1 q94ws2ed1ln99e i  exkq

Music History Timeline

  • Period: 476 to 1500

    Medieval Period

    Also known as "The Middle Ages," the Medieval Period was a historic musical period that first started with the loss of power in Europe by the Roman Emperor. Some important figures include Hildegard of Bingen, Guillaume de Machaut, and major events like the Bubonic Plague from 1348 to around 1350. Additonally, the end of the period was around the time Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire, which was in 1453.
  • Period: 991 to 1033

    Formulation of the Solmization System

    Formed by Guido of Arezzo, he proposed the syllables "ut, re, mi, fa, sol," and "la" to help singers remember the pattern of whole tones and semitone in the six steps (hexachords). These began on C, G, or F, making sight singing much simpler. His impact is still proven today, as the solmization system is still used in today's teachings.
  • Period: 1098 to 1179

    Hildegard of Bingen

    Hildegard was born in the Rhine region of Germany to a noble family. She wrote religious poems and prose, and set them to music by the 1140's. Her biggest work was the Ordo virtutum, which was the only Medieval musical drama to have survived.
  • 1322

    Ars Nova Treatise

    Written by Philippe de Vitry, this treatise invented a new way of writing music, consequently categorizing two types of music: Ars Nova (new) and Ars Antiqua (old). More specifically, the important innovation was the usage of different rhythmic patterns, no longer held back by simple notations.
  • Period: 1500 to

    Renaissance Period

    The Renaissance Period was a historic musical period, full of new literature, art, music, and technologies compared to ancient Greece and Rome. The beginning sparks plenty of debates since it continued on the paths of the late Middle Ages (1300's), but the textbook references 1500-1600's. Some significant figures include Leonardo da Vinci, Martin Luther, William Byrd, and far more. Moreover, some famous works include O magnum mysterium, and Il bianco e dolce cigno.
  • 1529

    "Ein feste Burg"

    Written by Marin Luther, this hymn is one of the best known of its time and became the anthem of the Reformation. This came out with the addition of other Lutheran church music and were all newly composed chorales.
  • 1538

    "Il bianco e dolce cigno"

    Composed by Jacques Arcadelt, this madrigal was arguably the most famous of the early madrigals. According to the textbook, Arcadelt "cleverly contrasts the swan’s literal death with his
    own figurative death (a metaphor for sexual climax, known in the sixteenth century as ‘the little death')" (page 129).
  • 1567

    "Pope Marcellus Mass"

    Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, he published this work in his Second Book of Masses in 1567. The significance of this work is that soon after he died, a legend circulated that he saved polyphony from being condemned by the Council of Trent by composing a six-voice mass.
  • "Missa O magnum mysterium: Kyrie"

    Composed by Tomás Luis de Victoria, this was a parody/imitation mass based on his famous motet, "O magnum mysterium." The opening motive portrays the mystery and wonders of Christ’s birth, all while still maintaining melodic and rhythmic smoothness.
  • Period: to

    Baroque Period

    A significant period in musical history, the Baroque period "adhered to an innovative set of conventions for organizing music and adopted certain ideas about how music should sound," according to the textbook. By relying more on moving the listeners and impacting their emotions, this period brought out far more emotional expression and evolved a lot of what music meant to many people. Some famous composers of this period include J.S. Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and Monteverdi.
  • "L’Orfeo"

    Being Monteverdi's first opera, this opera marked a pivotal moment in the development of operas at the time. By containing much more expanded proportions of passages, this displayed a new expressive force and genre of opera.
  • First Public Concerts in England

    First occurring in England in 1672, private associations sponsored musical activities which brought the first public concerts ever. This revolutionized the way musicians were able to showcase their talents, spread music, and gain publicity. However, according to the textbook, "this practice did not become widespread in Europe until the later 1700s."
  • Period: to

    J.S. Bach

    Born into a large family of musicians, J.S. Bach is considered one of the greatest composers in the Western musical tradition. Not only were his compositional skills magnificent, but he was also a skilled violinist, organist, and keyboard player. Some of his famous works include Saint Matthew Passion, Well-Tempered Clavier, the Brandenburg
    Concertos, and more.
  • "L’Estro Armonico"

    Written by Antonio Vivaldi, the collection of concertos showcased his innovative compositional skills to then showcase the soloists more. By setting new standards for a proper concerto, this increased Vivaldi's reputation across Europe.
  • "The Well-Tempered Clavier" (Volume 1)

    This was undoubtedly Bach's best-known works for the keyboard. The significance of this work at the time was the unification in style compared to the second book which generally brought higher technical demands to play in all keys on an instrument tuned in "near-equal temperament," according to the textbook.
  • "Traité de l’harmonie"

    Published in 1722 by Rameau, this work was significant in that it became "one of the most influential theoretical works ever written," according to the textbook. Rameau's concepts about music theory ended up becoming the leading factor in teaching harmony.
  • Period: to

    Franz Joseph Haydn

    Born in Rohrau, Haydn was hailed in his time as the greatest composer alive. He supported himself as a freelance musician, composer, and teacher before entering the service of a Hungarian prince by the name of Paul Anton Esterhazy. Overall, he would go on to compose over 100 symphonies, 20 concertos, and more. Due to his great success, the general publication of his works brought him unfathomable fame throughout Europe.
  • "Messiah"

    Premiered in Dublin, Ireland, this oratorio became Handel's most famous work. Instead of telling a story, it actually uses texts from the Bible while the music contains Handel's characteristic charm he was known for.
  • Period: to

    Viennese Classical Period

    A key era in Western classical music, this period brought many notable representatives of its time: Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, all of who were from other small centers instead of Vienna itself. This followed the Baroque era and marked Vienna as a cultural center of astounding music.
  • Period: to

    W.A. Mozart

    Born in 1756, Mozart was a remarkable composer in the late eighteenth century. Being exposed to all kinds of music at such a young age and being a prodigy, he quickly grew to become one of the most famous composers ever. Unfortunately for him, he died in the prime of his life.
  • Period: to

    Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (as director of Concerts des Amateurs)

    Becoming Director of Concerts des Amateurs, the significance of Saint-Georges being director was that the orchestra came to be one of Europe's finest orchestras. Not only that, but with Saint-Georges' leadership, the orchestra gained a higher level of musicianship and standing in European orchestras. Additionally, according to the textbook, he would "make his debut as a soloist with the orchestra in a few years" at the time.
  • "Don Giovanni"

    This was an Italian opera made by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, someone who eagerly sought opportunities to compose for the stage at the time. According to the textbook, "Don Giovanni incorporates opera-seria characters, situations, and styles into comic opera..."
  • Haydn's Symphony No. 94 "Surprise"

    Premiered in London, this symphony was famous for its unexpected chord in the slow movement, thus giving Haydn the intention to surprise the audience and refer to it as the "surprise" symphony.