Origin of Music

1. God
2. Nature/Ancestors

Definition of Music
Music

- Came from the Greek word “mousike” which means “the art of Muse”
- Common language of mankind
- For the SCIENTIST, it is a system of vibrations
- For the MUSICIAN, it is the relationship between the ear and the instrument or voice.
- Union of pitch, force, quality, and duration arranged according to the laws of melody and
harmony.

Theories about Music

Charles Darwin

- “music was developed to attract the opposite sex”

- Darwin’s animal model of the vocal arts (Darwin 1981) stipulates that artful singing and
dancing evolved as a feature of sexual courtship that determines sexual choice and, in the
end, reproductive success.

KEYWORDs: to attract opposite sex

Mr. Herbert Spencer

- Noted that music was developed to express emotions just like language developed to
express ideas
- The view of music as a transmitter of emotions spread throughout Europe and influenced
other fields
- English philosopher and biologist
- Concluded that “primitives” developed capacity for music specifically as a means of
communicating their state of being.

KEYWORDs: to express emotion

Richard Wagner

- Thought that music unlike other arts could exist quite independent for the visible world.

KEYWORDs: could exist quite independent

Johann Wolfgang Goethe

- Music is a decisive means to form a man’s character

- Music should be placed as the center of all educational endeavor

KEYWORDs: form a man’s character, educational endeavor

Robert Nye

- Music serves as a medium through which individuals will be acquainted with the various
aspects of life being perspicuous reflections of humanity through ages

KEYWORDs: serves as medium

The purpose of music to one’s culture

Babylonians

- Babylonia- ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in central-southern

Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and Syria). Small Amorite-ruled state emerged in 1894 BC,
which contained the minor administrative town of Babylon.
- Babylonians- use music to give out signals to armies and break the gatherings of the
people

REMINDER: Babylonia is the state, Babylonians are the people.

Egyptians

- Ancient Egypt- civilization of ancient North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches
of the Nile River, situated in the place that is now the country Egypt.
- History of ancient Egypt- a series of stable kingdoms, separated by periods of relative
instability known as Intermediate Periods: The Old Kingdom of the Early Bronze Age, the
Middle Kingdom of the Middle Bronze Age, and the New Kingdom of the Late Bronze
Age.
- Use music in their religious rituals and social activities.
Hindus

- Are persons who regard themselves as culturally, ethnically, or religiously adhering to

aspects of Hinduism. Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural,
and later religious identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent.
- World’s third largest group after Christians and Muslims
- Music was interwoven with their religious ceremonies and festivities.

Hebrews

- Hebrews and Hebrew- people are mostly taken as synonymous with the Semitic-speaking
Israelites, especially in the pre-monarchic period when they were still nomadic.
- Hebrews considered music as a spiritual gift of God, because to them, music was a
matter of religion than art.

Greeks

- Ethnic group to native Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt and, to a lesser extent,
other countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. They also form significant diaspora
with Greek communities established around the world
- Greeks have greatly influenced and contributed to culture, visual arts, exploration,
theatre, literature, philosophy, politics, architecture, music, mathematics, medicine,
science, technology, commerce, cuisine and sports
- They had their music and myths combined which gives us the mythical gods and
goddesses.
- Apollo- the God of music

Romans

- Roman Empire- remarkably multicultural, with “a rather astonishing cohesive capacity” to

create a sense of shared identity while encompassing diverse peoples within its political
system over a long span of time. The roman attention to creating public monuments and
communal spaces open to all- such as forums, amphitheaters, racetracks and baths-
helped foster a sense of “Roomaness”
- Similar to Babylonians, the roman used music as a way of giving signals towards
their armies and breaking the gathering of people
- “neumes” developed by a Roman philosopher

Chinese

- Chinese Civilization- historically considered the dominant culture of East Asia.

 - China- being one of the earliest ancient civilizations, Chinese culture exerts profound
influence on the philosophy, virtue, etiquette, and traditions of Asia to date.
- Chinese language, ceramics, architecture, music, dance, literature, martial arts, cuisine,
visual arts, philosophy, business etiquette, religion, politics, and history have global
influence, while its traditions and festivals are also celebrated, instilled, and practiced by
people around the world.
- Chinese people use their music for their religious ceremonies and festivities.
Along with the unique instruments and their own scale which is the pentatonic
scale.

Japanese

- Culture of Japan has changed greatly over the millennia, from the country’s prehistoric
Jomon Period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia
and other regions of the world
- Japanese culture was influenced from ancient times to the Middle Ages primarily by
multiple Chinese dynasties and to a lesser extent by other Asian countries.
- Similar to Chinese, the Japanese people used pentatonic scale and also uses their
music for religious ceremonies and festivities
- National instrument is called the Koto

Italians

- Romance ethnic group and nation to the Italian geographical region and its neighboring
insular territories
- Share common culture, history, ancestry and language
- Italian explorers and navigators in the 15th and 16th centuries left a perennial mark on
human history with the modern “discovery of America”, due to Christopher Columbus
- Italy- has a strong sense of national identity through distinctive culture – a sense of
appreciation of beauty and emotionality, which is strongly evidenced in the music.
- Cultural, political and social issues are often also expressed through music in Italy.
- Allegiance to music is integrally woven into the social identity of Italians but no single
style has been considered a characteristic “national style”
- Art of singing came to perfection with the development of the Opera in the 17 th
century and 18th century largely due to the development of the new vocal
composition “the art song”

Filipinos

- Are the people who are the native or citizens of the country of the Philippines.
- Come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups
- Currently, there are more than 185 ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines: each with its
own language, identity, culture and history.
 - Originally, music was used by some Filipino ethnic tribes for their religious ceremonies
and rituals, but as time progresses, Filipinos are able to produce music that was intended
to express their feeling for their loved one called “kundiman”
- Music is the main source of communicating their feelings and emotions

Vocabulary
Neumes

- Are the basic element of Western and Eastern systems of musical notation prior to the
invention of five-line staff notation

Pentatonic scale

- Is a musical scale with five notes per octave

- Were developed independently by many ancient civilizations and are still used in various
musical styles to this day
- DO, RE, MI, SOL, LA

Koto

- A Japanese musical instrument and the national instrument of Japan

Opera

- Is a form of theatre in which music has a leading role and the parts are taken by singers,
but is distinct from musical theatre.

Kundiman

- Genre of traditional Filipino love songs. The lyrics of the kundiman are written in Tagalog.
The melody is characterized by a smooth, flowing and gentle rhythm with dramatic
intervals.
- Was the traditional means of serenade in the Philippines.