What History Interests Me Part 2 (Musical Styles over time)

By: Shane Tremblay

Each Time period = New Style

• 3000 B.C. to about 300 = Lute-like string instruments appear.

• This meant a simple style of playing, most likely in a group setting with many people singing.

• Similarly, there were• percussions (most • likely people hitting • rocks or clapping).

• -Overall style: Simple • one string-style playing

325 to1100s (Medieval period)

• In 325 Christianity becomes the religion of the Roman Empire, essentially spreading European music at the time. This is a church-based style using piano (organ) and a choir.

• The Gregorian Chant was developed around this time, also known as the Plain Chant or Plainsong.  It was named in honor of Pope St. Gregory the Great and used formally in all church services. 

• -Overall style: rhythmic and more complex than previous years.

1150 to1430

• Rhythmic music notation appeared during this time and the center of musical activity in Europe was found at the Notre Dame school of polyphony.

• Polyphony signifies the switch from monophony (or one note or string) to poly (many notes or strings).

• 1265 marks the first mentioning of the guitar (4 stringed at this time)

• Printing also makes music more available to the masses at this time, meaning more music has survived from this period than the Medieval period.

• Overall style: Increasingly complex with music notation theory beginning to take hold

1430 to1590 – Opera Formed• The Renaissance begins. This rebirth reverts back to the simplistic

virtues of Greek and Roman Classic styles, moves from polyphony to one harmonized melody and secular music becomes more popular.

• Henry VIII of England is recorded to have had 21 guitars in his collection of musical instruments at this time (1570s)

• Opera is born in the salon of Count Giovanni de Bardi as a group of intellectuals and musicians gathered to find a way to combine music and drama.

• Overall style: Melodic, more focused on the overall sound than one simple factor or instrument (Medieval)

1600 - 1760 Baroque Period • The term Baroque was first used to classify architecture in this

period, translated as “"misshapen pearl" from the Portuguese word barroco.

• Baroque music used contrasting phrase lengths, harmony and counterpoint (replacing polyphony) and orchestral color made a stronger appearance.

• This period marks the guitar rivaling the lute in popularity

• Tuning was largely standardized to ADGBE at this time (exceptionally close to modern tuning).

• Overall style: More developed and intricate with new styles of playing and notation emerging around the globe.

Late 1730s to 1820s (Classical)

• Europe began to move to a new style in architecture, literature, and the arts, now described as 'Classicism'.

• Still tightly linked to the court culture and absolutism, with its emphasis on order and hierarchy, the new style was cleaner

• There became a clearer division between parts, brighter contrasts and colors, and simplicity rather than complexity.

• In 1807 Beethoven completes his Symphony No. 5, which many consider to be the most popular classical work ever written.

Overall style: Simple, elegant, and colorful

1820s to 1900s (Romantic)

• Romantic music as a movement evolved from the formats, genres and musical ideas established in earlier periods (it does not mean love!!)

• Romantic music attempted to increase emotional expression and power to describe deeper truths in human emotion as well as keep the formal structure from earlier periods.

• Romantic instruments included Woodwinds, Brass, Percussions, and strings

• Overall style: Slow to fast paced, harmonious, and emotionally moving (but still very technical)

in large symphonies with 30+ members.

1900s to Present (20th Century)• 20th Century music is characterized by advanced recording technology that

allowed virtually anyone to compose music and become influential.

• Amplification was key in allowing mass audiences to hear high quality music (at an extremely low price)

• Contemporary music (or music written today) becomes increasingly popular.

• Electronic music (digitally created) becomes increasingly popular.

• Blues, Jazz, Country, Rock, Progressive, Bluegrass, etc. all become popular forms of music

• Overall style: N/A. At this point there are too many genres to be characterized by a single style.