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.
aus: Symphoniae Sacrae III
for: Favorit choir (smezttbarb), orchestra; 2 chapell choirs (SATB, SATB) ad lib.
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 231968
from : Symphoniae Sacrae III
for: Favorit choir (SMezATBB), orchestra; 2 chapell choirs (SATB, SATB) ad lib.
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 231961
aus: Symphoniae Sacrae III
for: Viola
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 231943
Gleichnis vom vierfachen Ackerfeld. Aus: Symphoniae Sacrae III
for: Favorit choir (SATB), chapell choir (SATB), orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 231915
aus: Symphoniae Sacrae III
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 231887
Der zwölfjährige Jesus im Tempel. Aus: Symphoniae Sacrae III (1650)
for: Basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 231883
aus: Symphoniae Sacrae III
Psalm-Konzert
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 231875
aus: Symphoniae sacrae III
mit singbarer englischer Übersetzung
for: Basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 231864
aus: Kleine geistliche Konzerte I
mit singbarer englischer Übersetzung
for: Basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 231797
aus: Psalmen Davids
Motette
for: Favorit choir (SMezT, SMezAT, AT, ATBarB), chapell choir (SATB, SATB), orchestra
Single part Clarino (trumpet) 2
Item no.: 231748
O how fair are all thy dwellings
for: Basso continuo
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 231722
bearbeitet von Johann Sebastian Bach
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB), orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234264
for: Singstimme (T), Violine, Violoncello / Bass-Gambe, Basso continuo
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 229675
for: Violin
Single part Violin
Item no.: 229674
für Streichquartett oder Streichorchester
Single part Violin 2
Item no.: 383960
Earliest Organ Music (ca. 1330 - 1448)
Diletto Musicale - Doblingers Reihe alter Musik
for: Organ (manuals)
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 282728
Part 3. Modern and Contemporary Music
for: Organ
Music lesson book
Item no.: 1215729
The English Madrigalists 32
for: Mixed choir (5 parts) a cappella
Choir book (anthology)
Item no.: 769237
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir (SSATB), organ [piano]
Choir score
Item no.: 840961
Sämtliche Werke - Viertes Buch
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 299757
Die Tabulatur 7
Ausgewählte Werke in ihrer Originalnotation mit Übertragungen für Laute und Gitarre
for: Lute [guitar]
Music score (with TABs)
Item no.: 216759
Brass Press
for: Trumpet, organ
Item no.: 427862
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
Ricercate e passaggi 3
for: Descant recorder [violin/cornett], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 135505
Moduli Duarum Vocum (1578)
Book
Item no.: 476039
für Sopranblockflöte (Tenor) und Tasteninstrument
for: HOLZBLASINSTRUMENTE BLOCKFLÖTE MIT TASTENINSTRUMENT SOPRAN-BLOCKFLÖTE UND KLAVIER
Item no.: 217351
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 797100
Motette für 12 Stimmen in 3 Chören
for: 12 GES
Piano score
Item no.: 382389
e d'altri varij Concerti – 1638
for: 5 voices
Music score
Item no.: 777593
Nearly all the Dutch composer's keyboard works including chorale variations, toccatas, fantasies and more
Reprint of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: Werken voor Orgel en Clavecimbel, G. Alsbach & Co. 1943
for: Organ manuals [harpsichord/piano]
Music score
Item no.: 416705
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1000730
Háromszólamú dalok
for: Mixed choir (SAM) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 822691
for: Mixed choir (SSAATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 929628
for: Choir (one voice), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1032128
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 929858
The English Madrigalists 38
for: Mixed choir (5 parts) a cappella
Piano reduction
Item no.: 771904
Régi mesterek vegyeskarai 17
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 850730
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 904285
Motette
for: Voice
Book
Item no.: 324864
Canto a la espada toledana 2
Zarzuela
for: Voice, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 324857
Partsongs from the Court of Henry VIII. This collection from Musica Britannica Volume 18 has 12 partsongs for 3, 4 and 5-part mixed consorts of voices and/or instruments
for: 3-5 voices [Instruments]
Score (anthology)
Item no.: 314530
(Tu es Petrus)
Motet
Special Order Edition
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1213321
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 886132
The English School of Lutenist Song Writers. Second Series
for: Voice, lute
Music score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 1056903
Régi magyar dalok gitárkísérettel
for: Voice, guitar
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 213321
coll. Guitare No.10
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 177333
Hinshaw Music
for: SSAATTBB A Cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1583053
Non si levav' ancor
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1546388