Which term denotes 14th-century music?

• A. Ars Antiqua
• B. Bagatelle
• C. Baroque Period
• D. Ars Nova

Answer: (D)

Ars Nova is the term that denotes 14th-century music. This label marks a shift from the earlier Ars Antiqua, highlighting new approaches to rhythm and notation that emerged in France during the 14th century. Composers began using more precise mensural notation and developed greater rhythmic variety, allowing independent voices to move with greater complexity. The idea of a “new art” fits the 14th-century innovations, which set it apart from the 13th-century Ars Antiqua and from later periods. Bagatelle is simply a small, light piece and isn’t tied to a specific era, and the Baroque Period refers to the 17th–18th centuries. So the term that accurately names 14th-century music is Ars Nova.