History of Music

Ms. Carlsons IB Music Class

Introduction: In class we are now beginning our session on the history of music. We will be
learning about the four main music periods that occurred between the 15th and 20th century.
Before we begin listening and discussing some of the major musical compositions written during
these periods, were going to learn more about the periods themselves and the famous composers
from each period.
Task: For this project you will first choose one of the four music periods to go more in depth and
research on. You can choose from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical or Romantic period. After
you choose your period of music, I would like you all to find a famous composer from that
period and some music that the composer wrote during that period. At the end of this project you
will write a 2-3 page paper of your findings, going into detail about the period, the composer,
and some other interesting facts of the period.
The Process:
Step #1: Choose one of the four periods of music, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical or Romantic.
Here are some links to get you started on the research for each period of music. Write about
some of the music that is performed in the era that you choose along with the dates of the era.
Renaissance

http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/ren/
http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/renaissanceperiod/tp/renaissancecomp.htm
http://www.rpfuller.com/gcse/music/renaissance.html

Baroque

http://www.baroquemusic.org/
https://www.baroque.org/baroque
http://www.baroque-music.com/
http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/#baro

Classical

http://www.classicfm.com/discover/periods/classical/classical-music-beginners-guide/
http://kidsmusiccorner.co.uk/types/classical/the-classical-period/
http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/#class

Romantic

http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/#rom
http://www.classicfm.com/discover/periods/romantic/
http://kidsmusiccorner.co.uk/types/classical/romantic/
http://musiced.about.com/od/historyofmusic/a/romanticmusic.htm

Step #2: Choose a famous composer from your time period. Below is a list of composers that
you can choose from. If you find another composer that you would like to learn more about that
is not on the list, please get it approved by me. Write about your composers biography and some
of the famous compositions that they wrote in the time period.
Renaissance

Guillaume du Fay
Josquin Desprez
Martin Luther
Thomas Tallis
William Byrd
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
John Dowland

Baroque

Johann Sebastian Bach

George Frederic Handel
Antonio Vivaldi
Claudio Monteverdi
Heinrich Schtz
Henry Purcell
Johann Pachelbel

Classical

Joseph Haydn
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ludwig van Beethoven
o If you choose Beethoven in the Classical period, please make sure that you find
music written before 1820
Felix Mendelssohn
Muzio Clementi

Franz Schubert

Romantic

Frederic Chopin
Ludwig van Beethoven
o If you choose Beethoven in the Romantic period, please
make sure that you find music written after 1820
Johannes Brahms
Robert Schumann
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Franz Liszt
Giacomo Puccini

Step #3: Find any other interesting facts that were going on in the world during your time period
outside of music. This could be any war going on, or any inventions.
Step #4: Write a 2-3 page paper incorporating everything that you have gathered in steps 1-3.
Please cite any sources using MLA format. Your paper should be double spaced and written in
Times New Roman and size 12 font. This paper will be due on November 7th. Also in class on
November 7th, we will be giving short presentations to the class on what period you researched,
and the composer that you found. Be prepared to give a music example that was written by your
composer.
Evaluation:
Paper: 2-3 pages, MLA citation, double spaced, Times New Roman, size 12
Due on November 7th. Worth 80 points
Presentation: Short, about 5 minutes. Discuss your period, the dates of the period, the composer
that you researched and play an YouTube clip of one of their pieces.
Also due on November 7th. Worth 20 points
TOTAL: 100 points
Conclusion: At the end of this assignment, you should be able to know more about one period of
music, and one composer before we begin to discuss all the periods in more detail and the
composers in more detail.