MUSIC HISTORY OVERVIEW CHART
PERIOD
CHARACTERISTICS
MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Medieval 1000 - 1450
Emphasis on the church or folklore
Vocal dominated. Sparse texture,
often with one central (monophonic)
line. Added parts (drones). Gregorian
chant.
Meaning re-birth. Religious
emphasis replaced by study of
ancient world. New artistic and
intellectual attitudes. Importance on
human values. Invention of the
printing press meant a vast
repertoire of printed music.
A time of magnificence and
splendour in architecture, music,
painting and sculpture. A time of
intense religious feeling, also of
devastation and destruction.
Polyphonic texture. Complex blending
lines, smooth and flowing. Vocal
(sacred) dominated. Consorts rather
than orchestras. No bar lines. Use of
the lute.
Hildegard von Bingen
Gregorian Chant
du Pres
Renaissance 1450 – 1600
Thomas Morley
John Wilbye
Thomas Weekes
Baroque 1600 – 1750
Handel
Bach
Vivaldi
Classical 1750 – 1825
Mozart
Beethoven
Haydn
Romantic 1825 – 1900
Brahms
Chopin
Tchaikovsky
Faure
Mendelssohn
Plus many others
20th Century
Stravinsky
Bartok
Gareth Farr
Plus many others
Rejection of highly complex texture
and elaborate ornamentation.
Ancient Greek ideals of Balance
Refinement and Order. A
revolutionary time – the industrial,
the American and the French
revolutions.
Great social and economic change.
Europe moved into an industrial age
controlled by the middle class. The
Romantic spirit with emphasis on
personal feelings, self-expression
and emotions moved across Europe.
Great interest in the unusual and the
fantastical, folklore also.
Extraordinary developments in
sciences. The arts reflect the society
undergoing changes and talking new
directions.
Continuous spinning out of a single
melodic idea. Forward rhythmic drive.
Balance of homophonic and
polyphonic texture. Strings, wind and
harpsichord timbre with a lack of
percussion. Contrasting dynamic
levels achieved by increasing and
decreasing the number of instruments
and abrupt shifts in dynamics resulting
in terraced effects. A particular
movement tends to express a single
mood or feeling.
Short clearly defined phrases. Two or
more contrasting themes without a
movement. Clearly defined and
regular rhythms. Mostly homophonic.
Orchestra in four sections, strings
woodwinds, brass and percussion.
Harpsichord was no longer used.
Long lyrical melodies, irregular
phrases, wide angular leaps,
chromaticism, vivid contrasts of major
and minor, a variety of melodic ideas
within one movement. Frequent
changes in meter and tempo. Mostly
homophonic. A wide variety of timbre
on single or combined instruments.
Woodwind sections and brass
increased. Many special orchestral
effects. Rich orchestration.
Fewer lyrical melodies, dissonant
harmonies, complex rhythms,
percussiveness, greater use of wind
and brass and percussion. Tonality no
longer the only system. Rock and jazz
elements.
STYLE
RHYTHM
TONALITY MELODY
TEXTURE
Medieval
1000–1450
Dance-strong
pulse,
Gregorian
chant is free
Modes
Stepwise
progression,
small range
Parallel
monody
Modes
Imitation
points,
motifs
Polyphonic
3-7 parts or
voices
4 voices,
standard
texture
homophonic
Renaissance Fluid
1450–1600
HARMONY DYNAMICS PERFORMING TONE
MEDIA
COLOUR
(TIMBRE)
Ostinato,
Not a feature Voice, reeds,
Contrasting
parallel
strings, brass,
tone
harmony
percussion
colours
used
together
Result of
Not a feature Viols, voices,
Blending,
polyphony,
lutes, recorder,
consorts
suspensions
brass
Baroque
1600-1750
Strong barMajor and
line and
minor keys,
pulse, unity
modulation
of rhythm in
the movement
Imitation
points,
motifs
Based on
triads, clear
sense of key,
strong
cadence
points
4-part
Based on
homophonic triads, clear
sense of key
and cadence
points
Classical
1750-1800
Different
rhythms over
movement
Major and
minor keys,
modulation
4-bar
symmetrical
phrases
Romantic
1800–1880
Rubato,
triplets,
complex
rhythms
Longer
Thicker,
irregular
more
phrases,
doubling
thematic
development
Homophonic, Extreme
chromatic,
dynamics –
dissonance,
ppp-fff
complex
Modern
(20th
Century)
1880prestent day
Complex or
repetitive or
free
Remote
modulation,
chromatic
and
enharmonic
relations
Atonal or
modal or
pentatonic,
bi-tonal
Angular,
asymmetric,
sometimes
no melody
Complexity
in atonal
school,
clarity in
minimalism
Sound
clusters,
sparse
textures
STRUCTURE
Elaboration of
chant, strophic
songs and
dances
Based on
imitation points,
repeated bass
line.
Suite (binary
dances),
concerto grosso,
opera began
Terraced
String orchestra
with soloists,
basso continuo
String
consort,
contrasting
wind solos,
obligatos
Dynamics
important,
crescendo
began
Piano and
clarinet came in,
modern
orchestra began
Highlights
structure,
orchestra
based on
shifting
colours
Very
important
colour used
to create
atmosphere
Sonata form,
symphony,
opera, solo
concerto
Tone
colour is a
feature and
important
element
Brevity,
repetition,
variation
Extremes of
dynamic
contrast
Extra
instruments
added tot he
orchestra: harp,
cor anglais,
contra-bassoon
Usual
combinations
and techniques,
electronic
percussion
Symphonic
poems, opera,
solo song