The DARK AGES EUROPE Before 1492

Why so Dark? -Europe ruled by monarchies and the Roman Catholic

Church -Commoners lived on land owned and\or operated by

landlords -Church provided such social services as education,

policing, and taxation -commoners were taught to obey God, obey the King’s

wishes, and pay their taxes. The commoners are not taught to read

-this system gives the church and state ultimate control of the population by keeping them ignorant and God fearing.

-Period called the “Dark Ages” because people had no education. They were kept “in the dark” about the world the they lived in.

Not Much Learning Happening

What does any of this have to do with music?

Pope Gregory believed that music had a place in the church

and introduced it in the 13th century. Invented some of the first ever methods of musical notation which have been gradually adapted to what we use today

Invented Gregorian Chant sung in Latin, only uses specific note

combinations, only sung by Monks. The music was to express the glory of and power of God.

ONLY MUSIC SANCTIONED (legal) BY CHURCH

Gregorian Chant Manuscript

Was there illegal music? Sure was! The Troubadours (troubadour is French for travelling

musician) The Troubadours sang about love, politics, and used their

music to spread local news and gossip. They travelled because their subject matter was

outlawed by the church. They were usually kicked out of town after town.

Troubadour instruments were the recorder, and early forms of the guitar. They were small and portable.

-“Ring Around The Rosy” is an old Troubadour song about the “Black Plague” that killed millions. It gave instructions as to how to diagnose the disease, how to treat it, how it spreads, and how it kills.

Troubadours

Then….Something Happened!!! in 1492… -Columbus sails the ocean

blue…..discovering the new world disproving the myth taught by the

church that the world was flat. This begins……

The Renaissance 1492-1600

Rebirth, enlightenment, interest in learning things again

-Galileo discovers the solar system disproving the myth that the earth was the centre of the universe and the stars were actually other planets, not holes in the parchment that Heaven’s divine light shone through

Old model, Galileo’s Model

Isaac Newton-

Isaac Newton discovers gravity disproving that the reason why things fell to the earth is because God didn’t want them in Heaven yet

The Printing Press

-Gutenberg invented the printing press allowing books to be printed and millions to learn how to read and write.

Shakespeare-William Shakespeare began to write plays questioning the church and the state and had them performed for hundreds at a time to see at The Globe Theatre

Martin Luther begins a new church as an alternate source of Christianity other than the Roman Catholic Church. Lutherans would inspire many alternate forms of Christianity to evolve

-M Martin Luther