Brief history of music. 10:44 to be continued
No one can say definitely how music was emerged. One may assume, however, that singing is another form of speaking, and thus it enabled communication between individuals or within a group. Other theories suggest that the making of music originated in imitation of animal sounds. In many non-Western civilizations music still serves as a way to make contact with gods. The idea that the character of a key calls forth certain emotions in the listener is central to the Greek musical aesthetic, which shares it with Arabian and Indian music. In Greek theatre song played a central role. In a semicircular area in front of the stage, the so- called orchestra, stood the chorus, whose task was generally to comment upon the stage action. Though the influence of Greek music was rather strong, during the reign of The Emperor Constantine received its essential impulses from both cultures: such forms as psalmody, with a clear system for the singing of psalm verses in an altering manner, or hymnody, antiphonal singing of religious texts on already existing melodies, show Christian influences. The formation and development of the melodies come from Arabic music.
The roots of classical music lie in medieval monasteries where monks sang chants called "plainsong" that echoed hauntingly off the stonewalls. Plainsongs were sung in the unison. In the 1100's, monks began to build up the sound by singing a second then later a third tune at the same time. This is called polyphony, meaning "many sounds". In Reims in France, Machaut wrote rhytmic music in this form. Most polyphonic music was vocal and composers like Palestrina and Monteverdy wrote wonderful vocal masses and madrigals.
In 1500s people began to play polyphonic music on instruments such as viols and lutes - especially for the popular new dances like pavan and galliard. Then, as musicians became more skilled, composers like Monteverdy began to write brilliantly expressive music for solo voices and chorus.
In 1600s composers began to write in harmony - that is, based on chords rather than parallel tunes. And for the new groups of the professional musicians, they wrote elaborate instrumental pieces called sonatas and concertos - none finer than those of German Composer I.S. Bach.
The roots of classical music lie in medieval monasteries where monks sang chants called "plainsong" that echoed hauntingly off the stonewalls. Plainsongs were sung in the unison. In the 1100's, monks began to build up the sound by singing a second then later a third tune at the same time. This is called polyphony, meaning "many sounds". In Reims in France, Machaut wrote rhytmic music in this form. Most polyphonic music was vocal and composers like Palestrina and Monteverdy wrote wonderful vocal masses and madrigals.
In 1500s people began to play polyphonic music on instruments such as viols and lutes - especially for the popular new dances like pavan and galliard. Then, as musicians became more skilled, composers like Monteverdy began to write brilliantly expressive music for solo voices and chorus.
In 1600s composers began to write in harmony - that is, based on chords rather than parallel tunes. And for the new groups of the professional musicians, they wrote elaborate instrumental pieces called sonatas and concertos - none finer than those of German Composer I.S. Bach.