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.
for: 4 recorders (AATB)
Score
Item no.: 180603
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 194559
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Item no.: 455712
A Due Cori 5
for: 8 GES (INST) (SSAT ATTB)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 297462
for: 4 trombones (quartet)
Item no.: 292522
(Urtext)
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 224807
Early Music Library 306
for: 3 voices [melodic instruments]
3 single parts
Item no.: 311727
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309740
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 309738
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309728
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309717
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309705
Wiener Edition Alter Musik
for: INST (2-9)
Score
Item no.: 310556
German Instrumental Music 12
Item no.: 618579
Bremer Chorblaetter 261
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 327374
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 582207
for: 2 TRP POS ORG
Item no.: 329069
Masters And Monuments Of The Renaissance 2
Score
Item no.: 326787
for: 5 instruments
Item no.: 332208
Gitarre-Bibliothek Nr. 53
for: Mixed choir (SATTB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 332166
for: Mixed choir (SATTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1161077
Nos. II (hypodorisch), III (hypodorisch) et V (hypolydisch)
for: verschiedene Instrumente (3 Violen und Basso continuo; Violine, 2 Violen und Violoncello; 4 Gamben; 4 Posaunen; Trompete (C) und 3 Posaunen)
Stimmensatz
Item no.: 274259
for: 8 TRP (KLAR)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 296762
Collection Palestrina
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 302669
for: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 433766
I
Gaillarden/Balli/Allemanden zu vier Stimmen (1583
Consortium
Ensemble score
Item no.: 261073
Voci Maschili (T.T.B.B.)
for: Choir a Cappella
Score
Item no.: 259796
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 253640
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 309699
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309690
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309667
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 309657
sopra li tuoni a quattro
Vierstimmige Ricercare in den acht Kirchentonarten
Antiqua
for: 4 melodic instruments [keyboard instrument]
Single part 2
Item no.: 1544675
Motette
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB) a cappella
Choir score (Choir 1)
Item no.: 580830
Thesaurus Musicus 36
for: 4 GES (INST) (SATB)
4 Partituren
Item no.: 466676
Girolamo Frescobaldi Il Primo Libro~Delle Canzoni (1628/1634) 9
for: 4 melodic instruments, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 364983
Motette
aus "Israelsbrünnlein"
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 115530
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 434022
for: Brass band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 493151
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Item no.: 559031
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1118539
for: Harpsichord [organ manuals]
Item no.: 583253
E dicca l'una sospirando
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 354263
for: 5 Blockflöten (SSATB) oder Streicher oder Gamben
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 355270
Band 1
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Single part Tenor recorder
Item no.: 355761
for: SAX ENSEMBLE (SSAAATTTBARBARB)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 182417