Music History

500-1400: Medival Era

• Major Composers

  • Hildegard Von Bingen

  • Leonin

• Major Forms of Music

  • Gregorian Chant

• Musical and Stylistic Characteristics

  • Monophonic Texture

  • Modal System

  • Free Flowing Rythm

1400-1600: Renaissance Era

• Major Composers

  • Josquin des Prez

  • Thomas Tallis

• Major Forms of Music

  • Mass

  • Motet

  • Chanson

• Musical and Stylistic Characteristics

  • Polyphony

  • Word Painting

1600-1750: Baroque Era

• Major Composers

  • Bach

  • Handel

  • Vivaldi

• Major Forms of Music

  • Opera

  • Oratorio

  • Cantata

  • Fugue

  • Suite

  • Concerto

• Musical and Stylistic Characteristics

  • Basso Continuo

  • Ornamentation

1750-1800: Classical Era

• Major Composers

  • Mozart

  • Haydn

  • Beethoven

• Major Forms of Music

  • Symphonic Form

  • 4 movements: Fast, Slow, Dance, Fast

• Musical and Stylistic Characteristics

  • Clarity

  • Balance

  • Functional Harmony

1800-1900: Romantic Era

• Major Composers

  • Mendelssohn

  • Tchaikovsky

  • Brahms

  • Chopin

  • Lizst

  • Dvorak

  • Wagner

• Major Forms of Music

  • Symphony

  • Concerto

• Musical and Stylistic Characteristics

  • Expressive Melody

  • Emotionally Charged

  • Nationalism

  • Folk Influences

1900-Present: Modern/20th Century

• Major Composers: Stravinsky

  • Schoenburg

  • Debussy

  • Copeland

  • Bernstein

• Major Forms of Music

  • Minimalism

  • Impressionist

  • Musical Theatre

• Musical and Stylistic Characteristics

  • Atonality

  • New Scales

  • Non-Traditional Instruments

  • Rhythmic Complexity