How does medieval mass and renaissance mass compare to one another?

Question

Also, what were the characteristics of this type of composition and when did this type of composition flourish? 

Answer 1

Medieval masses DID use liturgical texts in the services, but not in the same manner as the Renaissance. While the Medieval masses were homophonic and sung by the cantor and church choir, this is not to say that masses themselves did not exist. The Gregorgian chants were the primary genre for this function, and choirs absolutely did sing movements like Kyrie and Agnus Dei in their mass services during the Medieval period. The ordinary prayers were used as text for the chants (and in the Renaissance mass services). The only characteristic that makes the Medieval masses different from the Renaissance services was that they were simply homophonic. In the Renaissance, the SAME liturgical texts were used in musical masses, the difference between the periods being the emergence of polyphony. Throughout the Renaissance, the stylistic characteristics of the mass changed (gradual introduction of homorhythm as opposed to imitation, increase in 3rds and 6ths, etc.), but the liturgical texts and mass movements stayed the same between the Medieval and Renaissance periods.

Answer 2

Some thing to remember about Medieval music is the influence of the Gregorian chant. The medieval mass was primarily used as a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross; there were no liturgical movements like the Kyrie or Agnus Dei as we see in Renaissance masses.

 

During the early Renaissance period there was a surge of secular songs (madrigals, secular motets, instrumental pieces not used in mass) due to the rapiddly forming musical notation system - thanks to Guido of Arezzo and the late medieval monks. The church sought to bring in more people as is mission and one way they attempted to do so was through the use of secular music use in mass, but the lyrics were changed in order to fit the mass or other service. 

 

Here are some links to check out as quotable sources:

1. http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/beginlst/nocds.html

2. http://historyofmusic.tripod.com/id8.html

 

Feel free to check the sources on this Wikipedia page: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_(music)