ars antiqua

formarz an-TEE-kwahfrom Latin

A period of medieval Western music from approximately 1170 to 1310, characterized by the development‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ of early polyphony.

In Depth

Ars antiqua, meaning "old art" in Latin, refers to the musical style that flourished in Paris and northern France during the 12th and 13th centuries.‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ This era saw the development of organum, conductus, and the early motet at the Notre Dame school, with composers like Léonin and Pérotin establishing foundations for Western polyphonic music. The term was coined retroactively by theorists of the Ars Nova period to distinguish the older style from their newer techniques. Ars antiqua music relied heavily on rhythmic modes and perfect consonances, creating a sound world quite different from later medieval music. The period represents a crucial bridge between monophonic plainchant and the complex polyphony that would follow.

Did you know?

The Notre Dame school, epicenter of ars antiqua, produced the first known named composers in Western music history — Léonin and Pérotin.

Related Terms

ars nova organum gregorian chant

More in Form

Browse all

AABA form

A 32-bar song form consisting of four 8-bar sections: two statements of the theme, a contrasting bridge, and a return

alap

The slow, meditative opening section of an Indian classical raga performance, exploring the raga without rhythm.

arch form

A palindromic musical structure that mirrors itself around a central axis, typically ABCBA

aria

A self-contained song for a solo voice, typically in an opera or oratorio.

ars nova

A musical style of the late medieval period (c. 1310–1377), notable for its rhythmic innovation and increased complexity.

bagatelle

A short, light piano piece, often of modest technical demands

bass drop

A dramatic moment in electronic music where a deep, sub-bass frequency is suddenly introduced.

binary form

A musical structure with two contrasting sections, AB.

Keep Exploring

ars nova→organum→gregorian chant→