Notre Dame School (jan 1, 1160 – jan 1, 1250)

Description:

Development of polyphony via organum (parallel doubling sung at perfect intervals) in 12th century Paris. Leonin and Perotin are critical composers as detailed in the treatise by Anonymous IV.

Paris was the intellectual capital of the world. It saw sacred music education move from the monasteries to the cathedral(s).

In Notre Dame organum:
a. The texture includes three- and four-voice settings. Four voices is an
amazing compositional feat at this time and is reserved for a few special occasions.
b. Notre Dame organum exploits both note-against-note styles and florid
organum. In the latter, the tenor sometimes lasts a minute or more, producing an effect that
sounds like a drone.
c. The rhythm of Notre Dame organum is notated, as well as the pitch.
d. The copyists attempted to provide polyphonic music for the entire
calendar or feast days.

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