“Why should the devil have all the good tunes?” In my last entry, I made a casual reference to the great reformer Martin Luther. Luther finds his way into much of my thinking, having studied his religious texts across two years and four classes at Duke. Yet more than the percussive sounds for which he … Continue reading Renaissance Music IV: Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Author: ethanlitwin
Life-long New Yorker. Graduate of Duke University and Georgetown Law. Solicitor of England and Wales. Recognized by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, Global Competition Review, Super Lawyers and others as one of the leading antitrust litigators in the United States. Former Chairman and current Board member of Gingold Theatrical Group. Former Young Patron Board member at the Met Opera.
Renaissance Music III: Josquin des Prez (1450-1520)
Josquin des Prez was the best composer of his time, with a gift for melody that surpassed his peers. Beginning with Josquin, musical evolution begins in earnest. Why? Look no further than Guttenberg—and you thought that was important only for bibles (spoiler alert). His printing press, quickly employed to print sheet music, disseminated musical ideas … Continue reading Renaissance Music III: Josquin des Prez (1450-1520)
Renaissance Music II: The Origin of Popular Music
As Simon and Garfunkel and other 20th century pop bands have taken a bow in this blog, a few words about popular music are warranted—popular music would play an increasing role in the development of music, surpassing the importance of what I call “formal music” for much of the 20th century. Finding its origin in … Continue reading Renaissance Music II: The Origin of Popular Music
Renaissance Music I: John Dunstable (1390-1453)
It was the English composer John Dunstable who introduced the third to music, creating the unique color palette that allowed Western music to flourish. In short, a "third" is simply the third note above the root note: If your root note is a C, the third interval is an E. Thirds are referred to in … Continue reading Renaissance Music I: John Dunstable (1390-1453)
Revolutionaries
The development of harmony, the ratios of vibration that introduce degrees of dissonance into music, evolved out of the organum of the late 10th and 11th centuries. While credit for this development is unquestionably shared by many composers of the age, let’s focus on two. Hildegard of Bingen was by any measure a remarkable woman. … Continue reading Revolutionaries
A Gertus History of Music 