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500 BCE
Maracas
Latin America - Percussion -
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801
Xylophone
Asia - Percussion -
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Period: 1150 to
Renaissance & Medieval Period
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1152
Ordo Virtutum
Composed by: Hildegard of Bingen
Style/Genre: Mass Composed during the construction and relocation of her Abbey at Rupertsberg. It is the earliest morality play by more than a century, and the only medieval musical drama to survive with an attribution for both text and music. https://www.healthyhildegard.com/ordo-virtutum/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGPZWUNwLG0 -
1160
Perotin
Renaissance/Medieval Period
Country of Origin: Paris, France
Born: 1160 - Died: 1230
Notable Work: "Sederunt Principes" https://www.britannica.com/biography/Perotin -
1185
Organum Style
Organum is a genre of Medieval polyphonic music (music with two or more simultaneous, different voice parts) Reached the peak of its sophistication during the late 1100s-early 1200s in France Used by Leonin in "Viderunt Omnes" https://www.britannica.com/art/organum -
1198
Viderunt Omnes
Composed by: Leonin
Style/Genre: Organum Style "Viderunt omnes" is a Gregorian chant based on Psalm XCVII (98), sung as the gradual[1] at the Masses of Christmas Day and historically on its octave. https://imslp.org/wiki/Viderunt_omnes_(P%C3%A9rotin) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oaRM1uDsw8 -
1250
Adam de la Halle
Renaissance/Medieval Period
Country of Origin: Arras, France
Born: 1250 - Died: 1306
Notable work: "Le Jeu de Robin et de Marion." https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adam-de-la-Halle -
1291
Philippe de Vitry
Renaissance/Medieval Period
Country of Origin: Paris, France
Born: 1291 - Died: 1361
Notable Work: "the Ars Nova Notandi" https://www.britannica.com/biography/Philippe-de-Vitry -
1300
Snare drum
Europe - Percussion -
1300
Guillaume de Machaut
Renaissance/Medieval Period
Country of Origin: Reims, France
Born: 1300 - Died: 1377
Notable Work: "Messe de Nostre Dame" https://www.britannica.com/biography/Guillaume-de-Machaut -
1300
Ars Nova Style
This style was a new style of music originating in France and Italy in the 14th century. The name comes from a tract written by Philippe de Vitry in c.1320.
The style was characterised by increased variety of rhythm, duple time and increased freedom and independence in part writing. https://www.musictheoryacademy.com/periods-of-music/medieval-music/ -
1365
Messe de Nostre Dame
Composed by: Guillaume de Machaut
Style/Genre: Tournai Mass Contrary to popular belief, Machaut did not actually come to work for the Reims Cathedral until the end of the 1350s, composing the mass as an act of devotion and dedication marking his arrival in the district. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/culture-magazines/guillaume-de-machauts-messe-de-nostre-dame https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33yR2-vXblo -
1400
Harpsichord
Italy - Stringed -
1450
Sackbut
Burgundy - Brass -
1480
Villancico Style
It is a poetic and musical form and was sung with or without accompanying instruments. Originally a folk song, frequently with a devotional song or love poem as text, it developed into an art music genre. Popular from the late 15th to 18th centuries. https://www.britannica.com/art/villancico -
1489
Crumhorn
Germany - Brass -
1550
Cello
Italy - Stringed -
1555
Violin
Northern Italy - Stringed -
1567
Claudio Monteverdi
Baroque Period
Country of Origin: Cremona, Italy
Baptized: 1567 - Died: 1643
Notable Works: “L’Arianna” “La favola d’Orfeo” https://www.britannica.com/biography/Claudio-Monteverdi -
Period: to
Baroque Period
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Orchestra Style
Known as a group of instrumentalists, especially one combining string, woodwind, brass, and percussion sections and playing classical music. https://www.britannica.com/art/orchestra-music -
Lachrimae
Composed by: John Dewland
Style/Genre: Chamber Music It became one of the most widely known compositions of the time. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lachrimae https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZYzuIGDYGs -
Opera Style
Opera is a key part of the Western classical music, and Italian in particular, tradition. Originally understood as an entirely sung piece, in contrast to a play with songs, opera has come to include numerous genres https://www.britannica.com/art/opera-music -
Lasciatemi Morire
Composed by: Claudio Monteverdi
Country of Origin: Cremona, Italy
Born: 1567 - Died: 1643 The piece started life as an extended operatic aria, a featured moment in Monteverdi's 1608 opera, 'L'Arianna'. https://www.sonomabach.org/lasciatemi-morire---claudio-monteverdi.html#:~:text=%E2%80%8B'Lasciatemi%20morire'%2C%20sometimes,(libretto%20by%20Ottavio%20Rinuccini). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLLs8-DZTNU -
Oratorio Style
Known as a large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, typically a narrative on a religious theme, performed without the use of costumes, scenery, or action. Well-known examples include Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Handel's Messiah, and Haydn's The Creation. -
Bassoon
France - Woodwind -
Serenade Style
A piece of music sung or played in the open air, typically by a man at night under the window of his lover. This custom was started during the Medieval era in Europe It has also been a composition style used by Mozart https://www.britannica.com/art/serenade-music -
Henry Purcell
Baroque Period
Country of Origin: London, England
Born: 1659 - Died: 1695
Notable Works: "Abdelazer", "Dido and Aeneas", and "Dioclesian." https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-Purcell -
Antonio Vivaldi
Baroque Period
Country of Origin: Venice, Italy
Born: 1678 - Died: 1741
Notable work: “Concerto for Four Violins and Cello in B Minor, Op. 3, No. 10” https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonio-Vivaldi -
Concerto Style
A concerto is a piece of classical music that features a soloist accompanied by an orchestra. The soloist stands or sits at the front of the stage near the conductor so that they can be seen and heard clearly
The Concerto style began to appear when Italians such as Giuseppe Torelli and Arcangelo Corelli started to publish their concertos. The concerto originated as a genre of vocal music in the late 16th century https://www.britannica.com/art/concerto-music -
Johann Sebastian Bach
Baroque Period
Country of Origin: Eisenach, Germany
Born: 1685 - Died: 1750
Notable Works: "Goldberg Variation" and "Brandenburg Concertos." https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johann-Sebastian-Bach -
Fortepiano
Italy - Stringed -
Sonata Style
Sonata form (also sonata-allegro form or first movement form) is a musical structure generally consisting of three main sections: an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation After 1700, the sonata became more popular and gained the attention of many piano composers. https://www.britannica.com/art/sonata-form -
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Classical Period
Country of Origin: Weimar, Germany
Born: 1714 - Died: 1788
Notable Works: Solfeggietto, Sonata in A minor for Solo Flute, and Magnificat https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Philipp-Emanuel-Bach -
Joseph Haydn
Classical Period
Country of Origin: Rohrau, Austria
Born: 1732 - Died: 1809
Notable Works: the London Symphonies, The Creation, Trumpet Concerto, and Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Haydn -
Symphony Style
An elaborate musical composition for full orchestra, typically in four movements, at least one of which is traditionally in sonata form. In the 18th century, the symphony became the most common and important genre of music. https://www.britannica.com/art/symphony-music -
The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Composed by: George Frideric Handel
Style/Genre: Chorus Notable Work: The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” interlude is a widely appreciated processional set piece. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Arrival-of-the-Queen-of-Sheba https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TGKJ9MgCOQ -
Clarinet
Germany - Woodwind -
Period: to
Classical Period
Bach in 1750 has traditionally been regarded as the end of the Baroque Period. The well-known Classical era of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven is said to have begun in 1775. The transitional, 25 year period between is known as Rococo. -
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Classical Period
Country of Origin: Salzburg Austria
Born: 1756 - Died: 1791
Notable Works: Requiem, the Magic Flute, Jupiter Symphony -
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Classical Period
Country of Origin: Bonn, Germany
Born: 1770 - Died: 1827
Notable Work: Archduke Trio, Waldstein Piano Sonata, Triple Concerto
Influenced by: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Joseph Haydn, George Frideric Handel, and Friedrich Schiller https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ludwig-van-Beethoven -
Chamber Music Style
Chamber music, music composed for small ensembles of instrumentalists. In its original sense, chamber music referred to music composed for the home
The tradition of chamber music was first established in the late 1700s and early 1800s by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven during the so-called Viennese Classic Era https://www.britannica.com/art/chamber-music -
Aria Style
In opera, arias mostly appear during a pause in dramatic action when a character is reflecting on their emotions. Most arias are lyrical, with a tune that can be hummed, and many arias include musical repetition.
Popularized in the later 17th and early 18th centuries. https://www.britannica.com/art/aria-solo-song -
The Marriage of Figaro
Composed by: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Style/Genre: Opera Mozart was hoping for greater fame and financial security, and in his choice of material he was influenced by the unprecedented success in Vienna. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Marriage-of-Figaro-opera-by-Mozart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OZCyp-LcGw -
The Seasons
Composed by: Joseph Haydn
Style/Genre: Oratorio Haydn called Die Jahreszeiten (1801; The Seasons) an oratorio, though its content is secular and its form a loosely articulated series of evocative pieces. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Seasons-by-Haydn -
French Horn
Germany - Brass -
Fanny Mendelssohn
Romantic Period
Country of Origin: Hamburg, Germany
Born: 1805 - Died: 1847
Notable Works: Das Jahr, Easter Sonata, and Piano Trio https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fanny-Mendelssohn -
Pastoral Symphony
Composed by: Ludwig van Beethoven
Country of Origin: Bonn, Germany
Born: 1770 - Died: 1827 Many modern listeners came to know Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony through its appearance in the Walt Disney’s Fantasia film of 1940. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Symphony-No-6-in-F-Major https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRg0K5rgXog -
Frédéric Chopin
Romantic Period
Country of Origin: Żelazowa Wola, Poland
Born: 1810 - Died: 1849
Notable Works: Nocturnes, Op. 9, Études, Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. posth. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frederic-Chopin -
Franz Liszt
Romantic Period
Country of Origin: Raiding, Austria
Born: 1811 - Died: 1886
Notable Works: La campanella, Liebesträume, and Liebestraum No. 3 As-dur
Influenced by: Ludwig van Beethoven, Carl Czerny, Heinrich Heine, Charles Baudelaire https://www.britannica.com/biography/Franz-Liszt -
Period: to
Romantic Period
Beethoven is known for causing the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic period as he expanded on and broke free from the strict rules of Classical music. The Romantic period's music was theatrical, energetic, and emotional, and composers drew on influences from famous art and literature -
Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2
Composed by: Frederic Chopin
Style/Genre: Operatic Style The work has become one of the most famous Chopin music today. It is in a repeating form and Chopin uses those repeats to elaborate the melodies more each time. https://www.britannica.com/art/nocturne https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E6b3swbnWg -
Johannes Brahms
Romantic Period
Country of Origin: Hamburg Germany
Born: 1833 - Died: 1897
Notable Works: Wiegenlied, Danzas húngaras, and A German Requiem
Influenced by: Ludwig Van Beethoven and more -
Tuba
Germany - Brass -
Saxophone
Belgium - Woodwind -
Claude Debussy
20th Century Composer
Region: Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Born: 1862 - Died: 1918
Notable Works: La mer, Clair de lune, and Suite bergamasque
Influenced by: Frédéric Chopin and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky -
Arnold Schoenberg
20th Century Composer
Region: Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria
Born: 1874 - Died: 1951
Notable Works: Pierrot lunaire, Verklärte Nacht, and Gurre-Lieder https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arnold-Schoenberg -
Impressionism Style
Impressionism music is a late 19th century classical composition style the focused on creating moods, emotions, and deviating from traditional harmonic progressions. https://www.britannica.com/art/Impressionism-music -
Igor Stravinsky
20th Century Composer
Region: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Born: 1882 - Died: 1971
Notable Works; The Rite of Spring, The Firebird, and Petrushka
Influenced by: Claude Debussy, Alexander Scriabin, Sara Murphy, Karlheinz Stockhausen https://www.britannica.com/biography/Igor-Stravinsky -
Jazz Style
Jazz music is a broad style of music characterized by complex harmony, syncopated rhythms, and a heavy emphasis on improvisation. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-jazz -
Cavalleria Rusticana
Composed by: Pietro Mascagni
Country of Origin: Livorno, Italy
Born: 1863 - Died: 1945 He was on the verge of submitting one act of his historical drama Guglielmo Ratcliff when he learned that his wife had already sent in Cavalleria Rusticana without his knowledge. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cavalleria-rusticana-opera-by-Mascagni https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OvsVSWB4TI -
Bongos
Cuba - Percussion -
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor
Composed by: Sergei Rachmaninoff
Country of Origin: Staraya Russa, Russia
Born: 1873 - Died: 1943 It premiered on November 9, 1901, and contains themes that, throughout the 20th century, would be reborn as the melodies of several popular songs, including Frank Sinatra’s 1945 “Full Moon and Empty Arms” and Eric Carmen’s 1975 “All by Myself”; Carmen, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Piano-Concerto-No-2-Rachmaninoff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfPE3cgYyco -
Period: to
20th Century
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Dmitri Shostakovich
20th Century Composer
Region: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Born: 1906 - Died: 1975
Notable Works: Symphony No. 7, Symphony No. 5, Waltz No. 2
Influenced by: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Mieczysław Weinberg, Vissarion Shebalin https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dmitri-Shostakovich -
The Rite of Spring
Composed by: Igor Stravinsky
Country of Origin: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Born: 1882 - Died: 1971 It is considered one of the first examples of Modernism in music and is noted for its brutality, its barbaric rhythms, and its dissonance. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Rite-of-Spring https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP42C-4zL3w -
Neoclassicism Style
Neoclassicism found its expression in such features as the use of pared-down performing forces, an emphasis on rhythm, an updated tonal harmony, and a concentration on absolute music instead of romantic period music. -
Rhapsody in Blue
Composed by: George Gershwin
Country of Origin: Brooklyn, New York
Born: 1898 - Died: 1937 It is one of the most performed of all American concert works, and its opening clarinet glissando is one of the most recognized musical passages in the world. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rhapsody-in-Blue-by-Gershwin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynEOo28lsbc -
The War Requiem, Opus 66
Composed by: Benjamin Britten
Country of Origin: Lowestoft, United Kingdom
Born: 1913 - Died: 1976 The War Requiem, Opus 66 (first performed, 1962), of the British composer Benjamin Britten makes skillful and impressive use of worshiped texts but also contains non-religous poetry by Wilfred Owen, killed in World War I. https://www.britannica.com/topic/War-Requiem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETocdXjv1HU
