What is Frottola?
The '''frottola''' (plural: frottole) was the most popular kind of secular (non-religious) [[song]] in [[Italy]] during the late [[15th century|15th]] and early [[16th century|16th centuries]]. Frottole were quite simple and fun. They were often sung by small groups of singers. They were not [[contrapuntal]], but they had a tune in the top part while the other singers sang [[chord]]s to [[accompaniment (music)|accompany]] the tune. Sometimes they might have been sung by a [[solo (music)|solo]] voice with a [[lute]] accompaniment. The most famous composer of frottole was [[Bartolomeo Tromboncino]]. The great composer [[Josquin des Prez|Josquin]] also composed frottole, although that is not what he called them. For example, there is a well-known one called ''El Grillo'' ( [[cricket (insect)|The Cricket]]) in which the singers try to sound like the chirping of a cricket in the [[grass]]. About the year [[1530]] the frottola developed into the [[madrigal]]. [[Category:Song forms]]