The Middle Ages (from about 400 B.C. to A.D. 1400) gave birth to classical music; it is really not a specific "era." However, before classical music matured and developed into everything we know it is today, it was very basic. In fact, during this "period," a good deal of music was church music!
Many composers of music during this period were monks. They wrote songs anonymously, for God, to be performed in church. Melodies were simple so clear words could be added - in Latin! This music had a simply melodic line with no harmony: this type of music is called homophonic. Pope Gregory I was influential in organizing and distributing music, hence the term "Gregorian Chants." A system for writing down music was started later in the Middle Ages, and was, over time, improved and revised. This took away the uncertainy of pitch that had once occurred when music was performed.
Other music at this time was performed by singers - traveling people such as minstrels and, later, troubadours. These songs were simpler than church songs, written vernacularly and often involving simple percussion. Troubadours often sung of love!
A final, huge achievement near the end of this era was the development of polyphony. Polyphonic music has more than just one single melodic line. A new world of music is opened up when polyphony is introduced. For a simple example of polyphony, recall "Three Blind Mice" being sung as a round!
Though many composers of medieval music are unknown, a few include Leonin, Perotin, and Guillaume de Machaut.
The Renaissance Period (from about 1400 to 1600) was marked by the growth of the idea of humanism, and as life's focus shifted slightly away from the Catholic Church, so did the music. Music became more easily accessible after the printing press was created.
Church music was now created for more than two parts. Up to four vocal parts of equal importance could be displayed in a motet. Music became more oranmented, focusing on beauty. Composers were more intent on showing off what they could do than conveying a spiritual message. Music structured off of chords was emerging. Later, chorales were formed for the entrie congregation of a church.
In addition, madrigals were songs for small groups that were sung at places such as weddings or parties, performing popular music of the time, often using the new techniques of the Renaissance Period.
Classical music continued to develop in this era with the aid of composers such as Johannes Ockeghem, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, and Thomas Tallis.
During the Baroque Period (from about 1600 to 1750), many famous pieces were prouduced. Many of the classical pieces you recognize probably come from this period. At this time, chords were used, and improvisation was rather popular. Strong beats and rhythms involving the smaller note values (eighths and sixteenths, as well as triplets) were often used. Harpsichords were popular, since pianos did not exist. Two or more melodies were played at the same time during this area, creating "counterpoint," and songs were based on major or minor keys - as most are. However, phrase and style markings were not marked, and had to be inferred.
Also, the Baroque Era marked the beginnings of operas and cantanas. Operas were staged works that told stories. They included arias - vocal pieces with orchestral accompaniment - and recitatives - half-singing, half-speaking pieces. Cantanas also included recitatives and arias, but they were not acted out. Concertos were also created for solo instruments backed by orchestras. Concertos were divided into differing and complex movements - usually three, fast, slow, and fast respectively. Concerto grossos involved more than one soloist.
Some famous composers of the Baroque Era include Johann Sebastien Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi.
Classical Period (about 1750 - 1820) music was meant to be performed - "absolute music" created for its own sake. Music of the Classical Era was less flowery and more straightforward than music of the Baroque Era...even the pieces' titles were much simpler.
The concerto was "updated" now, and symphonies and sonatas were created. Symphonies had three or four movements and included the entire orchestra. Haydn was the master of symphonies - he wrote 104! Sonatas were written for one or two instruments - mainly the piano, in this era. They had contrasting movements and stict form, especially the first movement. They were the most popular type of composition in this era. Comical and serious operas also continued to prosper.
Some famous composers from this era include Ludwig von Beethoven, Franz Joseph Haydn, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
This period (from about 1820 - 1910) included many different types of developemnts. Chromatic scales and rich, developed chords such as seventh chords and diminished chords were used. Complex rhythms were developed and syncopation was a popular technique. Symphonies became longer and more complex, sometimes with even more than four movements.
Much music from this era was "program music," or music based on a specific story. One musical theme could be used over and over again to display a certain character in the plot - the idee fixe. Tone poems (or symphonic poems) were first created at this time. Basically, these are symphonies without breaks for seperate movements. Overtures or preludes now came into existence, first to precede operas, and later on their own. Even poems were set to music now. Small pieces called miniatures were written for the piano and came in different forms - nocturnes, etudes, and more. Nationalism caused composers to come up with their own ideas rather than continue to borrow from France, Italy, and Germany. Russia was the first country to begin this movement. As you can see, there were many achievements during this period!
Some extremely talented composers from the Romantic Era include Frederic Chopin, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Also occuring this time (from about 1860 - 1910) was the Impressionistic Period. This was a movement that included blurry, "fuzzy" themes that weren't clear. Rhythms were often strange; whole-tone scales were used, as well as augmented chords.
Some composers from this era include Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.
Music written from 1900 to 2000 is 20th century music. This has, again, turned classical music to a completely new side. New types of music are being explored with dissonance and uncommon intervals such as 2nds and 11ths. A variety of electronic devices are used in some new pieces of music in this era.
Some special types of music include atonal music, chance music, and neo-classical music. Atonal music has no firm base key...all twelve notes in the chromatic scale are used equally! Chance music, as an example, involves handing out different sheets of music to an entire group, letting each one individually pick which page he or she wants to play, and letting him or her play it however he or she wishes to! John Cage came up with a piece that involves twelve radios playing at the same time - all tuned to different stations! Neo-classical music is similar to the music of the Classical Era, though it may have many modern elements added to it.
There are many composers, but some of the famous 20th century composers include George Gershwin, Sergei Prokofiev, and Igor Stravinsky!
There is no doubt that the wonderful world of classical music will continue to expand and grow to areas that we today know nothing of. Who knows where new eras will take us? Part of the beauty of classical music is that it is ever-existing, yet always changing. Many forms exist, and many more will be brought into existence! Let the music live on!
That's pretty much all of the basic information about the periods of classical music history. There is a lot to know, though, so feel free to continue exploring. Of course, it's good to listen to and attempt to understand music from different time periods and experiment with which period you like best! Thank you very much for reading my tutorial! I hope you had fun and learned something new!
**I would like to put up a link to this site, where I obtained most of my information! It's very detailed and it even has auditory examples of different composers' works, so please visit it!**
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