I need a reflection paper about 900 words for humanities. I have also attached instructuons and summary of chapters if you might need it. The book that is being taught in the class is the creative impulse 8th ed.

The Middle Ages

Chapters 7, 8, and 9

After reading chapters 7, 8, and 9, you should be able to achieve the following student learning outcomes:

A. Be able to explain monasticism and its effect upon medieval Europeans. B. Know about Charlemagne and his political and cultural impact during the

“Carolingian Renaissance.” C. Understand the institution of feudalism. D. Know what is meant by the Romanesque style of architecture. E. Be able to list and discuss the components of the Mass as well as the

evolution of medieval music from chant to polyphonic organum. F. Identify major works of Latin, German, English, and French medieval

literature. G. Be able to explain why Europe experienced a resurgence of cities. H. Describe the rise of the middle class and their relationship to the

monarchy. I. Know about chivalry and the differences between it and feudalism. J. Be able to discuss aspects of the Crusades. K. Be able to explain the rise of universities. L. Understand the symbolism in Gothic architecture, sculpture and painting. M. Identify the changes that came over music in the Middle Ages. N. Know how theatre was employed to instruct medieval Europeans. O. Be able to explain why the work of Petrarch and Boccaccio provided a

transition from Medieval to Renaissance literature. P. Know why sculpture and painting became more emotional during the late

Middle Ages. Q. Be able to discuss the role played by women mystics in the late Middle

Ages.

As usual, look over the Outline, View and Key Terms for each chapter discussed in this lecture.

The Dark Ages, barbarians, Crusades, plague, gargoyles, Last Judgment, the end of the world. While all of these things are ideas often associated with the Middles Ages or Medieval Period, you’ll probably find more of them in classic and “B” horror films than you will in the Middle Ages. There’s a lot of information in these three chapters because a lot of good, artistic stuff happened in the Middle Ages. As a matter of fact, so much did happen during this time that this vast era has been divided in several sub-periods:

1. Early Christian, 200 - 550 2. The “Dark Ages,” 550 - 750 3. Carolingian and Ottonian, 750 - 1000 4. Romanesque, 1000 - 1150 5. Gothic and High Gothic, 1150 - 1300 6. Late Gothic, 1300 - 1500

Although all three chapters are discussed in one lecture, each chapter does have its own assignment. Be certain to do each assignment for each chapter.

Here's a Gothic floor plan with the parts identified. Sometimes the chevettes are called apsidals because the whole rounded end is called the apse. The altar would be in the choir area. The choir stalls would be off to the sides. Beginning on p. 254 in the text, you will read about one of the most famous Gothic churches, Notre Dame de Chartres.

Music in the Middle Ages: By this time music can be divided into sacred music (music of the church) and secular music (music of the people.)

Sacred Music

Go to Unit Content and scroll down to the very bottom of the page to Music Related to the Text and listen to Track 4. It is called Gregorian Chant. The particular prayer being sung is called a Kyrie. The Kyrie is the oldest prayer to be included in what today we call the Mass. The Mass is just a group of prayers. When the prayers are sung it is called High Mass and when the prayers are spoken it is called Low Mass. Generally you will hear Low Mass or just the Mass. Music is usually used for special occasions. The Kyrie is such an old prayer that it is not even in Latin. Most people don’t know that. Now you do. The Kyrie, spoken or sung, uses Greek words. There are only six words in any Kyrie. You can sing them or say them as long as you want but there are only six words.

Kyrie eleison which means God have mercy. Christi eleison which means Christ have mercy. Kyrie eleison is then repeated again.

Just those six words. The Kyrie, or any other prayer or part of the Mass, can be done in many styles but with only those words.

In Pope Gregory I’s time, (540-604) he began to organize the melodies and texts of the early church and that is why we often hear the term Gregorian chant. Gregory did not write these chants he just used the organization of the church to pull these melodies and texts together for the first time. You are noticing, I am sure, that this particular Gregorian chant just has one melody. That is another way of saying that everybody who sings these words with this music must do it at the same time. Everyone sings the same thing. Sometimes you hear this type of a musical texture called monophonic. Mono means the same and phonic means sound. Monophonic music is music in which everyone sings or plays the same notes at the same time. Sacred music was like this for a long time. Remember that the words are the most important part. The music was only to serve as a vehicle to carry the words.

It was somewhere around the year 1000 that a new concept in music came into being. That was simply to sing and/or play two melodies at the same time. It was an idea that the people who set sacred texts to music never thought of. It was revolutionary and it started very simply. One of the voices was Gregorian chant and the second voice was a simple drone sound lower than the melody. Music with more than one sound is said to be polyphonic. Poly means many and, again, phonic means sounds. Many sounds going different directions all at the same time. Just so you will be “one up” on your car pool, I will tell you that if there are only two sounds, it is called duplum. If there are three sounds going on at the same time, it is called triplum.

An example of polyphonic sacred music is to be found on Track 5. It is the O Ecclesiah from The Lauds (praise) of Saint Ursula. It was written by a remarkable woman, named Hildegard who lived in the city of Bingen (now in Germany). Hildegard wrote literary pieces that were read by the Pope and music that was sung by nuns in the convent she founded. Her work is gaining more and more respect as time goes on. Listen to the three soprano voices sing in polyphonic style above the simple instrumental drone in the bass.

Secular Music

There are several things that differentiate secular (non-sacred) music from sacred music. Secular music is most often sung in the language of the specific area instead of being in church Latin. Music of a particular region is called vernacular when it uses local tongues instead of church Latin. Another thing that sets secular music apart from sacred music is that secular music is most often about love. There were, of course, other topics but love headed the list. Secular music of the Early Middle Ages was sung by groups like the troubadours and jongleurs in France. A distinction between the two is that jongleurs were minstrel entertainers who played and sang as opposed to the troubadours who were just considered of a higher class. You may have heard of their German counterparts who were to come in succeeding centuries called Minnesingers and Meistersingers. Even more familiar is the English and Italian madrigal singing which will includes a lot of “fa-la-la” singing and will develop in sixteenth century. You frequently hear another term of this period that refers to music without instrumental accompaniment. That term is a cappella which means without instrumental accompaniment. All of these types of predominantly vocal music are very popular today in schools, colleges and universities as well as in civic groups.

Make sure you look under "Assignment" for the exercise related to each unit—7, 8, and 9. Also, be certain to study over the Outline, View, and Key Terms at the beginning of the chapter. The test will cover Chapters 5-9, but here are some items to study in Chapters 6, 7, and 8 – The Middle Ages:

1. The terms in italics or quotations and with the pronunciations, such as feudalism. 2. All figures of art and artifacts, such as fig. 7.18 St. Sernin. 3. The late Roman empire, Dark Ages and the early Middle Ages, The High Middle

Ages and the Late Middle Ages and the people and events associated with those periods.

4. Monasticism and feudalism. 5. Charlemagne and Aachen. 6. Women and the arts. 7. Painting, sculpture, music, philosophy, literature and theatre in the Middle Ages. 8. The Romanesque and Gothic styles. 9. The Catholic Church and its role in society. 10. The rise of the universities. 11. The “Our Dynamic World” section