History of Music
Baroque Music
Notable composers
- Monteverdi - Italian consort and vocal composer
- Buxtehude - Danish organ composer
- Purcell - English choral composer
- Vivaldi - Italian strings composer
- Bach - German keyboard and choral composer
- Handel - German brass composer
General information
- Religion dominated during the Baroque period
- Composers were starting to add expression markings
- Churches were to suit the needs of the music ensembles
- Ensembles were relatively small
- Everything was very extravagant and this was reflected in the music
- Hygiene was horrendous
The Baroque orchestra
The Baroque orchestra was very small compared to modern orchestras, and typically consisted of the following instruments:
The Baroque orchestra was very small compared to modern orchestras, and typically consisted of the following instruments:
- Lute
- Organ
- Cello
- Banjo (early)
- Harpsichord
- String Quartet (violin I, violin II, viola, cello)
- Recorders
- Oboes
- Bassoon
- Trumpets (without valves)
Types of music
Like world music, there were three different purposes for music in the Baroque period:
Like world music, there were three different purposes for music in the Baroque period:
- Royal court music
- Religious music
- Folk music
Basso continuo
- Continued bass played throughout the entire piece
- Typically played by one of the following instruments: harpsichord, trumpet, organ or a bass instrument
- The basso continuo in Baroque can be compared to the part played by a bass guitar in modern music
Development of the orchestra
Although it remained relatively small and string-dominated, several instruments were added to the orchestra in the Baroque period:
Although it remained relatively small and string-dominated, several instruments were added to the orchestra in the Baroque period:
- Oboe (main woodwind instrument)
- Bassoon
- Recorder
- Flute (main woodwind instrument)
- Horn
- Trumpet (without valves)
- Timpani
Musical features
- Polyphonic texture
- Compositional devices such as repetition and sequence
- Repeated motifs
- Imitation and heavy ornamentation
- Basso continuo
- One mood throughout an entire piece of music
- Diatonic tonality - no more modes
- Energetic rhythms
- Long melodies
- Terraced dynamics
Music genres
- Oratorio: a religious opera
- Recitative: a solo voice that tells the story
- Fugue: a piece in which the main theme is repeated and developed each time - it can differ in time and pitch
- Consort: music for an ensemble of instruments of the same family
- Trio Sonata: an ensemble consisting of a harpsichord, a cello, and two violins
- Concerto Grosso: a small group of soloists accompanied by an orchestra
- Opera: a musical drama
- Mass: a religious choral piece
- Aria: a solo voice accompanied by an orchestra
- Chorus: a piece for a choir (SATB) accompanied by an orchestra
- Requiem: a funeral mass
- Cantata: a religious piece to be sung in church
- Toccata: a prelude designed to show off the performer's skills
Dance suites
- Italian Pavan: simple, duple, stately, slow
- French Galliard: simple, duple, lively, five main steps
- French Minuet: triple, small, dainty, 3/4 time signature
- French Gavotte: common time, starts on the third beat, very lively
- British Gigue: compound, duple, lively, rustic
- German Allemande: quadruple, serious, moderate speed
Classical Music
Notable composers
- Gluck - German opera composer
- Haydn - Austrian strings composer
- Mozart - Austrian piano/vocal composer
- Salieri - Italian opera composer
- Beethoven - German piano/orchestral composer
General information
- Religion was not as important anymore
- Philosophy and science became more popular
- Birth of cosmopolitism
- Art and music were simplified
- The middle class was created
The Classical orchestra
As with every musical period, the orchestra became larger in the Classical period. Strings still dominated, but other instruments were added to balance the sound. Wind instruments became more prominent than in the Baroque period, and concert halls became bigger to fit the new orchestra. The Classical orchestra consisted of the following families of instruments:
As with every musical period, the orchestra became larger in the Classical period. Strings still dominated, but other instruments were added to balance the sound. Wind instruments became more prominent than in the Baroque period, and concert halls became bigger to fit the new orchestra. The Classical orchestra consisted of the following families of instruments:
- Brass
- Percussion
- Woodwind
- Strings
- Conductor
The late Classical orchestra
Late classical composers such as Beethoven wrote music to suit their own tastes rather than those of the public. Public concerts became more popular and attendees were required to buy tickets. A bigger orchestra meant a bigger sound; the music became very dramatic and exciting with powerful and memorable themes.
Late classical composers such as Beethoven wrote music to suit their own tastes rather than those of the public. Public concerts became more popular and attendees were required to buy tickets. A bigger orchestra meant a bigger sound; the music became very dramatic and exciting with powerful and memorable themes.
The Classical symphony
The Classical symphony was an orchestral piece with four movements. The symphonic orchestra consisted of the following instruments:
The Classical symphony was an orchestral piece with four movements. The symphonic orchestra consisted of the following instruments:
- 2x flute
- 2x clarinet
- 2x oboe
- 2x bassoon
- 2x French horn
- 2x trumpet
- Timpani
- String quartet (violin I, violin II, viola, cello)
Musical features
- Diatonic tonality
- Homophonic texture
- Antecedent and consequent phrases
- Use of scalic passages
- Detailed melodies
- Alberti bass introduced
- Music was simplified, more elegant, and tidied up
- Pieces consisted of several contrasting movements
- The piano replaced the harpsichord as a solo instrument
- The sonata and sonata form were invented
- The clarinet and trombone were invented
Musical genres
- Symphony: an orchestral piece with four movements
- Concerto: a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra
- Piano trio: an ensemble consisting of a piano, violin, and cello
- String quartet: a consort consisting of two violins, a viola, and a cello
- Dance suite: a collection of dances (see Baroque Music - Dance Suites)
- Overture: a single movement piece based on a story
Minuet and Trio
A minuet and trio is a piece of music that accompanies the French minuet dance. The minuet and trio eventually became the standard third movement in the four-movement classical symphony. It normally has a 3/4 time signature, a moderate tempo, ternary structure, and a trio section that contrasts with the minuet section.
A minuet and trio is a piece of music that accompanies the French minuet dance. The minuet and trio eventually became the standard third movement in the four-movement classical symphony. It normally has a 3/4 time signature, a moderate tempo, ternary structure, and a trio section that contrasts with the minuet section.
Sonata Form
Romantic Music
Notable composers
- Chopin - Polish piano composer
- Debussy - French piano composer
- Rachmaninov - Russian piano composer
- Ravel - French piano composer
- Lizst - Hungarian piano composer
- Brahms - German symphony composer
- Mahler - Austrian symphony composer
- Dvorak - Czech symphony composer
- Schumann - German symphony composer
- Schubert - German lieder composer
- Wagner - German opera composer
- Verdi - Italian opera composer
- Puccini - Italian opera composer
- Tcharkovsky - Russian ballet composer
- Strauss II - Austrian ballroom and orchestral composer
General information
- Everything gets louder, bigger and more beautiful
- Many different musical genres
- Everything told a story (programatic)
- Diatonic harmony
- Melodic material shared around the orchestra
- Music was very expressive and was based on the feelings of the composers
- Huge orchestras
- Music started to spread throughout the world by musical tours
- Music from the past was also performed
The Romantic orchestra
The orchestra of the romantic period had a greater tessiatura than ever before. Developments in instruments created a clear tone and new instruments such as the piccolo, cor anglais, contrabassoon, trombone and more percussion. In order to fit the new orchestra, concert halls got better and ballrooms were built in order to accommodate the masses of people.
The orchestra of the romantic period had a greater tessiatura than ever before. Developments in instruments created a clear tone and new instruments such as the piccolo, cor anglais, contrabassoon, trombone and more percussion. In order to fit the new orchestra, concert halls got better and ballrooms were built in order to accommodate the masses of people.
Musical features
- More chromatic
- More dissonant (the amount of dissonance in romantic music would have been considered satanic during the Baroque period)
- Very virtuosic
- Strophic
- Nationalism within music (e.g. national anthems)
- Program music was popular
- Long lyrical melodies were full of emotion
- Many modulations and daring keys
- Quick, dramatic changes (leaps rather than steps)
- Huge range in dynamics
- Frequent tempo changes
- Changes in texture
- Through composed (melody develops with the story)
Musical genres
- Symphonic poem: larger, one movement piece based on a theme
- Programme symphony: several movements based on a story or a poem
- Incidental music: music for a drama piece, played in between acts
- Dance suite: a collection of dances (see Baroque Music - Dance Suites)
- National pride: composers used dance rhythms and tunes in order to create nationalist music
- German songs (usually for home entertainment and consisting of a single voice and a piano)
- Neo-Classical: Baroque or Classical style music composed during the Romantic period with a Romantic twist
The Waltz
Waltzes are a type of ballroom dance which were invented during the Romantic period. They are in 3/4 time and normally have a strong melody with "oom-cha-cha" accompaniment. They have regular phrases and distinct sections which introduce new melodies. They normally have a homophonic texture and there is always emphasis on the first beat of every bar. The most popular waltz composer was Johann Strauss.
Waltzes are a type of ballroom dance which were invented during the Romantic period. They are in 3/4 time and normally have a strong melody with "oom-cha-cha" accompaniment. They have regular phrases and distinct sections which introduce new melodies. They normally have a homophonic texture and there is always emphasis on the first beat of every bar. The most popular waltz composer was Johann Strauss.
The March
Marches are pieces of music composed to accompany marching or with a rhythmic character suggestive of marching. They normally have a 4/4 time signature and a very strong/clear beat with an unchanging pulse. Themes are repeated and the use of brass instruments like the trumpet is very prominent. The music is fanfare-like.
Marches are pieces of music composed to accompany marching or with a rhythmic character suggestive of marching. They normally have a 4/4 time signature and a very strong/clear beat with an unchanging pulse. Themes are repeated and the use of brass instruments like the trumpet is very prominent. The music is fanfare-like.
The German Lied
The German Lied was one of the new genres that emerged in the Romantic period: two different types of Lied were invented, both for a solo voice and a piano. The first type was strophic: the same music was repeated for every verse of the song. The second kind, through-composed, was when different music was composed to each verse throughout the song. The dramatic changes in the music were also reflected in the piano part. An important aspect of most Lieder is that the piano accompaniment was far more than a mere 'prop' for the voice. Piano and voice were equal.
The main Lied composer in the Romantic period was Schubert. He composed more than 600 songs, all of them reflecting different moods and emotions. Other Lieder composers were Schumann, Brahms, and Strauss.
The German Lied was one of the new genres that emerged in the Romantic period: two different types of Lied were invented, both for a solo voice and a piano. The first type was strophic: the same music was repeated for every verse of the song. The second kind, through-composed, was when different music was composed to each verse throughout the song. The dramatic changes in the music were also reflected in the piano part. An important aspect of most Lieder is that the piano accompaniment was far more than a mere 'prop' for the voice. Piano and voice were equal.
The main Lied composer in the Romantic period was Schubert. He composed more than 600 songs, all of them reflecting different moods and emotions. Other Lieder composers were Schumann, Brahms, and Strauss.
20th Century Music
Notable composers
- Debussy - French piano composer
- Ravel - French piano composer
- Shostakovich - Russian piano composer
- Schoenberg - Austrian serialist composer
- Stravinsky - Russian neoclassical composer
- Webern - Austrian neoclassical composer
- Prokofiev - Russian neoclassical composer
- Penderecki - Polish neoclassical composer
- Berg - Austrian neoclassical composer
- Glass - American neoclassical/minimalist composer
- Stockhausen - German electronic composer
- Riley - American electronic composer
- Cage - American electronic composer
- Reich - American electronic composer
- Copland
- Britten
- Gershwin
- Vaughan-Williams
- Walton
General information
- Percussion instruments, including the piano, dominated
- New musical techniques were invented
- Different sounds were created using everyday objects
- Electronic sounds were experimented with for the first time
- Recorded sounds were played alongside live music
- Music playback devices evolved - from the gramophone, to cassette players, to the radio
Musical features
- Music became more chromatic and dissonant
- Wide range of instruments in a larger orchestra, including the glockenspiel, xylophone and electronic instruments
- Extremes of register used
- Use of syncopation and ostinato
- Instrumentalists used advanced instrumental techniques (e.g. flutter-tonguing on the flute)
- Irregular phrase lengths became more common
- Wide leaps in music
- Clashing tonalities (atonal, bitonal and note clusters)
- Rhythm was syncopated, irregular, and included off-beat accents and polyrhythms
- The time signature and texture changed frequently
- Music was focused on rhythm, texture and timbre
Musical genres
- Minimalism: simple, repetitive music with a focus on rhythm
- Sprechstimme: simple, vocal music that sounds like a mixture of speaking and singing
- Serialist music: music based on a tone row
- Piano styles: more percussive rather than melodic; tone clusters and objects placed inside the piano were used
- Impressionism: dreamy, floaty, melodic music
- Nationalism: rhythmic patterns, meters, and tunes gave a flavor of a country (e.g. national anthems)
- Neoclassicism: classical music with a modern twist
- Aleatoric music: 'chance music' - improvised, notated music which was only heard during performance
- Jazz influence: jazz elements (lively rhythms, syncopation, blues notes, music brass) were used in music
Musical genre
Impressionism Post-modernism Neoclassicism Expressionism Jazz-Classical Minimalism |
Notable composers
Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel John Cage, Frederick Jameson Sergei Prokofiev, Igor Stravinsky Arnold Schoenberg, Anton von Webern George Gershwin, Carl Bernstein Steve Reich, John Adams |
Time period
1870 - 1920 late 1860s - present day 1918 - 1939 1918 - 1945 throughout the 20th century 1960 - 2000 |
Impressionism
A 20th century musical genre developed in France. Leading composers were Debussy and Ravel. Commonly written for flutes, clarinets, pianos, or a full orchestra. Features included syncopation, cross rhythms, and dissonant chords spread over a large tessiatura. Normally homophonic and in simple or compound time. Impressionist music may have been based on paintings and normally used a chromatic scale or whole tone scale, which made it atonal or modal.
A 20th century musical genre developed in France. Leading composers were Debussy and Ravel. Commonly written for flutes, clarinets, pianos, or a full orchestra. Features included syncopation, cross rhythms, and dissonant chords spread over a large tessiatura. Normally homophonic and in simple or compound time. Impressionist music may have been based on paintings and normally used a chromatic scale or whole tone scale, which made it atonal or modal.
Neoclassicism
A style of 20th Century music where composers imitated the Baroque & Classical styles of music but updated these styles with new harmonic devices. Composers included Stravinsky and Bartok. Commonly written for a full classical orchestra, but other ensembles could include non-traditional instrument combinations. Features included counterpoint, hemiola, syncopation, and chords altered by accidentals. Normally homorhythmic and in simple or compound time and made up of balanced phrases strung together in a scalic motion.
A style of 20th Century music where composers imitated the Baroque & Classical styles of music but updated these styles with new harmonic devices. Composers included Stravinsky and Bartok. Commonly written for a full classical orchestra, but other ensembles could include non-traditional instrument combinations. Features included counterpoint, hemiola, syncopation, and chords altered by accidentals. Normally homorhythmic and in simple or compound time and made up of balanced phrases strung together in a scalic motion.
Serialism
Twelve-tone technique - also known as dodecaphony, twelve-tone serialism, and twelve-note composition - was a method of musical composition devised by Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg. It followed some basic rules:
Serialist music always used a tone row, which made it chromatic. Normally scored for the piano.
Twelve-tone technique - also known as dodecaphony, twelve-tone serialism, and twelve-note composition - was a method of musical composition devised by Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg. It followed some basic rules:
- First note of the tone row is called the prime
- Retrograde is the music scored backwards
- Inversion is the music flipped upside down according to intervals
- Retrograde inversion is the music scored backwards and upside down
Serialist music always used a tone row, which made it chromatic. Normally scored for the piano.
Post-modernism
Post-modern music developed in the late 1960s as a result of social changes of the time. Creators of postmodern music tended to disregard formal rules that they believed constricted their creativity. It can have changing major or minor keys as well as unusual lyrics or sound effects. It attempted to blend different styles of music by using technology and non-traditional instrument combinations. Post-modern music is diatonic, with frequent changes between major and minor.
Post-modern music developed in the late 1960s as a result of social changes of the time. Creators of postmodern music tended to disregard formal rules that they believed constricted their creativity. It can have changing major or minor keys as well as unusual lyrics or sound effects. It attempted to blend different styles of music by using technology and non-traditional instrument combinations. Post-modern music is diatonic, with frequent changes between major and minor.
Minimalism
Minimalism is a style of music which originated on the West coast of America in the 1960s with composers such as Steve Reich, Terry Riley and Philip Glass. Features included layers of ostinati, constantly repeated patterns subject to gradual changes, layered textures, interlocking phrases and rhythms, counterpoint, complex contrapuntal texture, broken chords, slow harmonic changes, gradual melodic, harmonic, texture and dynamic changes, and cross rhythms. Minimalist music was usually diatonic.
Minimalism is a style of music which originated on the West coast of America in the 1960s with composers such as Steve Reich, Terry Riley and Philip Glass. Features included layers of ostinati, constantly repeated patterns subject to gradual changes, layered textures, interlocking phrases and rhythms, counterpoint, complex contrapuntal texture, broken chords, slow harmonic changes, gradual melodic, harmonic, texture and dynamic changes, and cross rhythms. Minimalist music was usually diatonic.