Bicinium

A Bicinium (plural Bicinien ) is usually a vocal composition for two voices, from the duo and duet developed. Today, the term is also used more for all the music of the Renaissance and Baroque, which is set for two voices or instruments.

However, whereas in modern music unaccompanied duets are rare, the older a cappella composition, the Bicinien used quite often, especially in Germany, the Netherlands and Italy, where one quickly recognized the educational value of Bicinien.

The term Bicinium first appears in an essay by Jan z Lublina 1540. Bicinien were used as teaching material for the music and for the Psalms, where usually two students aufführten, rare student and teacher. This describes Martin Luther and so many Bicinien are part of the Protestant hymns.

A master of this musical genre was Orlando di Lasso. An anthology with easily playable Bicinien for 2 instruments (violins, flutes) published Erich Doflein ( Bicinien, 20 two-part fantasies, Mainz 1960).