Intro to Music History
7 Periods of Music History
Ancient Medieval Renaissance Baroque Classical Romantic Modern
Ancient Period
This term refers to the music of the Ancient civilizations (Greece, Rome, Babylon, Mesopotamia, et cetera. Very little is known about the music of these civilizations, but it is certain that music played a part in their lives. How can historians know anything about music from these cultures?
Music
is an integral part of every African individual from birth.
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Characteristics of African Music *Percussive (striking, plucking, beating sounds) *Polyrhythms (more than one rhythm at same time) *Call and Response *Syncopation (accent on the unexpected beat or between beats) *Improvisation (composed on the spot) *Chants
Purposes of Music
Social/Recreational
Music and dance that is spontaneous and full of improvisation
Ceremonial
Music and dance done to recognize the occasion; Can vary each time it is performed
Artistic
Music and dance that has a choreographer who has decided what to do and when; Performed on stage
Ritual
Music and dance that has to be done the same way each time it is performed
Ceremonial/Ritual
Crowning a new king Weddings Birth
Funerals Puberty Just about any major milestone in a persons life
Entertainment
Songs are sung about all aspects of life planting, hunting, weather, birth, death just about anything.
Drums are among the most important art forms in Africa, used both as a musical instrument and as a work of sculpture significant in many ceremonial functions, including dance, rituals, story-telling and communication of messages.
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Ancient Oriental/Eastern Music
Characteristics: *Otherwordly sounds *Narrow range of pitches *Nature Sounds *Flowing, diffusion of form *Exotic, rich harmonies *Appeals to the senses
Music of Ancient Greece and Rome
Archaeological evidence and written accounts, both historical and literary, show that music was vital to ancient Greek and Roman cultures. All men were taught music. Pythagorus- There is a connection between music and math. There is a numerical, measurable distance between the pitches.
Ancient Greek and Roman Instruments
Medieval Period
800 1300 C.E. Gregorian Chant (Named for Pope Gregory who categorized and catalogued the chants) Vocals only Important to worship/prayer Beginnings of Notation all handwritten
Medieval Notation
Renaissance
Renaissance Period 1300-1600 C.E. All music can be broken down into two main divisions Sacred and Secular Sacred having to do with religion Secular having nothing to do with religion Layering of melodies that resembled harmonies
Baroque
*Baroque Period -1600-1700 C.E. *Music resembled artwork in many ways: large, excessive (long compositions for larger ensembles) *Ornate-runs, rich chords, large range of pitches *Dramatic *Tension, energy- notes that seem to strain against one another, can feel the pull in tempos *Major Composers J.S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and G.F. Haendel
Bachs own Handwriting
Bach: Fugue in D Minor
*You are listening to Fugue in D Minor *Fugue (means flight) *One melody chasing the other *Canon- two or more melodies played at the same time, forward-backward-inverted
Opera
*Literally means a complete work *Aria- solo, gives little information, more introspective *Recitative- solo, almost spoken, develops a large piece of information *Chorus- hammers home the message
Handel The Messiah
*An oratorio- like an opera without the actors. *First major piece written in English *Commissioned for the opening of a hospital. *Dramatic- tells the story of Jesuss life *Tension and energy- listen as the voices build in dynamics and tempo *Large, excessive- over two hours long, many notes and works, quick tempo *Ornate- chords and melodies layered on top of each other *Contrast- Listen as the deep voices contrast with the high tenors and sopranoslisten for the deep horns against the high strings, listen to the solos vs. the chorus
Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
*The seasons painted through music *List sights and sounds of the season as you listen to the piece
Classical
Classical Period 1700-1800 C.E. This music has endured through the ages. There is logic, predictable order, structure that is not hidden, balanced. There is a great reliance on the rules, yet much freedom in composition. Form- the way the music is structured/formed Music was HOMOPHONIC- one voice stronger than the others Major Composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn
Mozart 40th Symphony
Mozart- child prodigy, wrote over 700 compositions, the first at age 3 Structure *1st Movement- theme introduced, varies, them (tune repeatedallegro) *2nd Movement (them introduced, varies, repeats- andante) *3rd Movement (theme introduced, varies, repeats, dance-like) *4th Movement (theme introduced, varies, repeats, allegro, same as 1st movement)
Romantic Period 1800-1900 C.E. Musicians making a living on their own now. Major Composers Ludwig von Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Peter Tchaikovsky, Johannes Brahms Music about something Where classicism is reserved, romanticism lets the emotions free
Romantic
Beethovens 6th Symphony
German Adds 5th movement 1st Movement (The Shepherds Song- the exhilaration of a day spent in the country) 2nd Movement (a brook as it trickles and flows- listen for instruments that sound like birds) 3rd Movement (scherzo-playful- a peasant hoedown dance) 4th Movement (short, a storm that interrupts the quiet summer day) 5th Movement (returns to the 1st movement)
Beethovens 9th Symphony: Ode
to Joy
*Men throughout the world are brothers *Text comes from the words of a poem by Frederich Schiller *Dedicated to the men who fought and gave their lives in the French Revolution *Call for men to unite in the cause of the common men of Franceindependence *Beethoven was completely deaf when he composed this symphony
Victor Hugos Les Miserables
*Do you hear the people sing? The call to unite in the cause of the common men of France- independence. *Grew up as an Army brat *Rode the train to and from visits with his father, a military officerhe saw the living conditions of the common men of France. He was sympathetic to their cause. This novel grew out of this experience.
Impressionism: Claude Debussy Claire de Lune
*Musician counterpart of Money *Music of the understatement *Compare to Monets paintings
Monet
*Subject matter is limited *Narrow color range *Oriental flowers/gardens *Rich colors *Forms fade out with no rough diffusion of form *Movement is sensed *Subject matter *Appeals to senses
Debussy
*Melodies are short *Notes are in a narrow range *Have exotic harmonies *Rich layers of sound *Notes blend edges together *No stiffness-notes move up/down *Subject matter *Appeals to senses
