History of Music

A group work for our Music subject. Had fun doing scrapbook stuff out of this information!

1. Claude Debussy
French composer who adapted
the style of impressionism to his
music. He employed the whole
toe scale and abandoned the
concept of tonality.
Arnold Schoenberg
He is known for the radical sound f
his music. He made use of a
different style of singing which is
called Sprechstimme.
Igor Stravinsky
A Russian composer who
established new trend in music. He
combined the traditional and
modern trend
Bela Bartok
A Hungarian considered a
famous progressive modern
musical composer. He made use
of Hungarian folktunes in his
music.
John Cage
An American composer of
modern music noted for his
highly unconventional ideas
and techniques of
composition and
performance.
This period had been a
period of many
changes: advancement
in technology and a
period of many
inventions.

2. Frederic Chopin
One of the leading composers of
this period. His music is the greatest
ever written for the piano known as
the “Poet of the Piano”. The piano is
the most important instrument of
this period.
Franz Lizst
He was known as the piano virtuoso of his
period. Exploited the tonal and technical
sources of the piano.A rhapsody is a
declamatory piece in freeform using
different melodies that vary in mood and
tempo
Franz Schubert
One of the leading composers of art
songs. An art song is a composition for
solo voice that combines melody, poetry,
and accompaniment into an integrated
form in which all three play equally
important roles.

Guiseppe Verdi
The greatest composer of Italian
opera. He composed 27 operas.
Among these are La Traviata, II
Trovatore and Rigoletto.
Hector Berlioz
He was the great romantic composer
who expanded the orchestra. He
exploited the timbre that the full
symphony orchestra can make.
Recognized as the master orchestrator
of his era.
A time of expansion. The
keynote of the Romantic spirit
was freedom: political,
economic, religious personal
and artistic. The common
purpose is the free expression
of man’s feeling about music.

3. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
He was considered by many as the
greatest musical genius of all time. He
was a child prodigy. Mozart’s music is
clear, delicate and simple. He was one
of the composers who wrote many
sonata as it is a very important piece in
this period.
Franz Joseph Haydn
He was known as a gentleman and
best known for his symphonies. He
was able to compose over 100
symphonies. He developed the
symphony into a long form for large
orchestra.
Ludwig van Beethoven
He was a talented pianist and
composer and was recognized as
the “Prince of all Composers”.
Classical Concerto
A concerto is a sonata for solo
instrumental and orchestra. Solo
instrument was composed of three
movement just like sonata and
symphony.
Classical Opera
The term opera usually implies a heroic or
tragic drama. This was formally called as
opera series(serious opera). Another kind is
comic opera. The types of opera are opera
comique (France), opera buffa (Italy), Ballad
opera(English) and singspiel.
This period is also called the “Age
of Reason.” In music, the term
classical refers to the period
which extends roughly from the
death of J.S. Bach to the death of
Beethoven. In general, classical
music can be described as elegant,
graceful, and refined.

4. Motet
A short polyphonic composition with sacred
words and meant to be performed on religious
or festive occasions.
Madrigal
A polyphonic music for four or five voices with
secular text in the vernacular language.

Lute
Is a popular instrument during this
period. It is a 16-stinged instrument and
played by plucking. Has a special kind of
notation called tablature. Used as a solo
instrument or played by grouped players.
Leonardo da Vinci
(Mona Lisa)

Michelangelo
(Madonna and Child)

Rafael
(Saint George and the Dragon)
This means “Rebirth”, a secular
rebirth for men delighted with life.
This was the time when man
discovered that the world is round.
One of the most important event
during this period was the
invention of printing and paper.

5. The word “Baroque” came
froma Portoguese word
“baroco” which means a
“pearl of irregular shape”. It
is an era of absolute
monarchy.
Harpsichord
Early keyboard instrument

Viola De Gamba
Bass instrument

Johann Sebastian Bach
Leading composer of the
Baroque Period. He was able
to compose around 300
cantatas.
George Frederick Handel
He was a great figure in Baroque
music. He conceived the idea of
performing sacred works that are
operatic in nature, without costly
costumes and scenery.
Pipe Organ
This was the most important instrument in
Baroque period. The instrument itself
originated in Egypt and was improved by the
Greeks and Romans. It is a wind instrument
that is played by means of keyboards and
has several sets of pipe with varying lengths.

Baroque Sonata
Also called as partita which consist of series
of dances derived by social or court dances of
the time.
Dance suite
This is often used term in sonata. “Sonata da
Camera” (Chamber sonata) “Sonata da
Chiesa” (church sonata)