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The origin of music is unknown as it occurred prior to recorded history. Some suggest that the origin of music likely stems from naturally occurring sounds and rhythms.
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Wall paintings were found that clearly depict people playing drums for some kind of hunting ritual.
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The oldest piece of musical evidence is a 42,000-year-old bone flute made from the wings of a vulture. it was found in Hoble Fels, a cave in southern Germany.
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Discoveries dating from the Bronze Age include metal bells, cymbals, jingles, and horns.
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The so-called Standard of Ur. It was dug up in the 1950s from an ancient Sumerian cemetery. It’s a wooden box depicting people at a banquet. Displayed on the box are several animals, many soldiers, a king, and a musician playing a lyre.
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The earliest composer whose name is known to us as Enheduanna, was an Akkadian priestess. Some of the lyrics to her moon-god hymns exist but no music.
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The earliest known music, a melody in notation, was found on a clay tablet.
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The introduction of church organ music is traditionally believed to date from the time of the papacy of Pope Vitalian in the 7th century.
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The Renaissance was a golden period in music history. Towards the end of the Renaissance, what was called the Church Modes began to dissolve in favour of what is now considered to be functional harmony or tonality based on a system of keys rather than modes.
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The historical record begins with the birth of writing about 5,000 years ago. From this point, individuals are given voices, stories are told, and even a little music can be heard. The first written evidence for music are pictograms featured on cuneiform tablets that display harp-shaped characters.
