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stile antico

music
Also known as: prima prattica

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The term stile antico refers to the standard polyphonic style of 16th-century church music, which continued to be employed in the 17th century. This style is also known as prima prattica. It contrasts with stile moderno (seconda prattica), the new theatrical style that emerged from Italy in the 17th century, characterized by innovations like monody and basso continuo. While stile antico was defended by composers for its purity in sacred texts, stile moderno represented a significant shift in musical composition, expanding the musical vocabulary and evolving tonal organization.1234

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