Evolution of western music
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Transcript of Evolution of western music
Early man most likely took some interest in the sounds around him, in some cases it meant life or death, as in the roar of a tiger, or it was pleasing to the ear, as in a bird singing away.
They might even have started hitting sticks together in an attempt to emulate the sounds of their clubs thumping dully upon the head of some prey, or the hollow melon sound of a neighbor’s skull when they were fighting amongst themselves over some chunk of meat, or for the best looking mate.
In any case, as far as the origin of music is concerned, drums were probably the first primitive music instrument if we remove the human voice from the equation. Early drums consisted of a section of hollowed tree trunk covered at one end with reptile or fish skin and were struck with the hands. Later, the skin was taken from hunted game or cattle, and sticks were used. The double-headed drum came later, as did pottery drums in various shapes
It is possible that the first music instruments was the human
voice itself, which can make a vast array of sounds, from
singing, humming and whistling through
to clicking, coughing and yawning.
Pythagoras was credited with the mathematics of music as we know it today. His followers “The Pythagoreans” were all musicians as well as mathematicians.
According to legend, Pythagoras discovered that musical notes could be translated into mathematical equations when passing blacksmiths at work, and thought that the sounds of their anvils being hit were harmonious and decided that the scientific law causing this to happen must be mathematical and could be applied to music.
The legend also has Pythagoras studying the vibrations of a string stretched tightly between two posts, and basing his musical scale on the frequency of the vibration when the string length was changed.
When you attach a string between two posts and pull it tight, you can create sound or musical notes by plucking on the string. The vibration of the string will create a fundamental frequency, according to the length, tension and mass of the string. The string can also vibrate at multiples of its fundamental frequency. These are called harmonics.
Pythagoras and his school did experiments to discover the relations
between musical notes. The pitch of a note being played on, say, a guitar depends on:
-The length of the string.-The tension of the string.
-The material the string is made of. These harmonious "consonant" lengths were discovered by
Pythagoras.
The history of western music can be divided as follows………
•The Baroque Period
•The Classical Period
•The Romantic Period
•Modern Period
Although a strong religious musical tradition continued, secular music
came to the force with the development of the sonata, the concerto, and
the concerto grosso.
Baroque music is music written from 1600 to 1760. Instrumental music
became dominant in the Baroque, and most major music forms were
defined.
The harpsichord played a central role in a great deal of Baroque music. Much Baroque music was designed for improvisation, with a figured bass provided by the composer for the performer to flesh out and ornament.
The keyboard, particularly the harpsichord, was a dominant instrument, and the beginnings of well temperament opened up the possibilities of playing in all keys and of modulation .
The three outstanding composers of the period were
Johann Sebastian Bach George Frederic Handel Antonio Vivaldi
Classical music is music written from 1750 to 1820. Instrumental music became more popular in this era.
The classical era saw a great deal more emphasis on instrumental genres than any previous period in music history. The prominent new genres which emerged during this time were the symphony and the string quartet. Melodies tend to be shorter than those in baroque, with clear cut phrases, and clearly marked cadences.
The outstanding composers of the period were
W.A. Mozart Ludwig Van Beethoven
Romantic music is music written from 1810 to 1910.In the
romantic period music became more expressive and emotional,
expanding to encompass literature, art and philosophy. The late
19th century saw a dramatic expansion in the orchestra and in the
role of concerts as part of the urban society.
Unlike Classical composers, Romantic composers aimed for a
store powerful expression of emotion, often revealing their innermost
thoughts and feelings. Romantic music is not just about the emotion
of love, it can also be about hate or death (positive or negative
feelings).
The outstanding composers of the period were
Robert Schumann Franz Liszt
Richard Wagner
Giuseppe Verdi
The 20th century saw a revolution in music listening as the radio gained popularity worldwide and new media and technologies were developed record, capture, reproduce and distribute music, because music was no longer limited to concerts opera-houses, clubs, and domestic music-making, it became
possible for music artists to quickly gain global recognition and
influence.
The outstanding composers of the period were
Claude Debussy
Richard Strauss
Bela Bartok
As time proceeded, certain types of music became popular and throughout the years different musicians have been trying to create music which would be performed in one of these popular styles. Music that is enjoyed by the largest possible audiences is called popular music. Many kinds- from Country, Jazz, Rock, Reggae, Rap and other idioms- have been popular in the 20th century. In general, popular music is the product of an industry devoted entirely to its manufacture and sale.
A commercial offshoot of the folk music of the rural South, country music is an American art form that Gained worldwide appeal after World War II. Originally known as Hillbilly or mountain music, country music grew from the folk music that was brought to North America by Anglo- Celtics settlers in the 1700s and 1800s. It was also called country and Western music because of its popularity with cowboys.
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the
beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the
Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and
European music traditions. Typical instruments: Saxophone· Clarinet ·Flute ·
Trumpet · Piano · Guitar . Banjo · Tuba ·Double Bass · Bass. Trombone . Drum kit
Rap is poetry spoken out while music with a heavy drum beat is repeatedly
playing in the background. Rap began in the 1970s by African-American disc
jockeys . The poetry was usually about the everyday lives of the Rap artists.
Many disagree with Rap because of its content (it talks about Drugs, Murder, Abuse etc.), however, this has not stopped the Rap industry from growing because others enjoy listening to this entirely different style of music.
By far the most popular music after 1955 was rock
music, which was at first called Rock 'n' Roll. This music had
its beginnings in the Blues and Jazz-influenced vocal music
popular among African-American audiences after World War
II. Musically, rock has centered around the electric guitar,
usually as part of a rock group with bass guitar and drums.
FellowshipAll people need some form of community in order to survive. With few exceptions throughout history, communities have had their own music, which has helped the people bond together in meaningful ways.
Education
Music can enhance learning by creating a more relaxed physical environment which helps study. In schools students
may have the opportunity to perform some type of musical
ensembles, such as choirs, marching bands, concert bands, jazz
bands, or orchestras. Some students also take private music lessons
with a teacher.
Healing
•Music therapy is often practiced to help cancer patients, children with
Attention Deficit Disorder, etc.
•Hospitals have opted this method to help with pain management, ward off
depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension.
•It has also been utilized in pregnancy, birth and gynecological disorders.
•It has also been used for the management of sleep disorders and stress
symptoms.
WorshipPeople use to acknowledge the presence of some type of god, worship is and always has been a major part of human existence, and as such, has always been intertwined with music and everything else that humans touch. Religious groups that don't use music are rare, and when they do appear usually don't last long.
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