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: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1039388
King of Majesty
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1040559
I Was Like a Lamb
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1040509
Performance/Accompaniment CD
CD
Item no.: 857029
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1038723
Geistliche Musik
for: Male choir (TTB) a cappella
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1041611
O King of Heaven
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1038628
Une anthologie texte et musique
Book
Item no.: 1563608
aus: Newer Deudscher Lieder mit dreyen Stimmen, welche nicht allein lieblich zu singen, sondern auf auff allerley Instrumenten zu gebrauchen.
Breslau, 1584
for: Mixed choir (STB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5681
for: Mixed choir (SSAATB); organ ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1038770
Surely He Hath Bore Our Griefs
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1038116
sopra la bassa fiamenga
for: 4 accordions
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1605
für 12 Hörner in 3 Chören
for: 12 horns
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1652385
aus: "Hymni Sacri", Erfurt 1587
Ausgabe für tiefe Stimmen
for: Mixed choir (ATTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5601
for: 2 trumpets, organ
Score, Parts
Item no.: 781338
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1041915
Nr. XII aus "Corona harmonica"
for: Mixed choir (6 voices) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 817086
aus: Bicinia sacra, schöne geistliche Lieder und Psalmen, mit zwo Stimmen lieblich zu singen
(Nürnberg, 1547)
for: 2 voices
Score
Item no.: 2840
aus "Musae sioniae", 9. Teil
für Männerchor (TTB)
for: Male choir (TTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2111
Two intricate and lengthy fantasies for treble, two tenors and bass viol
for: 3 viole da gamba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 661019
aus: "Neuf basses dances ..."
Paris, 1530
for: Cornet [trumpet (C/B-flat)], 3 trombones (ATB)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 5274
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 766146
aus "Geistliche Gesänge Augspurgischer Confession", Berlin 1641
for: Mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 3303
Am Fest Mariae Verkündigung
aus "Gemmulae Evangeliorum Musicae ...", Coburg 1623
for: Mixed choir (SAAB); basso continuo [organ] ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 4199
aus "Operum Musicorum Posthumorum, Pars Prima"
Nürnberg, 1643
for: 2 violins [recorders], basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 5387
aus: Teutsche Lieder mit dreyen Stimmen
München, 1583
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 6062
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1040553
Pian & Forte Vol. 066
for: SBB
Choir score
Item no.: 1163607
for: 2 KLAV (ORG) 4MS
Item no.: 617280
Item no.: 562989
aus "Operum Musicorum Posthumorum, Pars Prima"
Nürnberg, 1643
for: 2 violins [cornetts], viola da gamba [trombone], organ
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 4276
für vier Blasinstrumente
for: Wind quartet [wind ensemble 4 voices]
Ensemble score
Item no.: 648326
for 4 viols or recorders
for: 4 recorders [4 viole da gamba]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 661018
Early Music Series
for: 5 recorders (SSTTB)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 779430
2 Violins and 4 Recorders
for: Choir
Set of parts
Item no.: 1153989
aus Bartholomaeus Luz: Coronis parthenia
Innsbruck, 1629
for: 2 voices (high), basso continuo
Score, part (pdf download)
Item no.: 5766
aus "Operum Musicorum Posthumorum, Pars Prima"
Nürnberg, 1643
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 5388
for: Voices, flexible ensemble (4 voices)
Sheet music
Item no.: 1210545
for: Voices, flexible ensemble (4 voices)
Sheet music
Item no.: 1210547
for: Flexible ensemble (4 voices)
Sheet music
Item no.: 1210572
aus: "Erster Teil Kleiner geistlicher Concerte"
for: Women's choir (MezA) [male choir (BarB)], organ
Score
Item no.: 1947
aus: Cantiones sacrae
Dillingen, 1580
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5701
for: Mixed choir (8 parts) a cappella
Item no.: 1668011
The Songs of Solomon – General Introduction
Sacred Vocal Works in Hebrew 13a [Introduction, Texts, and Critical Report]
Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae 100
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 617108
auch als Nummer S169 lieferbar
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 309646
for: Orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1595504
GIA Choral Series
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1159543
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1041734