History of Music

Periods in Music

The history of music deals with the study of style, form and types of
music when they were composed, how they developed and who were
responsible for them. It can be discussed under 4 main periods.

1.The Baroque 1600 -1750

2. The Classical 1750 - 1827
3. The Romantic !827- 1900
4. The Modern. 1900 – 21st century
The Baroque Period

Until about 1600 music was closely connected with the church & most
of it was for singing. A single melody without accompaniment was the
earliest type of singing. Part singing in the church had an added voice
a4th or a 5th below the melody. This type of singing is called Organum
Soon a new way of singing came in to use. This was
called Polyphonic. Which means sounding together of several voices.
The Word baroque that is used to describe the period that began
with the 17th century going up to the 1st half of the 18th century is
borrowed from architecture. It is also used to describe characteristic of
musical style belonging to the period .

The instruments used are,

Harpsichord
Clavichord
Spinet
Church organ
Characteristics

More instruments
Bigger sounds
More than one melody at a time (Polyphonic )

The main composers were

J.S Bach , G.F Handal, Domenico Scarlatti
Classical Period

The period beginning with the 2nd half of the 18th century & the 1st two
or three decades of the 19th century are taken as the Classical period in
the history of western music .Instrumental music reached a height
never before known & one instrumental form dominated the seen .That
was the Sonata .The home of the classical period was in Vienna where
strict models were followed by the composers of the period. Among the
great composers were.
Haydn, Mozart & Beethovan

Characteristics

The Piano replaced the Baroque instruments

Music with divisions or movements
Homophonic texture
Larger orchestra
The Sonata the Symphony and Concerto became standard works.
An accompanying style called Alberti Bass came in to use
Romantic Period

This is the period which made the composer depart from the traditional
styles to express personal feelings. Music of this period contrasts with
earlier periods in mood & form.
It places emotion above form.
Among the composers were,
Felix Mendelssohn ,Johannes Brahms, Richard Wagner , Claude Debussy

Modern Period

Sings the beginning of the 20th century & even little earlier a number of
composers have developed a style of writing, That is strictly different
from the music previously written. This music is termed modern music.
Many of the European were affected. By the rhythm & instrumentation
of jazz & showed its their effects in their music. Among the composers
of the period were

Bela Bartok , 1881 - 1945

Igor Stravinsky. 1882 - 1971
Sergei Prokofeiv. 1891 - 1953
George Gershwin 1898 - 1937
Benjamin Britten. 1913. – 1976
Chromatic Harmony became prominent
Unusual sound effects
Syncopated Rhythm
More percussion sounds were used