Classical music refers to a type of art that originated from western cultural traditions

Classical music refers to a type of art that originated from western cultural traditions

Classical music refers to a type of art that originated from western cultural traditions. The history of classical music is traced back to the 476 AD to 1400 AD period. It was known as the medieval or the middle age period. It was a period when civilization had disintegrated as a result of the fall of the roman empire. Music was referred to as monophonic, which meant that music only consisted of one tone or sound. This type of music was used in the early churches and was known as plainchant or plainsong that was performed by the monks.

During 590 AD and 604 AD, a popular system that was more uniform was established. It was known as the Gregorian chant since it was developed during the rule of Pope Gregory. This type of music later on developed into polyphony. This type of music had additional sounds that were not present in the monophonic style. It simply began by adding a musical line to the Gregorian chant. It led to the development of music notation that played a major part in TH development of music. Guido D’ Arezzo played a major role in the development of music by discovering the standard music staff. He also discovered the musical syllables, ‘do, re, mi,’ which is now applied in music education.

A specific type of polyphonic music, the medieval motet, which involved the use of vocals together with different lines of melody, was established. It required certain techniques that were complex. One good example of this type of music is, ‘Petruce la cruce’, and an example of the notations is the ‘O Virfusapientiae.’ This medieval motet is a form of sacred music. A German composer, Hidegard Von Bingen, was the first to compose nonsacred music during the medieval period. She composed pieces such as, ‘O Frondens Virga’, which a plainchant and Ordo Virtutum.

Renaissance period

During the 14th century, art developed in major ways. This period was known as the Renaissance period. Classical music developed and transformed from how it was perceived during the medieval period. The attention of artists and composers shifted from sacred music to music that mainly focused on the natural beauty and mysteries of the world, as well as its relation with man. Composers, lyricists, and artists expressed their subjects in ways that were more humane. This era not only developed classical music, but it also promoted sculpting. Artists such as Leonardo De Caprio created sculptures that resembled the human form and figures. This period brought realism in arts and led to the establishment of new techniques in music.

Baroque period

The baroque period refers to a period between 1600 to 1750 AD. It is known to be one of the most transformative periods in the history of music and arts. The musical revolution during this period was supported by technological advancements that were witnessed during that time. Italy is attributed as the main source of these forms of techniques in music and art during this period. Some of these artists and composers include Vivaldi, Monteverdi, Couperin, Lully, and many more. This period transformed the perception that people had of music during the previous periods. Artists discovered the ability to use music as a communication tool and the strength of inflicting emotions to the listeners.

The ideologies and techniques used in the composition of music changed in significant ways. Music started to be characterised as dramatic, and also, the use of and specification of various musical

instruments were discovered. Instruments such as the trumpet and the violin became more popular during this period. This period led to the discovery of various musical genres that are used up to date. Examples of these genres include opera, oratorio, and concerto. Some of the composers who have applied these styles include Ralph Vaughn Williams and Benjamin Britten

one of the earliest composers of classical music is George Gershwin, who is famous for the composition of pieces such as Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess, and, an American in Paris. His musical career began as a song plugger. Later on began composing his pieces, where his first piece demonstrated and introduced new techniques in music. Throughout his career, he collaborated with various composers and lyricists such as Irving Cesser, and together they composed multiple pieces. An excellent example of a piece they composed is, Swanee, which ended up selling over a million copies.

Gershwin collaborated with other composers like Arthur L. Jackson, who, together with Buddy de Sylva, composed a complete musical, the ‘la la Lucille’. Other pieces that promoted Gershwit’s popularity were somebody who loves me, stairway to paradise, and blue Monday. His music was premiered on various occasions and events that were attended by prominent people. For instance, Rhapsody in blue was premiered at the, ‘An Experiment in Music’ concert where popular composers such as Fritz Kreisler, Jascha Heifets, Igor stravinsly, and many other prominent people attended.

His musical career advanced significantly when he collaborated with his younger brother, Ira Gershwin. Their collaboration led to a lifetime partnership in their career together. They composed various pieces together such as, ‘lady be good,’ ‘fascinating rhythm’ and ‘the man I love.’ Gertwin also faced challenges throughout his career in music. However, he still gained favor from the general public. His collaboration led to the composition of various hits such as, ‘let’s call the whole thing off,’ ‘they can’t take that away from me’ and ‘a damsel in distress’. These pieces were used in completing a musical film, shall we dance. Gershwin, later on, died due to a brain tumor, at the age of 38, and he is among the most beloved musicians in America.

Elements of music

The elements of music are divided into various sections. They include timbre, rhythm, harmony, melody, and form. All these elements are essential in the production of music. Rhythm refers to the pattern within which music corresponds with time. Some of the aspects important to the rhythm are duration of the sound and silence and the tempo, which is the beats’ speed. Various terms are used concerning the rhythm. They include ritardanto, which refers to the beat slowing down gradually, accelerando, which means the tempo is speeding up gradually, rubato, which refers to the changing of the music tempo passionately and syncopation, which refers to an artist being off the beat.

The melody is perceived as one of the essential elements of music. It refers to the pitch’s presentation in a linear or horizontal manner. It can either be conjunct, that is, smooth and easy, or disjunct, which means ragged and difficult. Harmony is the other element of music. It refers to the vertical representation of the pitch. It can be described as either dissonance, which is the combination of harmony that sounds harsh, or consonance, a combination of harmony that sounds smooth. Timbre refers to the characteristics of tone in music. Timbre focuses on aspects of music that deal with the tone of the human voice and musical instruments.

The form is developed as a result of the simultaneous application of all the other elements of music. All musical forms can be divided into various types, such as the strophic form, through-composed, binary form, and ternary form. I believe that Classical music is one of the greatest styles of music that has been used to explain the transformation of times and eras. Through the history of classical music, we get to understand the developments of art in general and how people lived and interacted in the past. The growth in classical music has also led to the development of other styles of music and art.

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