Evolution of Music: Part 1Evolution of Music: Part 1

by Dr. Jon K. Loessin

Wharton County Junior College

Gregorian ChantsGregorian Chants *The roots of the Gregorgian music can be found in the third millennium BC.

This is confirmed by archaeological findings, such as three-hole pipe made of swan shin bone. In the ancient period 7 hole-pipes, lyres, bag-pipes, banduras, drums etc. were already in use.

*Gregorgian sacred and secular music has a rich and complex history, relatively little of which is documented in any depth in English. Very strikingly, Gregorgian music uses an ancient system of polyphony, usually in three parts, and a unique tuning system conceived outside of what the western ear is used to. It makes a great use of parallel motion and dissonance (and usually ending in a unison pitch). Therefore, you are hearing tone pairings that speak a different musical vocabulary.

Populus Sion

Gothic Era MusicGothic Era Music

Gothic—A term often used to refer to the late middle ages (a.d. 1100-1450)

Examples:Organum Viderunt omnes (abt. 1160)

Roman de Fauvel (abt.1250)

Music of the Royal Courts: Music of the Royal Courts: The Renaissance PeriodThe Renaissance Period

13th-16 centuriesComposers include Giovanni Palestrina and

William ByrdFrench, German, Italian, and Spanish courts

The Baroque Period: 17The Baroque Period: 17thth CenturyCentury

--Birth of “modern” music for the era--Represented an awakening in musical

composition--Sophistication and repetition of harmony

through an aesthetic emotional methodComposers include Antonio Vivaldi (1678-

1741) , Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), and Georg Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)(1685-1750)

MAJOR COMPOSITIONS: The Brandenburg Concertos ; Concertos for Violin

George Frideric Handel George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)(1685-1759)

MAJOR COMPOSITIONS: Messiah; Arrival of the Queen of Sheba ; Love in Bath ; Water Music

The Classical Period: The Classical Period: 1818thth Century Century

Composers included the great master composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791 Austria) and Ludwig von Beethoven (1770-1827

Germany)

Beethoven and MozartBeethoven and Mozart

Beethoven Compositions include: Symphony No. 5, No. 9, and Für Elise

Mozart’s works include: Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Turkish March

The Romantic Period:The Romantic Period:Dominated the 19Dominated the 19thth Century Century

Divided into the early romantic, romantic, and late romantic periods, but dominated by the music of the German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) with pieces like The Ride of the Valkyries

Other Romantic Period Other Romantic Period ComposersComposers

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Frederik Chopin (1810-49) Johann Strauss II (1825-99) Johannes Brahms (1833-97) Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-93) --The Sleeping Beauty… The 19th century also witnessed the Post-

Romantic (like Gustav Mahler), Modern Romantic (like Sergei Rachmaninov) , and Expressionist composers (like Maurice Ravel)

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Ravel became famous for what some say is the most sensual and erotic musical composition of all time: Bolero

It is so synonymous with Ravel it is usually referred to as Ravel’s Bolero

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ZBzIXoJDM