Middle Age and Dark Age Had Differences - Essay Sample

The two distinct historical eras Middle Age and Dark Age had differences in various aspects of culture such as religion, and artistic development. Substantial change is manifested in the manner of composing Catholic songs called the liturgical songs. The historical periods differed in religious messages relayed to the believers then as well as the values, beliefs and the (McIntyre 18). Whereas, Dark Age is the early part of the middle age where the intensity of the fall of Roman Empire was felt in the entire Europe.

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The developments of Middle Age liturgical musical came from the Jewish musical tradition. Later, Christians in Romans adopted the use of plainsong chanting psalms that they used in their liturgy. The new chants tended to be simple to compose at first but later in time become, more complicated (Fraser 23). The middle age music was known to be anonymous and lacked titles but was mostly known but the lyrics. During medieval, the type of music was polyphonic in the early stages but was later transformed to monophonic. This kind of music was used in church to unify the different Christian activities in the entire Europe.

In the 11th century, the Roman chants Galli can chant, as well as chants, were combined to form Gregorian chanting. The different in the liturgical during the two periods was manifested in the instruments used in the composition with Goliards introduced in the early middle age and others like troubadour and trouveres coming later during the Dark Age. The ancient liturgical songs, as well as the message carried and conveyed in the songs, have been perverted by the gross wickedness that engrossed the culture in Romans society known as cultural decadence, whereby people including spiritual leaders have indulged into immoral actions and are corrupt. Such changes in the cultural lines have culminated into the loss of confidence and trust in the Catholic liturgical music (Fraser 23).

Predestine with writers and religious societies having critics on the liturgical songs claiming that some famous Catholic songs are not only doctrinally questionable but also musically lacking. Preferably, the middle age music, artistic and architectural of the Middle Age is preferred compared to the current ones that have been distorted by the moral decay of the society (Henning 26). The significant architectural development characterized by this period was manifested in the building of religious houses, for instance, the Regensburg, and Lausanne Cathedral is among the famous architectural work during this time (McIntyre 16).

In conclusion, the ancient liturgies and polyphonic musical in the early Middle Ages are preferably perfect and impressive than the monophonic ones during the Dark Age. Additionally, the artistic and architectural developments in the early middle are more complex and have a sophisticated design.

Works Cited

McIntyre, Lee C. Dark Ages: The Case for a Science of Human Behavior. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2006. Print.

Fraser, Russell A. The Dark Ages and the Age of Gold. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2015. Internet resource.

Henning, Joachim. Post-roman Towns, Trade, and Settlement in Europe and Byzantium: Vol. 2. Berlin: W. de Gruyter, 2007. Internet resource.