MUS 361 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Melodic Pattern, Tetrachord, Ritornello
Document Summary
Pointed the way to the newest medium of music, opera. Published his first set of madrigals at 17. Began his career in the renaissance style, madrigals. He frequently used dissonances and very unusual chord changes. By his 40"s he was the most celebrated composer of italy: opera. The focus of opera"s are the moments when time actually stands still and a character is allowed time to reflect upon their emotions and how they are represented musically. Opera"s were commissioned for royal weddings, births, or birthday celebrations. Weddings tended to be very long affairs at this time. Weddings could be celebrated for six months at a time. Monteverdi composed the first masterpiece of an opera. With this opera monteverdi had created an entirely new style of music, the dramma per musica, or musical drama. This idea of theatrical works set to music was taken from the notion that the ancient greeks had sung their plays.
