Music History Guide
Guide to Music History
Part 1 – Introduction
Whether you need to brush up on your knowledge of musical styles for your grade six music theory exam (or higher), or are just keen to learn more about our rich heritage of “classical” music, I hope this new series of articles about the history of classical music will offer you something of interest. Here’s a quick introduction to the new series! Each article will take a brief look at one of the main eras that “classical” music is divided into. I’m using the word classical in inverted commas, because most people understand the term “classical music” to mean “art music” or “serious music” or sometimes “old music” ;o) whereas, technically the term only refers to a short period of time spanning the 18th to the 19th century. This series of articles will cover these periods of music:
Medieval Baroque Classical Romantic Modern
and will explain to you how you can identify music from each period, using clues from:
the instruments the texture of sounds the harmony the structure
This series will be of benefit to anyone studying music theory at grade six or higher, as knowledge of musical styles is tested at these grades. For example, you may be asked to look at a printed score and name the most likely composer. If you’re not studying theory, you’ll still find the articles useful and interesting if you are an amateur musician, hobbyist or even GCSE or A level student. Ready to get started? Head on to Part 2 – Medieval Music!
Medieval Music 500-1400AD
When did music begin? Nobody really knows, although some researchers such as Steven Mithen have suggested that we humans have been making music longer than we have been speaking. But when it comes to knowing for sure what music sounded like in the past, we can only go as far back as the oldest written manuscripts which survive today.
Part 2 – Medieval Music
The oldest music manuscripts which we have today mostly date back to the Medieval era. This period
Part 1 – Introduction
Whether you need to brush up on your knowledge of musical styles for your grade six music theory exam (or higher), or are just keen to learn more about our rich heritage of “classical” music, I hope this new series of articles about the history of classical music will offer you something of interest. Here’s a quick introduction to the new series! Each article will take a brief look at one of the main eras that “classical” music is divided into. I’m using the word classical in inverted commas, because most people understand the term “classical music” to mean “art music” or “serious music” or sometimes “old music” ;o) whereas, technically the term only refers to a short period of time spanning the 18th to the 19th century. This series of articles will cover these periods of music:
Medieval Baroque Classical Romantic Modern
and will explain to you how you can identify music from each period, using clues from:
the instruments the texture of sounds the harmony the structure
This series will be of benefit to anyone studying music theory at grade six or higher, as knowledge of musical styles is tested at these grades. For example, you may be asked to look at a printed score and name the most likely composer. If you’re not studying theory, you’ll still find the articles useful and interesting if you are an amateur musician, hobbyist or even GCSE or A level student. Ready to get started? Head on to Part 2 – Medieval Music!
Medieval Music 500-1400AD
When did music begin? Nobody really knows, although some researchers such as Steven Mithen have suggested that we humans have been making music longer than we have been speaking. But when it comes to knowing for sure what music sounded like in the past, we can only go as far back as the oldest written manuscripts which survive today.
Part 2 – Medieval Music
The oldest music manuscripts which we have today mostly date back to the Medieval era. This period