Western Classical

Music: From Royal

Court to Common
Ear
By Xane Walker
 Chapter 1
Prehistoric Pieces to
Medieval Melodies
 Music at its Earliest

❖ Music has been around as long as people have been able to make it.

❖ The oldest musical instrument discovered is a flute carved from bone, dated to be
43,000 years old.

❖ The notes on the flute make up the pentatonic scale, a set of five notes which are
recognized in nearly every culture’s music.

❖ Composers use the pentatonic scale to make music seem feel ancient or folklike.
 What did ancient
music sound like?
❖ The earliest complete written piece of music
is titled “Epitaph of Seikilos”.

❖ The song is a four verse poem carved in

Greek dated to the Second Century C.E.

❖ The epitaph only consists of a sung melody,

it is impossible to determine if there was an
accompanying instrument.
 The Medieval Era
476 C.E. - 1400 C.E.

❖ The Medieval Era lasted from the collapse of the Roman Empire in 476 C.E. to the
beginnings of the Renaissance.

❖ Modern musical notation originated in the churches of Europe as a way to ensure

consistency in song and worship.

❖ The development of notation allowed the preservation of musical pieces as well as.

❖ Music of this era was generally monophonic, meaning one melody being sung in
unizion, regardless of the amount of participants
 The church’s
influence
❖ The majority of music from this period is
related to the church because most songs
were recounted orally

❖ One of the most recognizable forms of

medieval music is Gregorian Chant, a form
of worship observed by the Roman-Catholic
Church to this day

❖ Gregorian Chant is most commonly sung in

Latin by choirs of men or boys
 What are some other
instruments found
throughout the ancient
world?
 Chapter 2
Renaissance revolution
and Baroque brilliance
 The Renaissance Era
1400 C.E. - 1600 C.E.

❖ The Renaissance Era saw the introduction of polyphony, multiple different sounds
occurring at the same time to complement each other.

❖ Along with the use of polyphony, previous rules of structure were disregarded, this
period became a time of expression and experimentation.

❖ Music during this time was still generally vocal, instruments were increasingly
used but it was uncommon for them to be written into songs specifically.

❖ The advent of the printing press in 1501 continued to provide easier access to
written music. Songs were written for enjoyment and could be easily shared
 High status
entertainment
❖ While a great deal of music was for church,
high class entertainment became a common
function.

❖ Choirs, concertos, and vocalists were

employed to sing for events in ballrooms,
courtyards, etc.
 The Baroque Era
1600 C.E. - 1750 C.E.

❖ The Baroque Era was a period of new structure and hierarchy to musical composition. It
is during this time that instruments began to be widely used in written music.

❖ The harpsichord, organ, and violin became prominent solo instruments with orchestras
accompanying them.

❖ Before this time, music was only composed if there were words to sing. Composers were
able to express themselves solely through the instruments of an orchestra.

❖ The late Renaissance and Baroque eras saw the invention and prominence of opera, with
its combination of music and drama in new ways.
The rise of symphony
❖ Baroque era orchestras began to play in
concert halls meant for dancing.

❖ The size of orchestras was not standardized

at this point, many groups were 5-6 times
smaller than later periods.

❖ Improvising was common in music of this time,

often composers did not specify directions
and left them open to interpretation.
 Chapter 3
Classical and Romantic
Era innovation
 The Classical Era
1750 C.E. - 1800 C.E.

❖ The Classical Era began in 1750 after the death of renowned composer Johann Sebastian
Bach.

❖ This short era brought about the invention of the string quartet, the piano, and
increased structure to symphony. Composers were much more specific about how their
pieces were to be performed

❖ It was during this era that Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
continued to spur development of symphonic music, solidifying their form and function.

❖ Classical era music, especially by Haydn and Mozart, is very common in modern concert
halls, including some by Beethoven.
 Classical Elegance
❖ The string quartet was a new structure of
musicians at the time, often found playing
for lavish events.

❖ Classical Era symphony was also changed,

resembling modern orchestras closely in
size and instruments.
 The Romantic Era
1800 C.E. - 1900 C.E.

❖ The Romantic Era is one that walked in the footsteps of Ludwig van Beethoven; where
music could be intense, painful, joyous, sorrowful, and everything in between.

❖ Orchestras were too big to be led by a pianist or violinist at this point, so the role of the
conductor was made to guide.

❖ Nationalistic music was born during this period with composers being inspired to make
music reminiscent of their homeland.
Romantic ingenuity
❖ Composers sought to represent poetry, art,
and stories in musical form, creating
programmatic music.

❖ Beethoven’s 6th symphony is one written to

describe countrysides through sound as a
Chapter 4
20th century to
modernity
 The 20th-21st Century
1901 C.E. - Present

❖ The 20th century is a period best known for its unprecedented variety and outside
influence.

❖ Orchestral music has many modern applications — film scores and video game
soundtracks especially.

❖ As new technology has been developed, such as recording, orchestral music has only
become more accessible to the public, inspiring new love for the medium.

❖ Quite a few influential composers are from more recent years such as Gustav Mahler,
Igor Stravinsky, Richard Wagner, and more.
 A new frontier
❖ Today, video games serve as a medium for
some of the most creative music of our time,
both vocal and instrumental.

❖ Games and television have introduced a

great many to classical music that may
never have had an interest otherwise, such
as myself.
 References
Antigone. (2021, December 7). The Song of Seikilos: a Musically Notated Ancient Greek Poem. Antigone.

https://antigonejournal.com/2021/12/song-of-seikilos/

Fort Collins Symphony. (n.d.). A Brief History of Classical Music. Fort Collins Symphony.

https://fcsymphony.org/uncategorized/a-brief-history-of-classical-music/

Hardwick, A. (2023, September 5). How video games like 'Starfield' are creating a new generation of classical music fans. The

Conversation.

https://theconversation.com/how-video-games-like-starfield-are-creating-a-new-generation-of-classical-music-fans-211

016

Linton, S. (2022, January 6). The 4 eras of classical music: a quick guide. Classic FM.

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/four-eras-classical-music/