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.
aus "Jane Pickering's Lute Book" (1616)
for: 2 guitars
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1433
for: Harpsichord [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1154
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Organ manuals [harpsichord/piano]
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 686609
Complete Guitar Works - Urtext for Guitar Volume 1
New Revised Edition
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 682558
Suiten Nr. 7 (c-moll/C-dur) und 8 (d-moll) (komplett) (complete)
for: Descant (soprano) recorder [tenor recorder], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 210187
Aus "Premier livre de tabulature de guiterre"
Paris 1551. Tabulatur-Reproduktion mit Übertragung
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 433986
Pieces from the 16th to the 18th Century
New Edition in one volume
for: Treble recorder
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 351620
d'intavolatura di cembalo e organo (1627-1637)
Girolamo Frescobaldi – Opere Complete III
Monumenti Musicali Italiani V
for: Harpsichord [organ]
Music score
Item no.: 694476
The Platinum Series
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 486360
Zeitschrift für Spielmusik
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, harpsichord
Ensemble score
Item no.: 215179
One Smiling Summer Morning
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 907747
Early Recorder Music by G.P. Cima & G. Frescobaldi for Descant (Soprano) Recorder and basso continuo
DOWANI 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 491047
Eine Satzlehre zur Vokalpolyphonik des 16. Jahrhunderts
dritte Auflage 2016
Music lesson book (hardcover)
Item no.: 361277
for: Choral
Item no.: 1374786
Harmonia-Womens Choir
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 915914
aus: "Il quarto libro de varie sonate, sinfonie, gagliarde, corrente, e brandi"
Venedig, 1626
for: 2 violins [recorders/cornets], basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 4654
Introitus zum Fest Allerheiligen
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); basso continuo ad lib.
Score, part (pdf download)
Item no.: 2978
for: Guitar [lute]
Music score
Item no.: 260498
aus: "Ricercari a due voci"
eingerichtet für zwei Blockflöten
for: 2 recorders (AT)
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 6349
for: Trumpet, trombone, organ
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418002
from "The Second Booke of Songes or Ayres ..."
arranged for recorder quartet
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 3412
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. Sämtliche Orgel- und Clavierwerke 1-4 | BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Organ manuals [harpsichord/piano]
Spielpartitur, Sammelband, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 558804
from "Lachrimae, or seaven teares figured in seaven passionate pavans ..."
arranged for recorder quintet
for: 5 recorders (SAATB)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 3064
für hohe Singstimme (Sopran/Tenor) und Basso Continuo
Cantio Sacra 75
for: Voice (high), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 281997
Ausgewählt und für den praktischen Gebrauch herausgegeben
for: 2 voices (medium), organ [piano]
Music score
Item no.: 385262
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Organ manuals [harpsichord/piano]
4 music scores (Urtext)
Item no.: 582227
for five instruments
Thesaurus Musicus 32
for: Flexible ensemble (5 voices)
5 playing scores
Item no.: 292156
Renaissance Masters
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 898013
1600
With Lute Tablature
for: Voice, guitar [lute]
Music score
Item no.: 142178
for: 5 recorders (SAATB)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 740600
Masters of the North German School for Organ 36
111 four-part Chorale Settings for Organ or Keyboard
for: Organ manuals [piano]
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 638839
for: Organ
Organ score, Piano score
Item no.: 378931
Tänze des 16. Jahrhunderts für 5 Blockflöten
for: 5 recorders (SATTB)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 182048
Die Tabulatur 8
Ausgewählte Werke in ihrer Originalnotation mit Übertragungen für Laute und Gitarre
for: Lute [guitar]
Music score (with TABs)
Item no.: 338621
Renaissance Music Prints 6
for: 2 melodic instruments
Score
Item no.: 462312
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 765665
aus: "Tabulatura / Darinnen Etzliche Präludia, Toccaten und Couranten uff das Clavir gesetzt"
Leipzig, 1645
for: Organ [harpsichord]
Sheet music
Item no.: 5272
Zeitschrift fuer Spielmusik
for: 2 recorders
Ensemble score
Item no.: 414040
for: 4 cellos
Score, Parts
Item no.: 464492
Just Brass 1
for: Brass ensemble (5 parts)
Score (C), Parts
Item no.: 279933
Bach-Choral
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1543357
for: 5 recorders (SSATB)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 355345
for: 5 recorders (SAATB)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 355333
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 113376
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 112924
aus: Primo Libro di Duo cromatici … da cantare et sonare
Venedig, 1545
for: 2 violins [recorders/flutes/oboes]
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 5786
for: Voice (mezzo-soprano/baritone), 2 violins [2 recorders]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 633042
aus: Fantasie Ricercari Contrapunti a tre voci
Venedig, 1559
eingerichtet für Blockflötentrio
for: 3 recorders (ATB)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 5861
There is a separate Stretta website for the country Worldwide. If your order is to be delivered to this country, you can switch, so that delivery times and shipping conditions are displayed correctly. Your shopping cart and your customer account will remain the same.
switch to Stretta Music Worldwidestay on Stretta Music Denmark