Page 37 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

EARLY MUSIC 1000–1400 35

lesser entertainers were manifold, is the main surviving source of Medieval instruments
and their activities were varied. In goliard song. The title ménestrel
southern Europe, a musician might (minstrel) meanwhile refers to Many of the instruments
go by the title of joglar or joglaresa, one who is a “little minister,” in associated with European
medieval music have their
while their northern counterparts service perhaps at court, or to roots in North Africa, Central
were called jongleurs. The skillsets a city. Armed with finely honed Asia, and the Balkans. These
of these musicians encompassed musical skills and a claim to a included the lute (a string
feats of dexterity, fluency in any patron’s protection, a minstrel instrument with a back
instrument required for dancing, might hope to escape some of shaped like the shell of a
singing songs of love and heroes, the opprobrium that was often tortoise), the rebec (a spoon-
or simply playing the fool. Yet, levelled at a jongleur. By the shaped bowed instrument),
in spite of the joy they brought, 14th century, however, the term and the shawm, the precursor
itinerant entertainers were not ménestrel was increasingly used of the oboe. The European
only on the lowest rung of the social in France as a term to describe all tabor (drum) is akin to the
order but were also outside of the urban musicians—many of whom Indian tabla while nakers
protection of the law. One example played in taverns or on the streets. were related to the Asian
of joglar song is the work of Martin naqqara (kettledrums). The
Codax (c.1250), written in the style Songs in German English word “fanfare”
of cantiga de amigo, a genre that The genre of courtly love extended probably derived from Arabic
anfar, meaning trumpets.
told stories from a woman’s point all the way from Latin Europe to the Early poets often
of view. Codax, for example, evoked German-speaking peoples, where accompanied themselves on
the emotions of a woman left on the the Minnesinger sang songs about the vielle, a bowed string
shore in Vigo (a fishing town in chivalric romances. Like his French instrument supported on the
Galicia, Spain), waiting for her counterpart, the Minnesinger was collarbone. A vielle could have
beloved to come home from sea. normally welcome in noble houses anywhere from three to six
as a social equal, and examples of strings passing over a flat
Tavern players early Minnelieder (“love songs”) bridge, or string support. This
Another type of medieval musician suggest that trouvère songs were favored a harmonic style of
at this time, the goliards, had a lot in known in Germany. By 1200, the playing with many strings
common with traveling musicians, style asserted a stronger identity sounding at once—unlike the
but were, in fact, unemployed characterized by the work of Walther arched bridge of the modern
clerics known for playing bawdy von Vogelweide—but, compared to violin, which allows individual
songs in taverns that satirized the works from Spanish and French strings to be sounded, thus
favoring melody.
society at all levels. The Carmina traditions, few Minnelieder survive
Burana Manuscript (c.1200–1300) with contemporary melodies. ■

Europe’s secular
music-makers

Musicians fitted
into distinct
categories that
were defined by Troubadours Poets and Jongleurs Low-born Goliards Traveling Minstrels Musicians
songsters who were former
itinerant storytellers,
composers who performed
who initially performed
social status songs for the nobility that jugglers, and acrobats, clerics. They often sang for the nobility and later
and their typical were inspired by the who also danced bawdy and satirical verses on street corners and in
audience. culture of courtly love. and sang. in Latin “a cappella.” public taverns.

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