42

The Middle Ages (400-1400 C.E.)

ABOUT THE MIDDLE AGES . . .
The Middle Ages, or the Medieval Period, were a time ofwarfare, religious
de'otion, and royal pageantry. Most ofthe people in medieval Europe were
peasants. They were uneducated and farmed land owned by the wealthy,
but received little in return. Diseases, physical deformities, and starvation
were common among the peasants, who lived in filth and poverty. The rich
landowners, or nobility, were constantly battling each other to maintain
their land and servants. Despite their majesty and wealth, the nobles
were victims of the same rampant spread of disease, destructive fires, and
dangerous bandits that the peasants encountered.

In the midst of this tumultuous time, the Catholic Church, under the
leadership of the Pope in Rome, was an important part of life in medieval
Europe. Towering cathedrals with stained glass windows and flying
buttresses, like Notre Dame in Paris (right), were paid for with donations.

MEDIEVAL MUSIC
Music in the Middle Ages was composed and performed for either sacred
(religious) or secular (non-religious) purposes. The earliest form ofsacred
music was called plainchant or plainsong. This is a single melody written
for unison voices, with words in Latin. Pope Gregory I and his assistants
compiled chants used for church services and wrote the music on four-line
The awe-inspiring Notre Dame Cathedral in paris was
staves using square notes called neumes. Plainchant is often referred to as
built from 'l 163 to 1182by peasants who dragged the
Gregorian Chant, in honor of Pope Gregory I. Important composers of stones one by one to the site.
the Middle Ages include Hildegard von Bingen, Perotin, and Guillaume
de Machaut.

MEDIEVAL MUSICAL STYLE

Plainchant, the predominant type of sacred music of the Middle Ages, consisted
of single unaccompanied melodies sung in unison. This type of music is balled
monophonic music. Plainchant was written without a fixed rhythm or meter.
There were also no tempo markings or dynamics noted on the music, and it was
not composed in major or minor keys, but in modes-a unique system of half
and whole steps.

By the year 1000, a second melody was sometimes performed simultaneously

with the plainchant melody. This form of church music was called organum
(oR-gah-num), and over time it was embellished with more and more melodies
and voices. organum represents the beginning of polyphonic music in western
Europe. Polyphony is the combination of two or more melodies at the same time.

INSTRUMENT UPDATE
wandering minstrels performing secular music often accompanied their
singing with the lute-a stringed instrument like a guitar, but with a rounded
back. when the strings were plucked, a light delicate sound was created. In
contrast, noble ceremonies and battles required loud wind instruments like the
trumpet and shawm to play fanfares and calls, along with large kettledrums, or
timpani, to accompany. The trumpet at this time was a very long, tubular brass
instrument without valves., and the shawm was a reed woodwind with a distinct
sound similar to the modern oboe.

- 1:egard ,'c'r Bingen claimed to have
: !:3' enced ,,'isions from a very young age,
:-l :er copious r,nrritings l.nclude dozens of
- r:ical compositions.
In sacred music, instruments played a relatively minor role and often simply
supported vocal music. The organ, a keyboard instrument in which bellows
force air through pipes to produce sound, was the primary instrument played
in churches. some organs were very large, and many men were needed to push
the bellows together to force enough air through the enormous pipes to create
music.

161
 :
I

43

The Middle Ages (4OO-1400 C.E.)

400 c.E.
r000 r200 r.+00

l' Place these historical events at the correct place on the timeline by inserting a vertical line and the correspolrling letter.
a. Destruction of Rome bynomads (4t0)
b. VikingLeifEricson discovers NorthAmerica (f 003)
c. Christian Crusades to the Middle East begin (f OfO)
d. Venetian explorerMarco polo travels to China (|ZAO)

2. What challenges didpeasants in the MiddleAges

face?
r

; 3. What advantages did the nobilityhave over

,l
:l

the peasants?
I
i:

:e
: i

f;
I

F +. rin in the letter of the description that best matches each word li
or phrase. il
i.
*ll
: monophonicmusic a. square-shapednotesusedinthemusicoftheMiddlesAges
, il
i lt
t nolyphonic
I music b' combination of two or more melodies simultaneously ,il
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:_
- 1i
tL

i
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_ neumes c. wanderingperformers ofsecularmusic
ti

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F
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t .srrers
minstrels e. sinolp rrnr..Ahn^^:^J
e- single r--
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-^r- lilr
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p which instruments were used to accompanybattles
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v!^Lrrrv.uvo; l1

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p Name at least two composers from the Middle Ages.
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4
The Renaissance (1400-1600 C.E.)

ABOUTTHE RENAISSANCE . . .
The Renaissance brought an explosion of new ideas and
advancements in art, architecture, science, and philosophy.
The period was called the "Renaissance" (the French word
for rebirth) because artistic ideals from ancient Greece were
rediscovered. The flowering of knowledge and learning was
made possible by the wealth of a growing middle class of
merchants in European cities who had extra money to spend
on art, luxury items, and education. The Catholic Church had
offered relief during the misery of the Middle eges (+OO-1+OO),
but during the Renaissance, people did not focus so much on
going to heaven after death because they had hope for a good
life on earth.

Artists during the Renaissance stressed proportion and perfect The dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (also called
beautyintheirsculptureandpainting.MichelangeloBuonarroti Florence Cathedral), was engineered by Fillippo Brunelleschi in
(t+ZSlSe+) of Italy was one such artist. His architecture also the 15th century and it marked a break from the Medieval Gothic
copied the simple beauty of Greek temples, such as in St. Petert style represented by the rest of the cathedral.
Basilica in Rome, Italy.

The ideal Renaissance man had many talents and vast knowledge. Leonardo da Vinci (f+SZ-fStl) of Italy, for example, was an
artist, musician, scientist, and intellectual. He invented many machines, some of which could never be made during his lifetime
due to their advanced designs.

RENAISSANCE MUSIC
Music was a large part of everyday and religious life during the Renaissance. Music notation became more standardized and more
like the music notation we use today. The invention of the printing press meant that music could be mass-produced and distributed
throughout Europe, so music reached more people.

The madrigal was a secular poetic and musical form that emerged during the 14th century. For most of the Renairr"rr.", i *",
an extremely popular musical form throughout Europe. Madrigals were songs for one or more voices sometimes accompanied
by the lute, a stringed instrument used in the Renaissance. Generally the words of the madrigal were poems about life, beauty, or
emotions. While vocal music continued to be most important during the Renaissance, music written especially for instruments
became increasingly popular. Important Renaissance composers include ClementJanequiry Tielman Susato, Giovanni Pierluigi
da Palestrina, William Byrd, Giovanni Gabrieli, and Claudio Monteverdi.

RENAISSANCE MUSICAL STYLE

Renaissance music became increasingly polyphonic, with multiple melodies played simultaneously. As the madrigal form
developed, harmonies became bolder and chromaticism, or the use of notes outside of the prevailing key, occurred frequently.

Dynamics, phrasing, tempo, and preferred instrument choice were not commonly indicated
in the music. The music director had to decide which instruments would be used for a piece,
which usually depended upon what instruments were in the court's instrument collection.

INSTRUMENT UPDATE
The mostpopularinstrument'duringthe Renaissancewas the lute-awooden, plucked-string
instrument, roughly similar to the modern guitar. Lutes were constructed in a wide variety of
sizes. Another common stringed instrument was the viol, which also came in various sizes.
Viols were usuallyplayedbyresting them on a knee orbyholdingthem between the legs. They
were played with a bow like the stringed instruments of todayt orchestra. Wind instruments
included the cornet, trumpet, flute, shawm, and sackbut. The sackbut, or trombone, had the
same long, sliding tube that it does today.

italian composer Giovanni Gabrieli is
shown holding a lute in this portrait
by Annibale Carracci (c.l600).
Instruments during the Renaissance were often grouped into consorts, or combinations
of instruments. A whole consort is made up of a family of instruments ranging from bass
(low-pitched and large) to soprano (high-pitched and small). Broken consorts are groups
of different types of instruments, such as string and woodwind, playing polyphonic music
together. An organ or a harpsichord, which is similar to a piano but the strings inside are
plucked rather than struckwith mallets, provided a unifying sound to the broken consort.

161
46

The Baroque Period (1600-1750 C.E.)

ABOUT THE BAROQUE PERIOD...

Baroque painting, architecture, music, literature, and fashion were fancy and highly embellished. Opera stars sang arias filled with
trills and ornaments. Buildings adorned with arches and domes were filled with elaborately carved ceilings and elegant chairs
painted white and gold. Paintings featured rich colors and voluptuous human figures. Men wore carefully curled white wigs and
coats trimmed with lace. Women had long dresses with intricate designs, pleats, and buttons. The splendor of Baroque styles was
largely influenced by the wealth and splendor of kingdoms in Europe.

BAROQUE MUSIC
Nfusic of the Baroque Period was primarily composed and performed for three cultural institutions: the Church, the opera house,
and the courts of the nobility. During the Baroque Era, the Church was the primary outlet for serious music in Europe. Church
music (sacred music) was written primarily for organ, voice, or a cornbination of the two. The use of other instruments in the
church grew throughout the Baroque Period, beginning with the brass music of Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, and continuing
with the inclusion of strings and winds in cantatas and oratorios
(music dramas based on religious subjects). The Gabrielis'music
was particularly unique because it was antiphonal (an-TI-fo-nal),
meaning that they placed different groups of brass instruments
in various parts of the church to create an unusual musical
experience.

Opera combined elaborate sets and costumes with musical

performances by virtuosos-extremely skilled singers and
instrumentalists. The dramatic productions of the opera had their
origins in the music dramas of the Church. Opera was attended
by all classes of people from peasants to royalty. Important
Baroque composers include Johann Sebastian Bach, George
Frederic Handel, Arcangelo Corelli, Georg Philipp Telemann,
andAntonio Vivaldi.
BAROQUE MUSICAL STYLE
Stylistically, music changed from the Renaissance to the Baroque
Period in several ways. During the Baroque Period, the written
melody, whether sung or performed instrumentally, was used
primarily as a guideline for the performer, who was expected to
improvise and ornament freell'. Rapid scale passages, ornaments,
and chord figuration in a free, fantasy-like style were written to
display brilliant technique. One such place for these flourishes
is in the cadenza, an unaccompanied passage before the end of
a piece.

Contrasting texture within a piece of music became increasingly

-ohann Sebastian Bach (shown here in a portralt by Ellas important and was achieved through concertato (kohn-sair-
3ottiob Haussmann in 1746) made wide use of the fugue, TAH-toh) style. Concertato style required that large and small
.s 'llustrated in such works as The Well-Tempered Clavier groups of instruments alternately play sections of the music in
The Art of Fugue. contrasting styles. Polyphonic music continued to develop during
"tc
the Baroque Period. One of the most sophisticated polyphonic
t1 pes of composition was the fugue, which featured imitative counterpoint in which a single theme is layered on top of itself in
many different manners. Written dynamics were introduced into music for the first time during the 17th century, but they were
used sparingly. The terms ytiano (soft) and/orre (loud) came into general use in new Italian music, and similar markings were used
in other European countries. By the 18th century, crescendo (gradually louder) and decrescendo (gradually softer) were marked
using these symbols:

INSTRUMENT UPDATE
During the Baroque Period, instrumental music started to become as important as vocal music. There was an increase in the
quantitl. of music written for flute, oboe, bassoon, trombone, valveless trumpets and horns, harpsichord, and organ. Timpani
rt-ere the only percussion instruments used in serious music. Orchestras were mainly composed of stringed instruments with a
small number of woodwind instruments. Magnificent organs were being built in Baroque churches for playing the elaborate solo
nnaterial. The idea of a keyboard instrument with hammers that strike the strings was just being developed-this would become
the modern piano.
 :
47

f rhe Baroque period (1600 -.t7soc.E.)

I
['
r 1600 c.E. 1625 1650 1675 r70o t72s t75O
I
t' Place these historical events into the correct
I place on the timeline by inserting a vertical line
and corresponding leuer
a. Pilgrims sail to America O1OA)
i.
i b. British scientist Isaac Newton measures the moon's
orbit (1666)
i .. FirstnewspaperisprintedinAmerica (tZO+)
i a. Danish explorer Viius Bering discovers Alaska ( t Z+f
)

; z. what do music, art, and architecture ofthe

Baroque period have in common?
i
i

| 3' What type of music combined drama, scenery, costumes,

and virtuoso music skills?
i
?

i 4' Baroque composers expected their merodies to be performed

---t-"as r,riritten.
exactly
i
I
F
--
L_J r','" [ tr"k"
r
r
i
I
5. Fill in the letter of the description that best matches
[t each word orphrase.
F
If- music of the Baroque Period was a. music perforrned by diferent brass groups
t placed in
composed
. primarily for these
^r/ rvr r'!* various
v.rnous locations
IOCaUOnS Of
of the ChUfch
[ church
b' polyphonic composition which featured imitative
[ *r'"
" where a melodic theme is layered on top
i :ounterpoint
itself
of
I . adenza
f - c' the Church, the opera house, and the courts
of the
f
f'
antiPhonal music nobilitY
d' unaccompaniedpassageplayedbeforetheendofapiece
tf-
I
concertato .1
style e. large and small groups of instruments play
r - sections of the
kZI music in contrasting styles

=
-E
p
&
6. Name at least two composers from the Baroque period.
F
6

H
*,.
b,i
!*
B
H
E
ru
I[
s
48

The Classical Period (1750-1820 C.E.)

ABOUT THE CLASSICAL PERIOD...
The mood of the Classical Period was one of simplicity, balance,
and logic. The simple grandeur of ancient buildings discovered
rn Greece in the 18th century impressed Europeans. Classical
architects adopted the even columns and symmetrical structure
of Greek temples. Proportion and symmetry replaced the fancy,
decorative styles ofthe Baroque Period (t6OO-tZSO).

During the Classical Period, political revolutions in America and

France overthrew oppressive kings and established in their place
governments run by common people. The balance of classical
architecture seemed to be perfect for the new America and
France, where equality and liberty were essential. For example,
American politician Thomas Jefferson (tZ+Z-nZe) had seen
classical structures on a visit to Paris, and he used this style when
he designed buildings in the United States.

CLASSICAL MUSIC rhe Tucker House in Raleigh, North Carolina, was built to
During the Classical Period, the merchant class became more imitate the style of architecture from the Classical period.
afftuent and influential. Rule by kings and queens was being
replaced by democratic governments, and the abundant wealth of the royalty that had funded composers and artists during the
Baroque Period began to disappear.

The merchant class did not only spend their new-found money and spare
time listening to music; they also began studying it. Composers thus
began to support themselves by writing instruction books or methods,
giving music lessons, and composing music that merchant class amateur
musicians could play. "Chamber" music, such as quartets or quintets, was
written for few enough instruments that families could play together as
entertainment in their home. Important Classical Period composers
include FranzJosef Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van
Beethoven.

CLASSICAL MUSICAL STYLE

Music during the Classical Period became less fanciful and cluttered than
Baroque music. Balance, emotional restraint, and clarity governed pieces
composed for the public concert halls and the homes of amateurs. The
texture of Classical music was generallyhomophonic-a single dominant
melody accompanied by chords or other secondary material. Dynamics,
tempo markings, and phrasing were all written into the music so that
little was left for the musician to worry about, making the music easier for
amateurs to play.
,',c.tgang Amadeus Mozart composed over 600
Prescribed mirsical forms were used consistently by composers. The
,',:'(s, the first at the age of five. Portrait by Johann
',=3cmuk della Croce, c.1780. most popular large-scale instrumental form during the Classical Period
was the symphony. Early Classical symphonies had three movements in
a iast-slow-fast format. Another popular type of Classical music was the solo concerto, which evolved from the Baroque concerto
grs-s-;6 fe16. Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (tZSS-tZSt) wrote concerti for many of the orchestral instruments and for
:he piano.

INSTRUMENT UPDATE
The Classical Period marked the birth of the modern symphony orchestra. For the first time in history, instrumental music became
rore important than vocal music. Instrumental music was appreciated for its own sake, not simply to accompany dancing or
srnsrnq. \Vhile during the Baroque Period orchestras were very small with mainly stringed instruments, the Classical orchestra
greati',' increased the number and variety of instruments. Clarinets were invented during the 18th century and they were soon
a,l,Ced to the orchestra. The most popular solo instrument of the Classical Period was the piano, and the violin was also common.
Sclo recitals were rare in concert halls, but solo or chamber music performances were often held in the home or among friends.
 4!)
The Oassical period (1750_1il2OC.E.)

1750 C.E. 1760

1790
lSlo
l' Place these historical events
into the correctplace on the timeline
-_-T
byinserting a vertical line and
correspo
---r-' ler
a' The Declaration oflndependence
of the rr
13 runencan
American coloniesD ro
is cimo, ((|ZZA)
ic Drb'cu
signed to.tz\
\L / /o)
-l
h. Eli
b' Fli \A/t_;rn^_- ^r r __,
whitney ofAmericainvents the cotton gin (1793)
c. The waltz becomes fashionable
in European ballrooms (tAtl)
d. Napoleon Bonaparte is defeated
at Waterloo (f Sf S)

2' How had art, architecture,

and crothing of this period
changed from the Baroque?

3. Why did support for composers

by wealthy patrons diminish ?

4' what are some of the ways

composers could earn a living in the classical period?

5' What was the most popurar

soro instrument of the crassicar
Era?

6' Fill in the letter of the description

that best matches each word
or phrase.

symphony a' classicar music form that evolved

from the Baroque concerto grosso

b' large-scale instrumentar form

often composed in a fast-srow_fast
format
homophonic music c' music played by small ensembles
often in homes as entertainment

d' a single dominant merody accompanied

- by chords or other secondarymateriar
50

The Romantic Period (1820-1900 C.E.)

ABOUT THE ROMANTIC PERIOD. . .

During the Romantic Period, artists and composers rejected the simplicity and
restraint ofthe Classical Period (tZ5O-1820) and focused on emotions, imagination,
and individualism. The spirit of the American and French Revolutions at the end of
the 18th century had inspired an interest in human rights and liberty, and artists
wanted to express their own political and personal views.

At the same time, new inventions and industrial advances meant that more and
more people were moving to the city to work in factories. The growing cities began
to pollute the land, and people were forced to work long hours in factories that were
not always safe. Romantic artists' sadness about these changes kindled feelings of
nostalgia, or the desire to return to a previous time. The Medieval Period (400-
1400) was idealized as a more peaceful, beautiful time; architectural styles began
to imitate medieval churches, and novels such as those byEnglish author SirWalter
Scott (1771-1832) were often set in the Middle Ages.

ROMANTIC MUSIC
Continuing the trend that began in the Classical Period (1ZSO-taZO), music in the
Romantic Period was mainly composed for public concerts where audiences paid
admission. The first public concert hall was built in 1851 in Vienna, and more and
,'i hile construciion took many years, the more concert and opera halls were built to meet the demands of the public.
:round-breaking of Sacre Coeur Basilica in
raris, France, took place in 1875. In addition to the concert or opera hall, the ballroom was another forum for
music in the Romantic Period. Composers such as Johann Strauss (tAO+-tS+l)
and his sons Josef Strauss (ISZZ-l,SZO) and Johann Strauss, Jr. (1825-1899) became famous by writing music to accompany
social dances that were popular with the growing wealthy middle class. Composers began to u'ork with publishers and concert
managers in order to earn money and have their pieces performed in public concert and opera halls, since the noble patronage
of the past had almost completely disappeared. Music critics became an essential part of the ne'w'ly emerging music busin.ess,
since their comments on cornposers and performances influenced public tastes. Important composers of the Romantic Period
include Franz Schubert, Hector B erlioz,Robert Schumann,Johannes Brahms, Peter Il)-ich Tchaikovsky, Edvard Grieg, Edward
Elgar, Gustav Mahler, andJean Sibelius.

ROMANTIC MUSICAL STYLE

Like the writers and artists of the day, composers expressed their emotions
through their craft, and they were strongly influenced by the political, social,
scientific, and industrial changes of the times. Romantic composers thus became
more experimental in their use of form, harmony, and subject matter than had
composers of the preceding era, and they expanded traditional genres such as
the symphony to fit their personal needs. Romantic symphonies were sometimes
programmatic, which means that stories or scenes were depicted through music.
Composers also began to use irregular rhythms and melodies, mixed meters,
chromaticism, wider dynamic ranges, and frequent temPo changes to create
tension and excitement in their music.

INSTRUMENT UPDATE
I'{any instruments were redesigned during this time of invention and indus-
triaiization. Possibly the most important development came in 1815 with the
invention of the valve. Valves are cylinders or pistons that move to alter the length
oithe tube that the air passes through inside a brass instrument, allowing different
notes to be easily played. Before its invention, all brass instruments were valveless.
Flutes and clarinets were also made easier to play with a new system of keys. This
s1-stem was also used on the saxophone, which was patented in 1846.
The music of iohannes Brahms influenced
lihe svmphony orchestra continued to grow in size and in instrumentation in both conservative and modernist composers.
the late Classical and Romantic periods. The larger size of the orchestra allowed
the composer to create greater dynamic contrasts and new, interesting sounds. The conductor, who had previously performed
the prano part as he led the orchestra, moved to a podium and conducted with a baton. This change increased the conductor's
rmportance and affected the way the orchestras rehearsed.
 r5r

*" Romantic period (t s2o-1e00 c.E.)

I
I C.E. 1840 1860
F
1820 1880 re(n

F t. Place these historical events at the correct place on the timeline by inserting a vertical line and correspon.ling lefter

i$ a. Halley's Comet approaches the Sun and is again visible from Earth (f gf S)
i U. NapoleonltnephewLouisNapoleonbecomesEmperorofFrance (rSSz)

&
I
c. America's Civil War ends and slavery is abolished ( f SOS)
d. Henry Ford builds his first car (tSgE)
l
F
Lr.
t.
i z. How were Romantic writers, artists, and composers affected by political and industrial changes?
i

I
I

1 f . Identi$' three places where people could hear music performed during the Romantic period.
t

I
F
!"
i'
i
+' Identify at least three careers in the newly emerging music business of the time.
!;
I
r
i
ta

i
I
F S. What techniques did Romantic composers use to express their emotions in their music? Name at least
three.
:l

f,

t
E
I
I 6. Fill in the letter of the description that best matches each word or phrase.
I
n
F valve a. music that depicts-stories or scenes
f
F,
b. cylinders or pistons that move to alter the length of the tube that the air
f _ programmatic
L o -----------
H - passes through inside a brass instrument

g
tt musiccritics c. essentialpartofthenewlyemergingmusicbusiness
T -
T
F 7. Name at least three composers ofthe Romantic period.
$
l
I
E
E
E
52

The 20th Century

ABOUTTHE 20th CENTURY . . .
Industrialization, which began at the end of the 19th century, continued to revolutionize the way of life in the 20th century.
Communication was changed with the invention of the radig the phonograph, the telephone, and the television. Computerization and
computer networking made business more efHcient and radically changed education and communication worldwide. Transportation
became faster with the development of automobiles and airplanes.

Art and architecture moved from one idea to the

next with such speed that more art movements
and styles existed in the 20th century than in
any previous period. Many artists broke from the
traditional technique of making their drawings
look realistic. Instead, artists used geometric or
unfamiliar shapes to express their artistic ideas,
a style called "abstractionj' The horror of World
WarI ( 1914-1918) was one causeforthisrejection
of Realism. In the latter half of the 19th century
a style or movement called Impressionism
developed. The name ofthe movement is derived
from the title of a Claude Monet paintingr
lmpressionism Sunrise. Like its precursor in the
visual arts, musical Impressionism focused on
suggestion and atmosphere rather than strong
emotion or the depiction of a story as in program
music. French composers Claude Debussy and
Maurice Ravel are generally considered to be the
two great Impressionist composers. European
The Geisel Library on the University of California, San Diego campus was designed
by architect William Pereira in the late 1960s and is a well-known example of
artists called Expressionists adppted distorted
Brutalist architecture in the 20th century. shapes and violent colors to reflect their anger
about the war. Architecture also began to use
less traditionaf more unusual forms, such as the striking, organically-shaped Notre Dame du Haut by Swiss architect Le Corbusier
(rss7-r96s).
Realism came back into style at points during the century. In the 1950s and 1960s, for example, mass-production and consumerism
had become so widespread that artists developed an art form called Pop Art, which incorporated consumer images. American
artist Andy Warhol (tSZt-tSSZ) made prints of familiar objects like Campbellt soup cans, and Roy Lichten stein (1923-1997)
reproduced comic strips in bright colors on a large scale. Fashion changed rapidly during the century, as well, but formal occasions
usually required suits and ties for men, and casual attire included blue jeans for both men and women.

2oth CENTURY MUSIC

With the invention of vinyl records, cassette tapes, video tapes, compact discs, mp3 players, and the Internet in the 20th century,
performers and composers could record and distribute their music all over the world to all kinds of people rather than performing
only in concert settings. Popular music, or music of everyday life, particularly, became a much more pervasive social and economic
force. Popular music has existed throughout the ages. For example, the music of minstrels in the Middle Ages (400-1400), madrigals
in the Renaissance ( 1400-1600), chamber music for amateurs in the Classical Period ( 1750-1820), and music forballroom dancing
in the Romantic Period (tSZO-tlOO) were all forms ofpopularmusic of theirtimes. Most ofwhatwe referto todayas folkmusicwas
also the popular music of its day. In the 20th century, popular music included blues, ragtime, Dixieland, swingr bop, soul, rock, rap,
marching band music, and music from Broadway shows. Other musical forms of the past, such as the symphony of the Classical Period
and programmatic music and symphonic poems of the Romantic Period, continued and evolved in the 20th century. In this context,
this music is distinguished from popular music as "art" music. Important 20th century composers include Richard Strauss, Gustav
Holst, Maurice Ravel, B6la Bart6k, Igor Stravinslcy, Sergei Prokofiev, George Gershwin, Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein.

INSTRUMENT UPDATE
The 20th century beginning to end, became the greatest transitional period for music to date. Musical instrumentation ran the
gamut of everything from traditional orchestral instruments of strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion to the use of electronic
iechnology as music-producing instruments. The invention of electric instruments such as the electric guitar and the synthesizer
made it possible to explore new sounds and styles in music. Pop music (and all its sub.genres) in particular made extensive use of
electronic instruments.
 53

*" 2oth century

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a vertical line and corresponding le**r,
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t, Z.what inventions improved worldwide communication in the 20th century?

' 3. What forms has popular music taken since the Middle Ages?
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i 4. Give at least three examples of art music. *

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I S' There is a greater variety of music, art, and architecture in the 2oth century
than in any preceding period.

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t 0. rin in the letter of the description that best matches each word or phrase.
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c. art form that incorporates consumer images

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54

20th Century Pop Music

Bnno Musrc
Beginning in the latter part of the 1800s, band concerts became wildly popular, particularly in the early 20th century, as a form of
casual entertainment. They consisted of transcriptions of orchestral music, arrangements of popular tunes of the day, accessible
original pieces composed for band, and, most importantly, marches.

tnzz
the turn of the century.Jazz can be distinguished by
Jazzisa form of popular music that began its development around
many characteristics, but two of the mtst prominent traits are the heavyuse of syncopation and the frequent employment of
improvisation in performance.

One of the earliest and most important ja zz-inflaenced genres was ragtime, which had its origins in African-American
spirituals, European marches, and the minstrel show music of the 19th century. The most famous ragtime comPoser was Scott
Joplin (ts0a-trtz).
In addition to ragtime, another primary source of jazzwasthe blues. The blues was rooted in African-American field hollers, work
songs, and spirituals of the rural southern United States. The blues was a form ofvocal music based on sad subjects, sometimes
about love or life crises. Jelly Roll" Morton (tSfO-tf+t) was a well-known blues pianist who performed across the southern
United States.

In New Orleans, Louisiana, in the southern United States, a prominent jazz style developed during the 1920s and 1930s.
Influenced by the blues and ragtime, a rich localbrass band came together to create a new type of music called Dixielandiazz.
The music of trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong (c. 1898-1971) was highly influential in developing jazz music. Some other
well-known Dixieland musicians were trumpeter Bix Beiderbecke, trombonist Edward 'Kid" Ory, clarinetist Sidney Bechet, and
bandleader and trumpeter King Oliver.

1940s, 'big bands," usually consisting

Jazz mtsicevolved throughout the 20th century and is still popular today. In the 1930s and
of ten players or more, played dance music called "swing." Swing became very popular with young people throughout the United
States and Europe. It was performed in a triplet swing rhythm style. Two of the prominent earlybigband leaders'were Fletcher
Henderson and Paul Whiieman. The big band boom of the 1930s and 1940s brought together the greatest jazz musicians of
the day to play with bands led by prominent big band leaders such as clarinetist Benny Goodman, trombonist Tommy Dorsey,
saxophonistJimmy Dorsey, trombonist and arranger Glenn Miller, clarinetist and saxophonist Woody Herman, pianist and
composer Duke Ellington, and pianist Count Basie. Stan Kenton (tltt-tOZ9) was the leader of a succession of different big
bands. ThadJones (tlZl-OU) was a cornetist, flugelhorn player, composer, and bandleader whose works have become big
band classics.Jazz singers during the big band era included Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, andJoe
Williams.

Rocr
Rock music grew out of the rich tradition ofAmerican popular music, especially the blues. The evolution started when blues
music migrated from rural areas to cities. The development continued after World War II, when blues bands added an electric
guitar and bass. Players of these new instruments, along with those playing drums, piano, saxophones, and brass, joined vocalists
io perform an urban style of blues which eventually came to be known as rhythm and blues. Another developing style of the
period was country music, which also developed from the blues. Elvis Presley combined rhythm and blues with country in the
new wildly popular genre of rock and roll in the 1950s'

Rock and roll in the 1960s developed into a music style simply called "rock." Rock was different from rock and roll; it had a
freer form, more electric amplification and distortion of sound, and offered more room for improvisation. As rock evolved in
the late 20th century, music became a platform to reflect social causes, personal history, and political viewpoints, and it also
encompassed a variety of styles and performance methods that include reggae.' progressive rock, heavy metal, hip hop, and
,ap. the Rolling Stones and The Beatles particularly echoed the blues and R&B sound. The band U2 from Dublin, Ireland,
frequently.oopl"d their activism in human rights and social justice issues with a music style that reflected a technological
edge even while embracing their rock and roll roots.
 Century Pop Music
l' Name one important comPoser orperformer in each'of the following 20th centurypop
music styles.

a. Ragtime

b. Blues

c. Dixieland

d. BigBand

e. Swing

f. Rock

2. Band music became widelypopular starting in the latterpart ofwhich century?

3. Name the most famous ragtime composer.

4. The blues were rooted in which styles ofAfrican-American music?

5. What style of music is associated with "big bands"?

6. Howwas orock" music different than "rock and roll"?

7. The 20th century, beginning to end became the greatest transitional period for music to date.

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