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Western Music History Timeline

By ameliawestmoreland1
  • Period: 500 to 1450

    Medieval Period

  • 1030

    Guido of Arezzo's Micrologus

    This was a document that became widespread and was used to outline how music should be taught. Features included the 4-line staff, relative pitch, sight-singing syllables and the round and square b (flat and natural).
  • Period: 1098 to 1179

    Hildegard of Bingen

  • 1323

    Ars Nova Treatise

    This is when the breve and semibreve was created, which made time and thus rhythm easier to track. The ars nova replaced the old art in this way and more.
  • Period: 1450 to

    Renaissance Period

  • 1485

    Josquin’s Ave Maria ... virgo serena Motet

  • 1529

    Martin Luther Chorale Ein feste burg (A Mighty Fortress..)

  • 1538

    Arcadelt Madrigal Il bianco e dolce cigno

  • 1567

    Palestrina Pope Marcellus Mass

    This was dedicated to the pope and demonstrated that though 6 voices were used in this polyphonic music, those sacred words could still be heard.

  • Victoria Missa O magnum mysterium

  • Gabrieli Sonata pian’e forte

    Italian composer and location. It was one of the first pieces in history that detailed what instruments played what parts as well as the dynamics to be used.
  • Period: to

    Baroque

  • Monteverdi's L’Orfeo

  • First Public Concerts in England

  • Period: to

    JS Bach

  • Antonio Vivaldi's L’Estro Armonico

    This essentially introduced and increased popularity of the Italian concerto in all of Europe, and thus was a highly influential piece.

  • Rameau's Traité de l’harmonie

    This piece was crucial for teaching harmony, and we still use it today. Thus, it is ranked as one of the most influential theoretical works.

  • Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier volume 1

    This piece (as well as volume 2) showed that you could play in all keys with the correctly tempered instrument.
  • Period: to

    Pre-Classical Period

  • Period: to

    Franz Josef Haydn

  • Handel's Messiah

  • Period: to

    WA Mozart

  • Period: to

    Viennese Classical Period

  • Period: to

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

    Under his direction, this became one of the finest orchestras in Europe.

  • Mozart's Don Giovanni

  • Haydn's Symphony No. 94 "Surprise" premiere