A Brief Overview of Music
History
Musical Eras
• The development of music, like art and literature,
is usually broken down into spans of time that
share similar qualities.
• In music, these are the…
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Medieval era
Renaissance era
Baroque era
Classical* era
Romantic era
20th Century, etc
Medieval Era
• Spans from around the 3rd century to the 15th
century.
• Used simple instruments – stringed
instruments, simple flutes, etc
• Emphasis on sacred music
• Musical lines were often flowing and very
horizontal in style.
Renaissance Era
• Growing desire to formalize the styles being
written, and so order and form was valued.
• Most music was still written for the church,
though secular works and styles were more
common.
• Multiple voice compositions arose more
commonly in sacred compositions within the
church.
Baroque Era
• Many of the forms established in the Renaissance
were varied and expanded, with ornate
embellishment and improvisation becoming
much more prevalent.
• The complexity of the music being written
increased significantly.
• J.S. Bach was the defining composer both secular
and sacred music - chorales and fugues. His work
deeply influenced many composers that came
after him, even today.
Classical Era
• In reaction to the decadence of the Baroque
era, Classical era composers favoured
efficiency and form.
• Developments in instrument manufacturing
allowed for greater virtuosity for the
performers, which the composers took
advantage of in their writing.
• Large ensembles typically numbered from 3040 players.
Classical Era cont…
• During this era, established guidelines for the
large-scale works, including the sonata,
concertos and symphonies, were formed.
• Sonata-Allegro form, in particular, is one of
the most influential developments of that era.
• Masters of these forms in that era include
Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart, Franz Schubert and, near the end of
the era, Ludwig Van Beethoven.