1. Introduction to Music History
Year 12

2. Lesson Objective:
To know the different periods in the progression of western classical music and to understand how musical characteristics developed through this time.
Initial Questions:
When did music begin?
Why do we talk about ‘western’ and ‘non-western’ musics?
Is there a clear definition between popular music and classical music?

3. Timeline – Western Music
Dates
Musical Period
Historical events
Pre-1600
The Renaissance Period
The Tudor period – Henry VIII etc.
The Baroque Period
Louis XIV in France, several European conflicts including the Franco-Dutch Wars
The Classical Period
The Georgian Era
The Romantic Period
The Victorian Era
The Twentieth Century
The Edwardian Era
Post WW1/Pre WW2/Post WW2
1920’s
Jazz Music (Mainly in America)
Prohibition
The Great Depression

4. The Renaissance Period
Dates: 1400 (arguable) – 1600 The renaissance period encompassed all forms of art and culture, not just music – a key feature of many periods. Music was liberated from the constraints of medievalism and became a vehicle for personal expression, no longer being expected to follow pre-determined rules. The development of printing meant that music could be distributed on a mass scale and allowed the dissemination of music across the continent. As a result music started to develop as a form of entertainment, and something that amateur musicians could take part in.

5. Musical Features:
Music based on modes – the fore-runner of modern tonality
Textures of four or more parts
Blending parts in the musical textures
Harmony focusing more on the flow of chordal progressions.
Genres of renaissance music include:
Sacred: Mass, Motet
Secular: Madrigal, Chanson
Both instrumental and vocal music was popular

6. Composers:
Palestrina Lassus Byrd Dowland

7. The Baroque Period:
Dates: Like the renaissance period the baroque period encompassed all art forms. Baroque culture was characterised by being very elaborate, the name actually meaning ‘misshapen pearl’ Baroque music developed out of a rejection of polyphony, focusing more on ancient Greek textures of monody (melody and continuo)

8. Musical features Use of the harpsichord
Much elaboration of melodies using ornamentation
Basso Continuo
Use of Monody and Homophony
Development of western tonality
Introduction of dramatic music forms
More linear melodies emerging
More idiomatic writing for the different instruments.

9. Composers
J.S. Bach G. F. Handel A. Vivaldi Bach came from a very musical family – many of the were also musicians!

10. The Classical Period
Dates: Musicians during this time started to try and emulate the styles of classical antiquity and particularly that of Ancient Greece. This led to a focus on simplicity and clear divisions between parts. Vienna was the centre of this movement

11. Musical Features: Mainly homophonic – ‘cleaner’ texture
Greater variety of key, dynamics and rhythms used.
Shorter melodies with clear-cut phrases
Importance of instrumental music – the orchestra increased in size
Introduction of the piano and clarinet
Popularity of comic opera
Development of large-scale structures such as sonata form.

12. Composers
Joseph Haydn W.A. Mozart Beethoven Beethoven forms a link between the classical and Romantic periods – he was writing music in both.

13. The Romantic Period
Dates: This period saw a massive expansion in the orchestra and pieces composed. Composers started to move away from established rules and routines The period does not necessarily focus on Romantic love though it can do. It focuses rather on any strong emotion. Nationalist pride was also important

14. Musical Features: Emphasis on lyrical melodies
Greater tonal and rhythmic ambiguity
Denser textures and an expansion of the orchestra
Closer links with other arts
More technical virtuosity – the performer as genius (Liszt/Paganini)
Use of recurring themes to give more shape to the pieces
More variety in types of pieces.

15. Composers
Liszt Chopin Berlioz Schubert

16. The Twentieth Century
Dates: The 20th Century is a slightly ambiguous term as there are many different types of music which come under the heading of ‘20th Century’. (Though this is the case with all different periods of music, it is more defined with the 20th Century) During this period of musical history, composers started to divorce with the prior structures and features of romanticism and became increasingly experimental.

17. Some key forms of 20th Century music
Minimalism
Serialism
Neoclassicism
Aleatoric music (Music by chance)
20th Century classical music
There are also very many other different types of music in this period – these are just some of the key features!

18. Key Composers
Reich Cage Schoenberg Adams