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.
für 7 Stimmen (5 Violinen [4 Violinen, Viola], 2 Violoncelli)
Der Streicherchor 2
for: Youth string orchestra
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 413757
for: Recorder, guitar
Ensemble score
Item no.: 413682
for: 3 recorders (ATB)
Item no.: 335451
aus: Teutsche Lieder mit dreyen Stimmen
München, 1583
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 6064
aus "Newe und lustige weltliche Deudsche Liedlein", Dresden 1570
for: Mixed choir (SAABar) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 3067
Vom Minnelied zum Bänkelsang
Audio-CD
Item no.: 246171
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 294097
Heft 1: 24 Originalsätze des 16. und 17. Jahrhunderts
for: Treble recorder [flute/violin], guitar [lute]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 419214
for: 4 euphoniums
Sheet music
Item no.: 1278888
Heft I: Canzoni 1-3
for: INST (1-4)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 413616
Überwiegend vierstimmge, einige fünf-, sechs- und achtstimmige Sätze, teilweise mit Basso continuo
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 117121
Bibliothek Alter Musik 147
for: 4 melodic instruments
4 Performance scores
Item no.: 428201
Musica Britannica 5
for: Piano [harpsichord/organ]
Music score (hardcover)
Item no.: 929383
Greensleeves to a Ground for Treble (Alto) Recorder and BC
for: Treble recorder
Buch + CD
Item no.: 369593
Volume 1
4 Part & Percussion
for: Youth concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1563567
for: AATB Recorders
Score, Parts
Item no.: 143672
for: Flute, guitar
Buch
Item no.: 143383
aus: Symphoniae Sacrae I
mit singbarem deutschem Text
for: Voice (soprano), 2 violins, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 424646
aus: Selva morale et spirituale
SV 275
Urtext
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, ATTB), basso continuo; 8 melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Set of parts
Item no.: 666995
aus: Selva morale et spirituale
SV 270
Urtext
for: Mixed choir (SSTTB) [5 voices], 2 violins, basso continuo; melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Set of parts
Item no.: 666987
aus: Psalmen Davids
for: Favoritchor AT, Flöten (2) (2 Ctto), Fagott, ST, S, Violine, Gamben (3), Basso continuo, [Chor SSATB]
Score
Item no.: 1586520
aus: Symphoniae Sacrae III
for: Favoritchor SSB, Violine, Ctto (Violine), Kontrabass, Orgel, [Complementchor SATB, 4 Instrumente]
Score
Item no.: 1586517
aus: Symphoniae Sacrae III
for: Favoritchor SSATTB, Violinen (2), Kontrabass, Orgel, [Complementchor SATB, 4 Instrumente]
Score
Item no.: 1586500
Ultima Verba Psalmi 23
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 1586483
Einzeln Überlieferte Werke Mit 1-7 Obligaten Stimmen (Gesamtausgabe Bd. 19)
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 1160946
De profundis clamavi
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1337874
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1337680
Schütz-Gesamteinspielung, Band 3
Dresdner Kammerchor – Hans-Christoph Rademann
Audio-CD
Item no.: 677181
Schütz-Gesamteinspielung, Band 18
2 Audio-CDs
Item no.: 677163
aus: Symphoniae Sacrae I
mit singbarem deutschem Text
for: Solo S, [T], 2 Violinen, , Basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 231783
aus: Psalmen Davids
Psalmkonzert
for: 2 favorit choirs (SATB, SATB), double bass, organ; 8 instruments colla parte ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 231706
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340433
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340431
Feierlicher Segen zu vier Stimmen
for: Chor SAATB, [Orgel]
Score
Item no.: 1340336
Ich will erheben deinen Ruhm
for: Gemischter Chor (SATB), SATB
Score
Item no.: 1340317
aus: Marienvesper
for: Gemischter Chor (SATB), SATB, 4, 8 Melodieinstrumente, Orgel, Basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 1340254
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340246
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340240
aus: Psalmen Davids, hiebevorn in teutzsche Reime gebracht, durch Cornelium Beckern [...]
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340213
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340148
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340123
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1340073
aus: Cantiones sacrae, Op. 4
for: Mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 1336789
aus: Geistliche Chormusik
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 1336771
aus: Geistliche Chormusik
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 1336765
aus: Geistliche Chormusik
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 1336764
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1338440
Herzlich tut mich erfreuen
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1338356