In this lecture, we’ll discuss the early music of Europe, before modern ideas of harmony, key, rhythm, and instrumentation: a time dominated by peaceful, meditative vocal works. We'll discuss religious music (Gregorian chant and the interweaving melodies of Renaissance choral music), popular love songs (troubadour song and madrigal), and dance music. In a time before chords, the best songs were written by a nun, a dove, and lonely knights.