A Brief Tour
of
Music History
A Lecture Demonstration Concert
Overture
• A opening movement
of an opera or other
musical production.
• Presents themes
heard later.
• Usually before the
curtain rises.
Barber of Seville Overture
• Gioacchino Rossini
(1792-1868)
• Opera first produced
in 1816
• Supposedly written in
less than 2 weeks
Rabbit of Seville
• Used as the basis of
a 1950 Bugs Bunny
cartoon
• Music by Charles
Stalling
Music of Antiquity
• Greeks invented the
scales
• Named after different
Greek City States
(Ionian, Dorian,
Phrygian, Lydian,
Aeolian)
• Mathematical
relationships between
the notes discovered
by Pythagoras
Medieval Period (400 - 1430)
• “Western” music from Catholic
Church
• Monks copied books and music
• Gregorian Chant named after
Pope Gregory
• Vocal Melody (the tune) only
• Eventually Harmony (added notes)
moving in parallel motion
• Sacred music for worship
Vox dilecti mei
• Example of Chant
• Translates to “Voice
of My Beloved”
• No known author
• Mass for St. Rita
Agnus Dei
• Guillaume de Machault
(1300-1377)
• Harmony sounds different
to our ears
• 2 parts with some
additional notes
Renaissance Period (1430 – 1600)
• Rebirth – works of antiquity were
rediscovered
• Secular as well as Sacred music
• Modes (scales) and tonality
• Instruments – organ, viol, recorder,
lute, harp, oboe and crumhorn
• Famous Composers – Byrd, Des
Prez, Dufay, Gibbons, Tallis
Adoremus Te
• Giovanni Pierluigi da
Palestrina (1525-94)
• Took last name from
his birthplace
• Created system of
“voice leading”
• Harmony sounds more
“correct”
• 4 part harmony
Baroque Period (1600-1750)
• Highly ornamented
• Counterpoint – melodies moving
contrary to each other
• Basso continuo – bass part is
continuous
• Famous Composers – J.S. Bach,
Handel, Vivaldi, Scarlatti,
Monteverdi
Cantata No. 140
• J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
• Most famous Baroque
composer
• Period ends with his
death
• Chorale part of a larger
Sunday worship
service
• Relatively unknown
while alive
Hallelujah Chorus
• G. F. Handel
(1685-1759)
• Originally from
Germany
• Moved to London
• Part of oratorio “The
Messiah”
• Famous while alive
Classical Period (1725-1820)
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Expanded length
Greater development
Advent of the Symphony
Sonata-Allegro form
Flourished in Vienna
Famous composers Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn
Symphony No. 94 “Surprise”
• F.J. Haydn (1732-1809)
• Wrote 104 Symphonies
• Court Composer at
Esterhazy
• “Surprise” named for
the sudden dynamic
contrast
Twinkle Variations
• Wolfgang A. Mozart
(1756-1791)
• Child prodigy
• Composed at age 3
• Leopold (father) was
respected composer
• Quintessential Classical
Composer
Symphony No.5, Mvt. 1
• Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)
• 4 note theme
• Exposition – Theme
initially heard,
introduction
• Transitional composer
between Classical and
Romantic periods
Romantic Period (1810-1900)
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Larger orchestras
Extended harmonic structures
Great dynamic variation
Program music
Piano prominent instrument
Famous composers – Berlioz,
Brahms, Liszt, Chopin,
Schumann, Schubert, Wagner
Elve’s Dance (March)
• Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
(1840-1893)
• From the The Nutcracker
• Large influence on Ballet
• Works include: Swan Lake,
Sleeping Beauty, Romeo
and Juliet, 1812 Overture
Ride of the Valkyries
• Richard Wagner
(1813-1883)
• Rise of Nationalism
• Germanic Opera
• Huge works & orchestras
• Works include:
Tannhauser, Loengrin,
Rienzi, Flying Dutchman
What’s Opera, Doc!
• 1957 Bugs Bunny
Cartoon
• Used music of
Wagner
• “Kill the wabbit!”
Modern Period (1900-Present)
• Multiculturalism
• Rules made to be broken and often are
• Rise of Jazz and America’s role
• Diversity of styles
• Electronics
Bolero
• Maurice Ravel
(1875-1937)
• Orchestrations
• More harmonic
structure than Debussy
• Jazz and dance
influences in his works
Firebird Suite
• Igor Stravinsky
(1892-1971)
• Russian Born
• Lived in USA from
1939
• Music for the Ballet
based on the Legend
of the Firebird
• Odd meters
(6/4 & 7/4 time)
Summertime
• George Gershwin
(1898-1937)
• From the opera “Porgy
and Bess”
• First “Fusion” composer
• Jazz & Classical styles
• Other works: Rhapsody in
Blue, Cuban Overture, An
American in Paris
It Don’t Mean a Thing,
If It Ain’t Got That Swing
• Duke Ellington
(1899-1974)
• Wrote parts for specific
players
• Preeminent American
Jazz Composer
• Broke racial barriers
• Other Works: Take the
“A” Train, In a Mellotone,
Caravan, Sophisticated
Lady, Dimuendo and
Crescendo in Blue
Appalachian Spring
• Aaron Copeland
(1900-1990)
• Shaker tune “Simple Gifts”
• American folk song themes
• Other works: Red Pony,
Fanfare for the Common
Man, Hoe-Down
Variations on a Korean Folk Song
• John Barnes Chance
(1932-1972)
• Continued tradition of
using folk tunes for
compositional
foundation
• Composition Prof. at UK
• Died in electrical
accident
• Arirang - potential
national anthem of a
unified Korea
My Old Kentucky Home
• Stephen Foster
(1826-1864)
• Kentucky State Song
• Composer of American
folk music including:
Camptown Races,
Jeannie with the Light
Brown Hair, Old Folks at
Home, O Susanah!
Thank you for
being a great
audience!
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