Music in Great Nortend

Written music in Great Nortend can be traced back to 13th century religious works attributed to the monk Symond de Nollenborough; however, mentions of music date back to the 3rd century before Christ. Music has continually played an important role in Nortish culture, both in the traditional commonship through songs and dances, as well as in higher circles of professional music, and for both worldly and sacred purposes.

History

Sacred music played an important role in the development of the Nortish musical tradition. The numerous monastic houses and collegiate churches and chapels supported a strong musical culture of polyphonic anthems, hymns and settings of divine service. The earliest known Nortish works are by Symond de Nollenborough, precentor at Nollenborough Priory in the late 13th century. Two copies of Maria beata Rosa, thought to be his earliest surviving work, are extant, one in the Priory library and the other in the Royal Library.

Early secular music was performed by minstrelsingers who were employed by lords and travelled between courts singing unaccompnied songs and lyric poetry. Courtly love songs and songs of chivalrous poetry dominated, although „lighter” music was also performed, such as „Gladly is the day agone”. By the 15th century, the minstrelsingers had been ordered and gathered into recognisable guilds of professional singers who continued the traditions of the minstrels, writing verses and melodies.

The Anthord kings were great patrons of the arts, especially music, and richly endowed their chapels and courts with singers and musicians. Under the House of Anthord, Baroque music was brought to Great Nortend. Composers such as Hinde and Pennercot established the Nortish style of Baroque composition, favouring strong themes with elaborate decoration, as well as compositions for Nortish dances such as the Fowerpin and the Gaitleader.

The adoption of some Lutheran traditions in the 17th century introduced the chorale hymn in Baroque form to church music, adapted to the traditional melodies which were still prescribed. New compositions in sacred music were required to be monophonic under the new Reformed standards of music for divine service. This, and the late influence of Baroque tonality, resulted in the non-modal plainsong harmonies which is to-day the distinct hallmark of traditional Nortish church music.

Modern times

Classical music was slow to groww in Great Nortend, only noticeably developing after 1740. Only a few major Nortish composers worked during this period, and the period saw little music of much national significance. Much of the repertoire was composed for English „operatic plays”, especially by Henry Clebald and James Clarke (who composed the common setting of the national anthems, Rex lætabitur in virtute tua.

Nortish artistic music flourished during the 19th century Romantic period, such that the period is often termed the Golden Era of Nortish Music. Inspiration was drawn from the strong and varied folksong and dance traditions of the nation, using Romantic forms such “songs without words”, symphonies and song cycles. Nortish Romantic music, however, also frequently also used more Classical forms such as the concerto or sonata, with Classical progression and techniques such as themes with variation, and never strayed into atonal or „experimental” tonality.

Such Romantic composers were strongly inspired by the developing Nortish romantic nationalism, which idealised the countryside, mediaeval chivalry, courtly love and religious faith, against an industrial and bleak „modernity”.

John Christian Ferman (folk songs)

William Macker (church music)

Simon Peterson (ballets; court composer)

?? and Popular music

Styles such as jazz saw limited popularity in Great Nortend owing to the smaller size of its cities and major towns. Jazz music was seen as being unacceptably foreign in rhythm and tonality. As a result, with the rise of nationalist conservative politics, it mostly disappeared, replaced by more acceptable forms of popular music with roots in folk tunes, airs and ballads. The growing nationalist political forces also supported the flourishing of military music, especially in the early 20th century with the Great Astyrian War and the expansion of conscription and the Home Service. These took inspiration from folk songs as well, and often have romantic or “folk” style lyrics.

The growing isolationism of Great Nortend into the 20th century lent itself to the development of the Romantic style with historical influence. Composers such as George Luke Wetter, Richard Monkhouse and Rudolph de Hand-Sazingtoll returned to the „Frympeller” style characterised by the early 18th century, with a lyrical theme, for their dances and instrumental pieces. Operas and ballets continued to be written in the naturalistic Romantic style, although Romantic-era programme music tended to disappear.

To-day

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