History of Music

By morganpotts
  • Period: 500 to 1450

    Medieval Period

    The Medieval Period, also known as the middle ages, was a time where music was written in a way that did not distract from worship. There was also a neumatic notation system that was used during this time period.
  • 1030

    Guido of Arezzo's Micrologus

    The innovation of this document was the hexachord system which is a 6 note system. In addition to the hexachord system, the document innovated sight singing as well as the idea of relative pitch. It also was the foundation for the four line staff.
  • Period: 1098 to 1179

    Hildegard of Bingen

    She was considered the greatest composer of the Middle Ages. In addition, she was a poet and a writer. She did not compose from existing Gregorian melody and her compositions consisted of a wide range for the singers.
  • 1323

    Ars Nova Treatise

    The important innovation that came from the Ars Nova Treatise was secular music. This is the first time in history where composers are creating more secular music than sacred music.
  • Period: 1450 to

    Renaissance Period

    The Renaissance is a time period of exploration, colonization, and the idea of humanism. It was an age of genius in regards to literature, the arts, and sciences.
  • 1485

    Josquin's Ave Maria...virgo serena Motet

    This is one of Josquin's earliest motets and remains one of his most popular. The text that has been put into a polyphonic setting refers to the five feasts of the Virgin Mary.
  • 1529

    Martin Luther's Chorale "Ein feste burg" (A Mighty Fortress is Our God)

    This chorale is considered the anthem for the Protestant Reformation.
  • 1538

    Arcadelt's Madrigal "Il bianco e dolce cigno"

    This piece has a chordal texture with points of imitation throughout.
  • 1567

    Palestrina's "Pope Marcellus Mass"

    This mass was dedicated to the Pope. According to legend, it demonstrated how even with 6 polyphonic voices, the sacred words could be understood.

  • Victoria's "Missa O Magnum Mysterium"

    This is a parody/imitation mass. It imitates Victoria's motet, "O Magnum Mysterium" that was composed 20 years before.

  • Gabrieli's Sonata "Pian’e Forte"

    This piece was composed for St. Mark's Basilica. Not only was it the first piece to dictate which instrument should play each specific line, it also is the first piece with dynamics written into the music.
  • Period: to

    Baroque Period

    The term baroque was a derogatory term. Many found the period to be bizarre and overcomplicated. By the widespread experimentation this era brought, it resulted in the concerto, aria, and sonata. We also gained major and minor tonality as well as barlines from this period.

  • Monteverdi's L’Orfeo

    This is the first opera to enter standard repertory.

  • First Public Concerts in England

    These public concerts started the rise of public concerts in other countries. It was the beginning of modern concert culture.
  • Period: to

    JS Bach

    Many believe that works by Bach represent the "best" of the Baroque era. He help important positions in Weimar, Cöthen, and Leipzig. He was an organist, violinist, and violist.

  • Antonio Vivaldi's L’Estro Armonico

    It was his first collection of concertos appearing in print. It is a set of 12 concertos for stringed instruments. It was published by Estienne Roger in Amsterdam, which was the first time using a foreign publisher. These works influenced Bach.

  • Rameau's Traité de l’harmonie

    This became the basis for teaching harmony. It was the most influential of all his theoretical works.

  • Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier volume 1

    This is compiled of 24 preludes and fugues. They go through the 12 major keys and the 12 minor keys. It employed a tuning system for the keyboard that we still use today. It is called “equal temperament” because the octave is divided into 12 semitones that are equal intervals apart.
  • Period: to

    Franz Joseph Haydn

    Haydn is credited with helping create the styles and forms for the string quartet and symphony.
  • Period: to

    Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges as director of Concerts des Amateurs

    Joseph Bologne was also called "le Mozart noir" or "the black Mozart”. This was one of the finest orchestras in Europe.

  • Handel's Messiah

    It premiered in 1742, but was completed in 1741. Handel’s Messiah is a sacred work in three parts.
  • Period: to

    WA Mozart

    Mozart was what some would consider a "child prodigy". He did a lot of freelance work and composed over 600 works. He died young, but due to his early start we have many influential works composed by him.
  • Period: to

    Viennese Classical Period

  • Mozart's Don Giovanni

    This opera was based on the legend of Don Juan. The libretto is by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It is a dramma giocoso.

  • Haydn's Symphony No. 94 "Surprise"

  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor

    This piece was the first to add trombones to a symphony.

  • Schubert Erlkönig

    This was the first piece that Schubert attempted to have published.

  • Nicolo Paganini 24 Caprices for Violin, op.1

    Despite being composed in 1805, these Caprices for violin were not published until 15 years later. These were deemed unplayable by many.

  • Berlioz Symphonie fantastique

    This was inspired by Berlioz’s obsession with the Shakespearean actress, Harriet Smithson.
  • Period: to

    Frederic Chopin Mazurkas Op.7

    These were based on the traditional Polish Folk dance.

  • Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel Das Jahr

    This is a character piece that takes us through the 12 months along with a postlude.
  • Period: to

    Louis Moreau Gottschalk Souvenir de Porto Rico

    This piece incorporated 3 Caribbean rhythms as well as syncopation.

  • Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

  • Bizet Carmen

  • Wagner Der Ring des Nibelungen

  • Brahms' Symphony No.4

  • Mahler Symphony No.1

  • Dvorak Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"

  • Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag (published)

  • Jean Sibelius' Finlandia (premiere)

  • Claude Debussy's Voiles” from Préludes Book 1

  • Arnold Schönberg's Pierrot Lunaire

  • Igor Stravinsky's Le sacre du Printemps (premiere)

  • Arnold Schönberg's Piano Suite, Op.25

  • Louis Armstrong's "Hotter Than That"

  • George and Ira Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" (published)

  • Shostakovich Symphony No.5 premiere

  • Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky (film)

  • Duke Ellington's Cottontail

  • Olivier Messiaen's Quatuor pour le fine du temps

  • Bela Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra

  • Period: to

    Copland Appalachian Spring

  • John Cage's 4’33’’

  • Edward Varese Poeme Electronique

  • Miles Davis Kind of Blue

  • George Crumb's Ancient Voices of Children

  • John Adams' Short Ride in a Fast Machine