A Brief History Of Music

Music is a composition of three important elements which are rhythm, melody, and
harmony. The roots of Western music are strongly influenced by classical music.
Tracing back its history, classical music is divided into six different periods which
includes music from the Gregorian chants to Beethoven's symphonies to the
contemporary artists.
The longest and most distant era or period of musical history is the Medieval Era,
otherwise known as the Middle Age Period. During this period, the Church was the
center of social life, learning, and the arts. In the early centuries of the Christian
Church, Saint Gregory, who was Pope at that time, arranged and collected choral
works in the form of chants, now called the Gregorian chant. This is music
composed with a single melodic line.Polyphony, on the other hand, is music with
two or more melodic lines in one harmony. The musical notation used is neumes,
which is very different from what is used now.
In the Renaissance Period, composers were more recognized and more expressive
than in the previous era. The collection of instrumental music became more varied
along with the invention of new musical instruments. Secular music also became
more common which now included other forms like motets, madrigals, and songs.
Polyphonic lines were used in a different way. The development of music during this
period was mainly in Rome since the Church occupied a dominant position in
society. Most of the works by the composers are in Latin.
The birth of the opera occurred during the beginning of the Baroque Era. Orfeo, the
first opera, was composed by Claudio Monteverdi. Musical instruments became
more popular and became the main sources of music. Music in this period was richly
textured, highly metaphorical, and was used to express human emotion or depict
natural phenomenon. The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi is a good example.
During this era, concerto became the most popular music genre.
Music in the Classical Period was rather curious since very little development was
done to alter the musical language other than the abolishment of polyphony. The
orchestra was born during this period. This was also the era of famous composers
such as Mozart and Beethoven. Musical writing was rather simple but musical
harmony was developed.
The Romantic Era was more reminiscent and music was expressed with such
spontaneity, fantasy, and sensitivity. The color of sound became an essential tool
for human expression through music. This period also became the golden age for
virtuoso composers, immortalized by such greats as Franz Schubert and Peter
Tchaikovsky.
Around 1900, the face of music changed, ushering in new possibilities. Music of
the 20th Century is a continuation of the Romantic era, but more reactive to
romanticism. Popular and classical music became distinct from one another.
Composers began to experiment with the different elements of music, creating their

own borrowed chords. The advancement of technology also created a great impact
in the evolution of music in this period.