Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

Both sacred and secular music has undergone many changes throughout history to adapt to people’s interests and tastes. Sacred music can be defined simply as music for prayer and worship. Conversely, secular music is music for entertainment. Both sacred and secular music date back to the creation of man. Traditionally, when asked to think about sacred music, many people associate it with its early works. An example of this is the Gregorian Chant, which dates back to approximately 650 AD. This type of music had no definite rhythm and was monographic, that is, a single melody sung in unison. Music changed throughout time as human beings became more advanced. Sacred music progressed greatly during the Renaissance because the church employed most of the great composers of that era. Josquin Des Prez was one of the most influential musicians of this time period. He preferred a polyphonic style, in which multiple melodies occur simultaneously. In addi