“The end of all good music is to affect the

soul.” –Claudio Monteverdi Mr. Julito P. Tumulak

 Music History
A. Timeline of Music History
*Antiquity --- Pre-400 AD*
Middle Ages --- 400 AD - 1400 AD
• Gregorian chant (named for Pope Gregory)

Renaissance --- 1400 AD - 1600 AD

• Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Galileo, Medici Family, Martin Luther (Reformation)

Baroque --- 1600 AD - 1750 AD

• Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Ornamentation

Classical --- 1750 AD - 1825 AD

• Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn

Romantic --- 1825 AD - 1900 AD

• Schubert, Saint-Saens, Chopin, Brahms

20th Century --- 1900 AD - 1991 AD

• Gershwin, Copland, Stravinsky
 Music History

The Middle Ages

400-1400 A.D.*
(or the Medieval Period)

*A.D. means Anno Domini “in the year of Our Lord”

 Music History
The Middle Ages/Medieval Period:

• The Medieval period represents almost a thousand years

of the music history of Europe.
• This period is also called the Middle Ages and the Dark Ages.

* Many people died of disease during this period.  (“Black Death”)

* It was a dark time in history because of sickness, and death.  
• Much of the music of this time has been lost. 

• Most of the composers of this time are anonymous. 

* This means we don't know who they are.  They didn't want to
be thought of as bragging, so they didn't sign their work.

• The Catholic Church had the strongest influence over all music
 Music History
The Middle Ages/Medieval Period: Write
thi s dow
n!
• 2 kinds of music:

SACRED: religious music or music of the Church

SECULAR: entertainment music; everyday life

• Notation:  During the Medieval period most music was not written down.

• Composers who did write their music down usually worked for
the Catholic Church. 

• The Church could afford to buy the materials the composers

would need to write music. 

• People outside the Church were too poor to buy what was
needed to compose music.  
 Music History
C. Middle Ages ----- 400 - 1400 AD Take
these
no t e s!
1. Most important type of music:
a. Gregorian Chant

-named after Pope Gregory the Great

-also known as plainchant, plainsong, and chant

-definition: one melody sung in unison; only sung by

males during this time period, no accompanying
instruments (just voices), sacred (religious)

•“Neumes” were used to notate music before

the modern-day Five-line staff
 Music History Take
these
not e s!

C. Middle Ages ----- 400 - 1400 AD

2. Three divisions of people during the Middle Ages
a. nobility
-rich and elite
-kings, queens, princes, etc. made up this class
b. clergy
-religious scholars
-worked for the Catholic Church
c. peasants
-extremely poor, lower class citizens
-worked for the nobility
-lived to be about 30 years old
 Music History
C. Middle Ages ----- 400 - 1400 AD
2. Three divisions of people during the Middle Ages

d. The clergy and nobility made up only 5% of the

population, while the peasants made up about 95%.

-The peasants could not get an education, therefore

they did not know very much about music. This is
why there was not very much music created during
the Middle Ages.
 Music History Take
th is not
e!
C. Middle Ages ----- 400 - 1400 AD
3. Sacred Music
a. Gregorian Chant (monophonic or only one melody)
 Music History
Take
C. Middle Ages ----- 400 - 1400 AD these
no t e s!

3. Sacred Music

b. Leonin and Perotin

-two Catholic priests who were also composers

-they put two different Gregorian chants together

and singing them at the same time

-this was the beginning of polyphonic music

(two or more different melodies)
 Music History
Take
these
C. Middle Ages ----- 400 - 1400 AD notes
!

4. Secular Music

a. Simple songs about love, nature, mythology,

heroic battles, etc.

b. sung by traveling musicians who were called

troubadours.

-troubadours sang and played guitar-like instruments

called lutes.
 Music History
C. Middle Ages ----- 400 - 1400 AD

5. The end of the Middle Ages:

a. The fall of a large city called Constantinople signaled

the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the
Renaissance.

-The Renaissance began at this time because all of

the musicians, artists, scholars, and scientists in
the city moved to other countries when the city
was conquered.