Wind Instruments of the Renaissance

The Renaissance is an important time period for modern music and musical instruments. Many styles and techniques came about in this time. More importantly, most of the instruments that we see today have evolved from instruments from the Renaissance. From the year 1450 to 1550, instrumental music became very popular. Also, instruments were being used alone instead of accompanying voices. And because these instruments differed in ranges and size (i.e. soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), they …

…slide to change pitch. Whether it is the piercing sounds of the Shawn or the soft mellow tones of the Recorder, wind instruments of the Renaissance are an important part of the evolution of music during this period. The Renaissance is primarily related to the development of polyphony. Before this time, all music was purely vocal and unaccompanied. Without the creation of these instruments, music as we know it today, may not have ever existed.