BRIEF A OVERVIEW OF MUSICAL HISTORY
I. GREEK MUSIC (ca. 500-323 BC)
Myth of Orpheus
Doctrine of Musical Ethos
Greek Modes:
Dorian
Instruments:
lyre, or kithara
Gods:
Apollo (reason)
Phrygian
aulos/auloi
Dionysus (emotional abandon/frenzy)
II. ROMAN MUSIC (ca. 146 BC-476 AD)
Imitates Greeks/loud/no surviving examples
III. MIDDLE AGES: (ca. 476 -1400 AD)
Church is principal patron of all the arts
Early Middle Ages:
All music is monophonic-Gregorian chant/plainchant
Later Middle Ages:
Development of polyphony
Most important form: Mass (performed in conjunction with the Eucharist/Sacrament)
1) Proper = those portions whose text changes according to religious calendar
2) Ordinary = those sections whose text never changes
IV.
RENAISSANCE
Golden Age of [Imitative] Polyphony
Forms:
Motet = short, polyphonic vocal work for Church performance
Madrigal = vocal setting of a short secular text
Examples: Josquin des Pres, motet "Ave Maria"
Thomas Weelkes, madrigal, "As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending"
V. BAROQUE (ca. 1600-1750)
Age of the Virtuoso
Characteristics: Love of contrasts and ornamentation in upper registers (provides variety)
Strong, regular pulse emanating from bass linebasso continuo (provides unity)
Composers: Bach, Germany; Vivaldi, Italy; Handel, Germany & England
Forms:
Instrumental:
1) canon and fugue (both are based on imitative counterpoint)
e.g. Pachelbels Canon in D*
e.g. Bachs Little Fugue in G minor for organ
2) Concerto grosso
e.g. Bachs Brandenburg Concerto #2
e.g. Vivaldis Spring Concerto from The Four Seasons*
3) Suite
e.g. Handels Water Music Suite
Vocal:
1) Oratorio
e.g. Handels Messiah
2) Passion
e.g. Bachs St. Matthew Passion
Other Baroque examples for recognition from Mad About the Classics: Bach, Jesu, Joy of Mans Desiring*
VI. CLASSICAL (ca. 1750-1800)
Age of Reason
Characteristics: Ideals of restraint, control, logical structure, balance/symmetry
Composers: Mozart and Haydn (and Beethovens early works)
Forms: Theme 1) and Variation A, Al, A2, A3,...
2) Rondo A, B, A, C, A
3) Minuet and Trio A (minuet) B (trio) A (minuet)
4) Sonata Allegro/First Movement Form
e.g. Mozarts Symphony no 40 in G minor, 1st movement
e.g. Beethovens 5th Symphony, 1st movement*
e.g. Mozarts Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Allegro*
Compositions: Sonata (for solo instrument); String Quartet; Symphony (See Handout)
VII.ROMANTIC (ca. 1800-1850)
The Ultimate Mantic Era:
Characteristics: Breaking out of classical restraints and formal boundaries
Dynamic extremes
Emphasis on individualism and subjective, emotional expression
Sources of inspiration: nationalism, nature, exoticism, love
Composers: (Late)Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Paganini, Brahms*, Tchaikovsky*, Dvorak*, Grieg*
New Forms: Prelude, Impromptu, Nocturne, Etude
Examples of Romantic Music from Mad About the Classics to know:
Brahms Hungarian Dance no. 6*
Tchaikovskys 1812 Overture*
Dvoraks Symphony no. 9 (From the New World), Largo*
Griegs Peer Gynt Suite (Morning Mood and In the Hall of the Mountain King)*
VIII. IMPRESSIONISM (Late 19th century)
Composer: Debussy
Characteristics: Whole tone and pentatonic scales
Fragmentary melodies
Chord clusters, punctuated with silence
Aims: Capture a mood, a fleeting impression
e.g. Pas Dans La Neige (Footsteps in the Snow)for piano
IX. POST-ROMANTICISM
Romantics who were born too late
Composers: Rachmaninoff
Richard Strauss; e.g. Thus Spake Zarathustra (Sunrise)*
IX. MODERNISM (Early 20th century)
Characteristics of the time reflected in the music (e.g. Stravinskys Rite of Spring and Schoenbergs 12 tone
music below):
Breakdown of traditional moral, religious , social, and artistic values
Feelings of alienation, fragmentation, and relativism
Composers:
Stravinsky
e.g. Firebird Suite (Finale)* (inspired by Russian folklore and melodieshence it is Late
Romantic in style)
e.g. Rite of Spring (exemplifies neo-primitivism and musical iconoclasm of)
Schoenberg: 12 tone scale/dodecaphonic music