music history

Medieval Time Period

0-1400; characterized by the evolution of music notation.

Gregorian Chant

A form of plainchant that uses neumes for music notation.

Renaissance Time Period

1400-1600; marked the reform of music as an art and the introduction of secular music.

Text Painting

A technique where the style of the music reflects the lyrics.

Baroque Time Period

1600-1750; characterized by embellished music and polyphonic texture.

Embellished Music

Music that is ornamented with features like grace notes and trills.

Polyphonic Texture

Music texture with many independent voices.

Notable Baroque Composers

Composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, and Pachelbel.

Harpsichord

The primary keyboard instrument in the Baroque period, plucking strings instead of striking them.

Louis XIV

A notable example of European absolutism during the Baroque era.

Chiaroscuro

An artistic technique that employs light and dark contrasts.

Neoclassical Literature

Literature influenced by Greek and Roman themes, appearing in the Classical period.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

A famous piece composed by Mozart during the Classical period.

Requiem

A song for the dead, exemplified in Mozart's unfinished Requiem K. 626.

Father of Symphony

A term used to refer to Haydn for his significant contributions to symphonic music.

Chevalier de Saint-Georges

The first classical composer of African origins.

Romantic Time Period

1825-1900; characterized by expressive music and the rise of nationalism.

Programmatic Music

Music that tells a story or conveys a narrative.

Tchaikovsky

A notable Romantic composer known for works like the 1812 Overture and ballet music.

Improvisation in Jazz

An essential element of jazz where musicians spontaneously create music.

Dixieland Jazz

A style of jazz characterized by group improvisation, popular from ~1900-1930s.

Swing Jazz

A big band era of jazz with individual improvisation, popular from ~1935-1946.

Bebop Jazz

A style focusing on soloists and technical virtuosity, popular from ~1940-1950s.

Experimentalism

An approach in contemporary music where composers try new and innovative techniques.

John Cage

A composer who introduced prepared piano and the concept of chance music.

George Walker

The first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Florence Price

The first Black woman to have her music performed by a major symphony orchestra.

Jazz Eras

Eras categorized as Dixieland, Swing, Bebop, and Contemporary.

Wynton Marsalis

The first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Civil Rights Movement in Literature

A significant theme in literature influenced by social movements and historical events.

To Kill a Mockingbird

A novel by Harper Lee, significant in American literature, published in 1960.

Industrial Revolution

A major event that changed societal conditions and is reflected in literature and music.

American Revolution

A political revolution influencing themes of rights and governance seen in literature.