The French word renaissance means rebirth. It was first used in 1855 by the historian Jules Michelet in his History of France, and then adopted by historians of culture, by art historians, and eventually by music historians, all of whom applied it to European culture during the 150 years spanning 1450-1600. The concept of rebirth was appropriate to this period of European history because of the renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture that began in Italy and then spread throughout Europe. Scholars and artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries wanted to restore the learning and ideals of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. To these scholars this meant a return to human—as opposed to spiritual-values. Fulfillment in life—as opposed to concern about an afterlife—became a desirable goal, and expressing the entire range of human emotions and enjoying the pleasures of the senses were no longer frowned on (不赞同). Artists and writers now turned to secular (非宗教的) as well as religious subject matter and sought to make their works understandable and appealing.
These changes in outlook deeply affected the musical culture of the Renaissance period—how people thought about music as well as the way music was composed, experienced, discussed, and disseminated. They could see the architectural monuments, sculptures, plays, and poems that were being rediscovered, but they could not actually hear ancient music—although they could read the writings of classical philosophers, poets, essayists, and music theorists that were becoming available in translation. They learned about the power of ancient music to move the listener and wondered why modern music did not have the same effect. For example, the influential religious leader Bernardino Cirillo expressed disappointment with the learned music of his time. He urged musicians to follow the example of the sculptors, painters, architects, and scholars who had rediscovered ancient art and literature. The musical Renaissance in Europe was more a general cultural movement and state of mind than a specific set of musical techniques. Furthermore, music changed so rapidly during this century and a half—though at different rates in different countries—that we cannot define a single Renaissance style.
小题1:What is the passage mainly about?
A．The musical compositions that best illustrate the developments during the European Renaissance.
B．The musical techniques that were in use during the European Renaissance.
C．The European Renaissance as a cultural development that included changes in musical style.
D．The ancient Greek and Roman musical practices used during the European Renaissance.小题2:According to the passage, Renaissance artists and writers had all of the following intentions EXCEPT _______.
A．to use religious themes
B．to express only the pleasant parts of human experience
C．to produce art that people would find attractive
D．to create works that were easily understood小题3:The word "disseminated" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _______.
A．played
B．documented
C．spread
D．ignored小题4:What can be inferred about the music of ancient Greece and Rome?
A．It expressed different ideals than classical sculpture, painting and poetry.
B．It was played on instruments that are familiar to modern audiences.
C．It had the same effect on Renaissance audiences as it had when originally performed.
D．Its effect on listeners was described in a number of classical texts.
