further ahead. This form of |
| Souls of Purgatory”. (Web Gallery of Art, n.d.) | | | | mass media has firmly changed the course of |
| The artist, Lodovico Carracci, who painted this | | | | history, encouraging enlightenment and fostering |
| piece in 1610, is a depiction of an Angel sent from | | | | developments in every aspect of life. Once an |
| Heaven to rescue the lost souls in Purgatory. This | | | | idea is in the hands of the people with such easy |
| is an example of a large volume of work done in | | | | access, a revolution of sorts will carry on. |
| this period representing the proliferation of the | | | | References - Do Not Strip Article References |
| sciences and other discoveries that were bringing | | | | Bender, A. (n.d.). Claudio Monteverdi, 1576-1643. |
| to the world new ideologies that were in direct | | | | Retrieved January 16, 2008, from |
| conflict with the church. The Age of Baroque | | | | Kemerling, G. (2001, October 27). Renaissance |
| represents a slow departure of the people to | | | | Thought. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from |
| embrace empirical data, and slowly to withdrawal | | | | Ogan, J. R. (2001). Du Fay and Josquin des Prez |
| from the ideologies of the church that were once | | | | Comparison . Retrieved January 16, 2008, from |
| consider law. This movement played on | | | | Saalman, H. (1993, December). Filippo Brunelleschi : |
| people’s fears of damnation and artists’ | | | | The Buildings. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from |
| perception and interpretation of the times made | | | | Web Gallery of Art (n.d.). CARRACCI, Lodovico. |
| for more violent depictions of both religious icons | | | | Retrieved January 16, 2008, from |
| and the masses of people. | | | | Web Gallery of Art (n.d.). KONRAD von Soest. |
| The Early Renaissance experienced an explosion | | | | Retrieved January 16, 2008, from |
| of music development, which paved the way to | | | | Researched and Authored by: Michael J. Spindler |
| modern musical structuring. Most compositions of | | | | of Local Music Hits |
| the time were meant to be sung, “during this | | | | Free to distribute - However- Do not strip |
| period four principal types of compositions were | | | | Research Article References, remove the HTML if |
| prominent: Masses, Magnificats, motets, and the | | | | needed, but keep the URL text. |
| secular chansons with French texts.” (Ogan, | | | | Do Not Remove the Authors name: Michael J. |
| 2001) Guillaume Dufay (1400-1474), was known | | | | Spindler and keep all hyperlinks pointing to: Local |
| to be the greatest composer of his time. Using a | | | | Music Hits - I use software that compares my |
| technique referred to “Word Painting” in | | | | “library” and scours the web for postings. |
| which music is used to express the meaning of | | | | When I find my article on your site and you have |
| the written word. “Dufay, in many respects, | | | | not followed the above binding agreements, |
| paved the way for future composers to use | | | | Lawyers will be sending letters. A considerable |
| greater imagination and ingenuity in musical | | | | investment of time is involved with this content. |
| composition.” (Ogan, 2001) | | | | Join us Soon! |
| The Age of Baroque saw a further evolution of | | | | |