Transcript Intro to Music History: Lesson 1

What is Music ?

an artistic form of auditory communication
incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a
structured and continuous manner.

IN PLAIN WORDS….the sounds produced by
singers or musical instruments.
Origins of Music History
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There are six periods of music
Each music period has a particular style of
music that has greatly contributed to what
music is today
Music History Timeline
1
2
3
4
5
6
• Medieval/Middle Ages (500-1400)
• Renaissance (1400-1600)
• Baroque (1600-1750)
• Classical (1750-1825)
• Romantic (1825-1910)
• 20th Century (1910-2000)
Medieval Ages
Music Timeline (500-1400)
Pic Credit - Replica of the helmet found at Sutton Hoo, in the burial of an Anglo-Saxon leader, probably a king,
about 620 in the Early Middle Ages[1]
Medieval Music Advancements
 Musical notation began
 Birth of polyphony
Early music notation
Monophonic and Polyphonic

Music of this time is categorized into
monophonic and polyphonic styles

Monophonic means one note at a time

Polyphonic means two or more different
notes at the same time.
Plainchant (or Gregorian Chant)

What is it?

Definition: a form of medieval church
music that involves chanting

It was the only type of music allowed in
Christian churches early on

It was believed that music should make
a listener receptive to spiritual
thoughts and reflections
Plainchant Music
The Introit, scripted in “neumes” in the 14th—15th century
Gregorian Chant
 As singers continued experimenting with melodies, polyphony
became more elaborate and complex
Major instrument of the time:
The Lute
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is shaped like a pear
a short neck, a sound hole carved with a rose
pattern
strings that varied in numbers
early lute is the peg box which was angled back
Re naissance
Music Timeline (1400-1600)
 Renaissance or "rebirth," a period of significant changes in
history, including music
Humanism in Music

A new philosophy called “humanism” developed in
Italy

It emphasized that life should be viewed as a
preparation for death
 Dutch composers and musicians
were arranged to teach and
perform in Italian courts
 The invention of printing helped
spread these new ideas
Instrumental Music

By the second half of the 1500s instrumental
music began to take shape

The lute was widely used at that time

Eventually mixed instruments were used
Mixed instruments are played
Renaissance Musical Instruments

The Shawm
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The Dulcian
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The Trumpet
The Shawm

Has a conical bore

It has 7 to 8 finger holes

At the end of the bore is a large
bell

Was mostly used in outdoor
ceremonial events
Dulcian

The dulcian is a predecessor of the shawm

A precursor of the bassoon

Dulcians are easier to transport than the
shawm due to its smaller size

Dulcians produce sound that is less piercing
than the shawm
Trumpet
The most commonly used is the B flat trumpet
 There is also the C, D, and E-flat and piccolo trumpet

Baroque
Music Timeline (1600-1750)

“Baroque" comes from the Italian word "barocco" which
means bizarre (very strange)
Baroque Advancements:

A time when composers experimented with form,
styles and instruments.

The development of opera and instrumental
music

The violin was also considered an important
musical instrument during this time
Venice and the Opera
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In 1573, a group of musicians and intellectuals came together to
discuss various subjects
This group of individuals are known as the “Florentine Camerata”,

The composer Claudio Monteverdi was an important
contributor, specifically his opera ”Orfeo”; the first opera to
gain public welcome
Classical
Music Timeline (1750-1825)
 It is characterized by simpler melodies such as the sonatas.
 The primary instrument is piano
Major Composers of the Period
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Franz Joseph Haydn
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Ludwig van Beethoven
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Giuseppe Verdi
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Antonio Vivaldi
Piano
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Bartolomeo Cristofori created
around 1709 in Florence.
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Changes in his early invention
became the basic of the modern
piano.

Very popular in the mid-18th century
Romantic
Music Timeline (1825-1910)
 Characterized by using music to tell a story or express an
idea
 the use of various instruments including wind instruments
What is Romanticism?

A concept that included different art forms
from music to painting to literature.

During the 19th century, Vienna and Paris
were the centers of musical activity
The Flute
The Saxophone
The Tuba
th
20
Century
Music Timeline (1910-2000)
 brought about many innovations on how music was
performed and appreciated
 used technology to enhance compositions
20th Century Music
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is defined by the sudden emergence of
advanced technology
no longer limited to concerts, opera-houses,
clubs, and domestic music-making
Rock and roll

Often written as rock & roll or rock 'n' roll

Evolved in the United States during the late
1940s and early 1950s
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Combination of African American blues,
country, jazz and gospel music.
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Either the piano or saxophone was often the lead instrument
Generally replaced by guitar in the middle to late 1950s
Now more commonly called simply "rock music" or "rock".
Hip Hop Music
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also called rap music
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consisting of a stylized rhythmic music
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commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic
and rhyming speech that is chanted
Music Education : http://musiced.about.com/
Medieval : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_music
Renaissance : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_music
Baroque : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque_music
Classical : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_period_(music)
Romantic : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_music
20th Century : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th-century_classical_music