The History Of Music

Humankind’s cultural legacy is everything in our world that man has learned and created, in order for man to live collectively and communally. It is the tangible expressions used in art, literature, architecture and all other forms of emotional expression. Advances and innovations in technology have transformed art, music, performing arts, and the human society. (Fiero) The birds in the tree, the sound of traffic, car radios humming, these are sounds of the hustle and bustle of a city. These sounds come to our ears every day, and many more, in different forms. They are the sounds of our world and the commentary to our everyday lives. Music is not only what we are, but the narration to life, emotional expression, the signals of human interaction, and without it we would be lost. Music is defined as an art based on the organization of sounds in time. (Kaimen) Music has been around for thousands of years and it will remain a part of humanity until the end of time. Since the age of Egyptians, long before electricity and technology, music was around and it has changed through time with humankind. When the first documented music was created, it was different than today’s music. During the middle ages, from 450-1450 A.D. the first documented scripts of music were composed. (Kamien) In the Middle Ages music was created by the few instruments there were, but vocal music was much more important. The music was considered to be either sacred or secular. Sacred music was created and performed by the church and secular music was heard throughout the town for entertainment. The instruments designed during this time period were the foundation of modern instruments. Musicians played what was called the shawn, which is a member of the woodwinds, and also the cittren which is a stringed instrument. (Wikipedia) After the Middle Ages came the Renaissance. A time in history when music and art was the most celebrated sources of man. The horizons of art, literature, and music were greatly expanded during the renaissance. (Fiero) Every educated person was expected to be trained in music. As in the middle ages, during the renaissance vocal music was much more important than instrumental. The tools of music during the renaissance consisted of the lute, which is a member of the stringed family and the harpsichord which is similar to the modern piano. (Kamien) Though the time period from the beginning of the middle ages to the end of the renaissance lasted almost two thousand years, the lack of communication and travel kept music from transforming considerably. The Baroque period in musical history lasted from 1600-1750 A.D. and was responsible for introducing a performing art that is still popular today. (Kamien) Opera was created by a small group of nobles, poets, and composers, in Italy. They wanted to create a new vocal style based upon ancient Greek tragedy. The point of it was to create vocals combining melody and speech. This unique fusion of music, acting, dance, scenery, and costumes, offered the public a theatrical experience full of excitement and emotion. (Wikipedia) It became a popular cultural experience and stayed with humanity from the baroque period to today’s world. The next transformation of humanity existed in the Classical Era. The classists’ ideals were expressive ones with formal structure and things were to be in perfect balance. These ideas led music to be clearer than Baroque music, and during this time the fathers, or masters of music were born. Ludwig Van Beethoven and Wolfgang Mozart were both born during the classical period. Many of the instruments that we still use today were popular during this time such as the piano, violin and trumpet. (Kamien) Classicism gave way to the Romantics whose music was inspired and closely associated with literature of the time. Many of the classical traits were passed on to the Romantic Era such as self expression and emotional intensity. Only the

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