Music in the Middle Ages

There were many different things that went on in the Middle Ages. One thing was music. Music in the Middle Ages was very important to many people. People used music for many different things. Sometimes it was used for entertainment. It was also used in churches. The people were very devoted to church. In church music was a huge aspect. Music was also used throughout everyone's life at some point. It may have been his or her jobs or just for enjoyment. Music in the Middle Ages was important to people because they used it as entertainment, it was in church, and many people used music throughout their lifetime.

Music was very important to the Middle Age people. For example, there is an epic poem called Chanson De Roland. The poem celebrates death. In the Middle Ages people were very devoted to church. In church, they sung and played lots of music. Lots of time, music was made in honor of people's masters. Norsemen reacted and sang stories telling of there Norse gods, goddess, heroes, Woden, Thor, Odin, Freya, Brynnhild, abode of gods, and Walhalla. Cleary, those are all very important and music was involved in them.

In the Middle Ages, there where Troubadours, Trouveres, and Minnesingers. These were types of poets in the 12th to the 14th century that composed amazing work. Troubadours and Trouveres came from the word trover meaning to invent. All together they left over two thousand songs. They made up both their words and music. Many of these songs became the people's own folk songs. They used a harp. They wrote down their music on a four-lined staff in notes. They were accompanied by accompaniments that played on a lute, guitar, vielle, or a harp. Troubadours seldom sang their own songs. It was the jongleurs idea to sing. Jongleurs traveled from place to place, castle to castle, with their instrument strung over their shoulder ready to sing and play.

During the Middle Ages people were not just fond of singing, but they also enjoyed playing instruments. They often played instruments like the vielle, lyre, guitar, lute, and the harp. These are just some of the instruments that they played, but there are many more than just those. They would sometimes play their instrument and sing all together.

There were many famous musicians back in the Middle Ages. For Instance, there was Francesco Landino. (c.1325-1397). He was blind from childhood. He was soon called Francesco Cieco "the blind". His performance skills were legendary. He preformed on a flute, lute, and an organ mainly. About 150 of his work have been saved. Another famous musician was Machaut Guillaume (c.1300- 1377) He was a French composer, cleric poet, and diplomat. Machaut is considered the greatest practitioner of the Ars Nova. He was also one of the last musicians to use the medieval form of lai.

In the Middle Ages, most music was ever written down. The singer would memorize the tune. He would sing and epic (long story). Singers and players came from all different parts of Europe. The Bards