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.
am zweiten Advent
aus: Gemmulae Evangeliorum Musicae ...
Coburg, 1623
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5844
aus: Etliche außerlesene kurtze gute geistliche und weltliche Liedlein
München, 1582
hohe Ausgabe (Original kl. Terz tiefer)
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 6032
for: Trumpet (C), trombone, piano [organ]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 781257
Motet a 11
aus den "Symphoniae sacrae"
for: Mixed choir, wind ensembles, organ
Score
Item no.: 1355082
for: Male choir (TBarB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 850323
HCCS - Helbling Choral Concert Series
for: Mixed choir (SATB); organ ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1160951
6. Oimè il bel viso, oimè ’l soave sguardo
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1629510
6. Intorno a due vermiglie e vaghe labra
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629394
15. Vivrò fra i miei tormenti e le mie cure - Prima parte
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629377
Edition Schott
for: 5 Blockflöten (SATTB/SAATB)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 748805
aus: Sacrae Cantionoes quintis vocibus concinendae
Venedig, 1605
for: Mixed choir (SSATB/SAATB/SATTB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 4577
aus: "Orpheus christianus seu symphoniarum sacrarum prodromus 5-8 v. cum basso generali"
Ravensburg 1624
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 3038
for: Women's choir [male choir] (3 voices)
Choir score
Item no.: 850784
The English School of Lutenist Song Writers. Second Series
for: Lute
Music score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 1056902
A more advanced selection of 9 compositions for 1 – 4 voices and/or instruments written in the mid 15th century
for: 1-4 voices [instruments]
Score (anthology)
Item no.: 796055
Fa una canzona
for: SSAb and Finger Cymbals
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 908561
Edition Schultheiss
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 1160911
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2686
for: Soli (SSAB), gemischter Chor und Orgel
Score
Item no.: 1544655
Motet
No. 8 from "Geistliche Chor-Music"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Mixed choir (SATTB), basso continuo; 5 melodic instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696753
Fantasie für Chor und Orchester
Studienpartitur
for: CHORMUSIK GEMISCHTER CHOR MIT BEGLEITUNG WELTLICH EINZELN
Study score
Item no.: 1344857
20. Ond’ei, di morte la sua faccia impressa - Seconda parte
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 643277
for one, two, three, four-parts and Continuo
Instrumental Works 2
for: Voice(s), instrument(s)
Set of parts
Item no.: 644636
10. Voi pur da me partite, anima dura
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1204117
2. Cor mio, mentre vi miro
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1204131
9. Donna, nel mio ritorno il mio pensiero
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1204141
Tientos, Fantasias and Glosas Book 2 Part 1
for: Vihuela [guitar]
Music score
Item no.: 1204151
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. Sämtliche Orgel- und Clavierwerke 1,2
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Organ [harpsichord]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1669639
Masses
Early English Church Music 24
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 769216
in Festo omnium sanctorum
aus: Hymni totius anni, Rom 1631
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAAB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 5413
Novello Tudor Anthems
for: Viol[Sextet]
Book
Item no.: 898735
Psalm 111
for: 2. Capellchor (SMezAB)
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 878133
BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: 3. Viola
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 879186
Collection Novus
for: 4 brass instruments
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1024134
Dowland, Morley, Hume, Anonymus für 3 Gitarren
for: 3 guitars
3 Performance scores
Item no.: 1660676
from "Obras de Musica"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 728095
Tu as tout seul, Jan
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1039594
Vere languores
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1039540
Psalm 25
aus dem "Hugenottenpsalter"
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1677145
Werke für Gamben oder Blockflöten
for: 5 Streicher oder 5 Blockflöten (SATTB) und Basso continuo (Laute, Noten und Tabulatur; Cembalo, Orgel)
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1545294
für vier Stimmen (Instrumente) und Orgel
aus Promptuarium harmonicum
for: Flexible ensemble (5 voices)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 663324
("Mein junges Leben hat ein End")
for: 4 recorders (SAAT)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 748806
Klassik
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 643957
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 859957
for: Trumpet, piano
Instrumental Solo & Piano Accompaniment
Item no.: 1050562
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1315043
for: 4 trombones, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1271978
for: 4 trombones, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1271977
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