Music Study Guide Unit 2 - Unit 2 Sacred Music Church Music...

Unit 2
Sacred Music: Church Music
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Much of the west was involved in the church
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Europe tried to take over as much of the new world as they could
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St Augustine oldest in US
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Puritans believed in simplicity, pleasing the senses did not me pleasing God
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They were not as talented in the US so it was more communal singing
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Versification: made to fit into poetic voices so it sounds better rhythmically
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They made song books called psalters
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Ainsworth Psalter published by Reverend Henry Ainsworth in 1612. Pilgrims brought it
on the mayflower. Laid the groundwork for music in America. Size shape and usage
was typical of most. 150 songs but only 40 melodies. Where versification came in
handy. Tunes were easy to memorize, they didn’t have to read music.
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Old hundred: appeared in almost ever song book since 1500. It is a bunch of people
singing, it is very basic.
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Puritans repeated alot, It was all about the text.
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Lining Out: a singing leader would decide on a familiar tune and then call out a line
that everyone would know and the rest would join him in the song. They can repeat
every line after the person. Only one songbook was needed. It slowed the tempo of
songs, and fewer tunes could be used. Without books, tunes and texts were changed.
Now known as the old way.
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Regular Singing: was kept honest through written text and notation, It had a sense of
authority.