Final answer:
The growth of large-scale choral works was influenced by the widespread distribution of music via the Gutenberg press, a flourishing music education system, and improved musical instruments during the Industrial Revolution, all underpinned by an aesthetic shift towards more complex polyphony in the Renaissance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The growth of large-scale choral works was linked to several developments during the Renaissance period. The invention of the Gutenberg press played a vital role in the dissemination of music and musical theory, allowing for broader distribution and thus increased demand. The rise of the bourgeoisie and a greater number of public concerts meant a wider audience was available who sought entertainment and also participated in music making as educated amateurs.
Social and technological advancements, such as the stability in the Low Countries, led to a flourishing system of music education that produced skilled singers and composers. Additionally, the improvement of musical instruments during the Industrial Revolution meant composers could write more complex and compelling pieces. Wind instruments became more reliable, and the piano, with its improved mechanics, became central to Romantic music, further stimulating the composition of large-scale works.
Lastly, the aesthetic evolution in music, particularly the transition to more elaborate polyphony and the increased importance of the interval of the third in the early Renaissance, laid the groundwork for the complexity that large-scale choral works would require. This shift facilitated the combination of multiple independent voices, which became a characteristic feature of choral compositions in periods following the Renaissance.