reniassance
enaissance music 1400–1600
The recordings you can listen to on this page are featured throughout the Museum's Medieval & Renaissance galleries and complement significant objects in the collection. The recordings were made by the Royal College of Music especially for the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries thanks to an award from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Ivory comb with scene of lovers in a garden, Paris, France, 1325-50. Museum no. A.560-1910
Ivory comb with scene of lovers in a garden, Paris, France, 1325-50. Museum no. A.560-1910
O Rosa bella
Songs which reflected the heartbreak and pain of love were extremely popular in the 14th and 15th centuries.This one, O Rosa bella (O Lovely Rose), describes courtly love, a formalised secret passion between aristocrats that was both erotic and spiritual, even morally uplifting. This type of song was first written in the 12th century by the troubadours; aristocratic poets of southwest France.
The music for O Rosa bella was written around 1400 by Johannes Ciconia, a Franco-Flemish composer, who worked mainly in Italy. The original singers were probably soloists from the court chapel or cathedral choir. In this recording the piece is performed with two male voices accompanied by a lute. This recording was made by the Royal College of Music especially for the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries thanks to an award from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Download: mp3 | ogg View transcript
Detail of chancel chapel from Santa Chiara, about 1493–1500. Museum no. 7720-1861
Detail of chancel chapel from Santa Chiara, about 1493–1500. Museum no. 7720-1861
Jesu Corona Virginum
Jesu Corona Virginum was sung by an order of nuns known as the Poor Clares. The chancel chapel illustrated here was once part of one of their convent churches, Santa Chiara (St Clare) in Florence. While the Poor Clares isolated themselves from the
The recordings you can listen to on this page are featured throughout the Museum's Medieval & Renaissance galleries and complement significant objects in the collection. The recordings were made by the Royal College of Music especially for the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries thanks to an award from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Ivory comb with scene of lovers in a garden, Paris, France, 1325-50. Museum no. A.560-1910
Ivory comb with scene of lovers in a garden, Paris, France, 1325-50. Museum no. A.560-1910
O Rosa bella
Songs which reflected the heartbreak and pain of love were extremely popular in the 14th and 15th centuries.This one, O Rosa bella (O Lovely Rose), describes courtly love, a formalised secret passion between aristocrats that was both erotic and spiritual, even morally uplifting. This type of song was first written in the 12th century by the troubadours; aristocratic poets of southwest France.
The music for O Rosa bella was written around 1400 by Johannes Ciconia, a Franco-Flemish composer, who worked mainly in Italy. The original singers were probably soloists from the court chapel or cathedral choir. In this recording the piece is performed with two male voices accompanied by a lute. This recording was made by the Royal College of Music especially for the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries thanks to an award from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Download: mp3 | ogg View transcript
Detail of chancel chapel from Santa Chiara, about 1493–1500. Museum no. 7720-1861
Detail of chancel chapel from Santa Chiara, about 1493–1500. Museum no. 7720-1861
Jesu Corona Virginum
Jesu Corona Virginum was sung by an order of nuns known as the Poor Clares. The chancel chapel illustrated here was once part of one of their convent churches, Santa Chiara (St Clare) in Florence. While the Poor Clares isolated themselves from the