History of Music

956 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: how music affect culture essassy

Music has been around for many thousands of years, and it is found in every known culture, modern and old. There are many genres of music, greatly varying from times and places. It is believed that music may have started in Africa about 50,000 years ago, and that from there it has evolved to become a fundamental constituent of the human life. Music is used to express ideas, opinions, and feelings and just about anything that an individual would like to express. There are many things that influence music; some of these things are culture, economy, personal experiences, feelings, climate, crime and many others. Music is created by people called composers; these composers vary between periods in time and regions. Music has a very long history since it’s been around for so long.
Each culture has created their own style of music. Researchers have found that music from different cultures mimic the culture’s language in the aspect of the pitch changes most 0ften used in the music. The music style in each culture is affected by society and what the cultures believe in. Music is an important part of an individual’s way of life for many people in different cultures.
Music is created by about any sound and rhythms from anywhere around the world. The word music derives from the Greek word ‘mousike’, meaning art of the muses. The significance of music and definition of music varies according to the culture and the social beliefs. Music is categorized by genres and subgenres, there a many genres and subgenres in the world. About any sound can be music, according to 20th century composer, John Cage. Music is liked and pleasant to listen to for almost any person, it is a way to express feelings, opinions and ideas.
Music goes way back to p...

... middle of paper ...

...e notational and theoretical practice was laid.

Works Cited

http://www2.edc.org/weblabs/Mendel/mendel.html http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0885982.html http://library.thinkquest.org/16020/data/eng/text/education/theory/history.html http://library.thinkquest.org/16020/data/eng/text/education/theory/history.html http://musiced.about.com/od/beginnersguide/a/intro.htm http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog?author=&call_number=&catalog_select=catalog&f[digital_collection_facet][]=UVa+Text+Collection&journal=&keyword=&op=AND&per_page=100&publication_date_end=&publication_date_start=&published=&search_field=advanced&sort=title_sort_facet+asc,+author_sort_facet+asc&sort_key=title&subject=&title=Dictionary+of+the+History+of+Ideas http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/services/library-museum-gallery/museums-and-galleries/musical-instrument-museums

Show More
Related

  • Music History thru the Middle Ages, Rennisance, Baroque, etc...

    1978 Words  | 4 Pages

    Music has evolved too many different forms that we recognize today. We trace this development throughout time. Beginning in the middle ages, we have seen advancement from the Gregorian chant all the way to the Jazz of the 20th century. The current events, politics, religion, technology and composers can shape musical eras during time. Here I will look at the middle ages, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic and twentieth century periods. I hope that a better understanding can be reached to why, when, where and who are the reasons for musical evolution.

    Read More

  • Pre-1600 Styles in European Art Music

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    1. Music is a strictly local expression, rich in variety since each culture expresses affective differences through art, 2. Music is a poetic process--complex, vague, and irrational--based upon borrowed traditional musical materials (melodies, rhythms, forms, etc.), 3. Music is for a religious, elitist-class performer who can understand and appreciate its mysterious nature and power, 4. Music is played softly in intimate gatherings, 5. Music making is the activity of Everyman, exacting the talents of variously trained amateurs who, with industry and practice, decorate their recreation and leisure in moments of social intercourse.

    Read More

  • Bob Dylan's Influence during the Civil Rights Movements

    1207 Words  | 3 Pages

    Music has been around since the very beginning of time. The human body flows in a rhythmic syncopation. Music is used to change one’s mood and to inspire those who open their minds. It has the potential to cure diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Humans, of every culture and society, function with a type of rhythmic music. As humans, we are hard wired to respond to music (Mannes). The human brain responds to music in such a way that the brain becomes more open to new rhythms, ideas, and values. Music has the power to take over the human body. This makes it easier to overcome conflict and change the ideals of somebody while using music (The Power of Music).

    Read More

  • Drug Use at Music Festivals

    1788 Words  | 4 Pages

    Since the earliest days of human civilization music has been a key tool for communication of stories which carried emotions through them. If we think back to our youngest years of life music has surrounded us whether it was from our parents singing us lullabies or from some sort of toy that played music we can say that musical melodies have helped shape or lives one way or another. Once we start growing up and figuring out who we are our musical preferences change; some people like classical and some like punk. We start to befriend people who like the same music as us and eventually we may attend a musical event. Our lives somewhat revolve around the music that we listen to.

    Read More

  • The History of Music

    1538 Words  | 4 Pages

    The text of The Erlking (1815), by Schubert, is a Germanic legend and is about the king of the elves. He is an evil and magical figure, who with his touch (whether you touch him or he touches you) can kill. In the text a father and his son are riding home at night and the son keeps screaming that he sees the Erlking and he was going to hurt him. The father doesn't know what to do b/c he's not sure if the son is really seeing the Erlking or if he is

    Read More

  • What Would the World Be Like Without Music? A Brief History of Music Through the Ages

    1429 Words  | 3 Pages

    Music has been around for centuries. Some of the oldest known instruments found were over 35,000 years old. The flutes were carved out of a vulture bone or any other thin bone or wood. It’s has been thought to be incorporated in ceremonies, celebrations and worship. But over the centuries music ha...

    Read More

  • The World of Music

    631 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ever since humans first learned how to make music with their voices and with instruments thousands of years ago, music has been changing. Some changes took place over hundreds or even thousands of years, stunted by human isolation or by guidelines set in place by religious institutions. The 20th century, in contrast, experienced several rapid, radical changes in the popular genres of music. This made the 20th century a very rich time period for musical culture. These remarkable genres--including, but not limited to jazz, rock and roll, and the music of the “British invasion”--all influenced one another, and all influenced the culture we still live in today.

    Read More

  • Music and Deviant Behavior

    1614 Words  | 4 Pages

    Music has been around for thousands of years throughout the world dating all the way back to prehistoric times proven by the digging up of a 9,000-year-old flute that had seven holes drilled into it to create a musical scale in China ("Prehistoric flute music:," 2000). Music went through numerous stages before becoming what we know music as today. The earliest periods of music were the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods which took place from the years 500-1760. The next cluster of periods were the Classical, Romantic, and Modern Periods which ended in 1930 to bring us to the most recent periods: Twentieth Century Period and the ongoing Contemporary and Twenty First Century Periods.

    Read More

  • How Does Music Effect The Brain?

    1365 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to dictionary.com, music is “an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, and color.” Music is the product of sound waves coming from anything making a melodic tone. There are different genera’s of music, ranging from rock to pop to classical. Each person likes different genera’s of music.

    Read More

  • World Music: Middle East, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa

    1421 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are various aspects of our lives and of those there is music. Music is an inextricable part of life. It can be dated back to the most primitive of time. Where there are humans there is some form of music varying from culture to culture. Languages, belief systems and many other variables within a nation have great influence on what is considered music and what’s not music. This is why it is very important when listening to music to consider the context in which it was created in. This will enable you to appreciate the different sounds and musical constructions such as rhythm, melody, harmony and also the lack thereof. American music is fundamentally diverse because of the many ethnicities and subcultures. These attributes of society are also found in other nations around the world. The Middle East, Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa are nations of varied ethnic groups whom have expressed their beliefs, culture and other extra musical influences in their music. Through the study of many ethnomusicologists in these regions we can acknowledge and or comprehend the different sounds of music apart from our ethnocentric understanding of music.

    Read More

  • Comparison of African, Indonesian, and Indian Music

    669 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the semester, various styles of music and the aspects of culture associated with these styles have been analyzed. Musical elements such as dynamics, texture, form, timbre, melody, instruments, etc., have been used to thoroughly explore each kind of music from different areas of the world, with an emphasis in music from Africa, India and Indonesia. These aspects of music go far beyond just music itself. Culture also plays a huge role in music and the accompanying musical elements. Each country and culture has a different style and distinctiveness that add to what makes the music of that certain culture unique. Music in Africa may differ dramatically from music in Indonesia or India not only due to those certain elements but also due to how it is interpreted by people and what it represents for those people. In addition to this, what one may consider music in one culture may not be music to another. These differences have been made apparent in the several demonstrations that we have been exposed to in class.

    Read More

  • History Of Western Music

    1203 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most of the early music that we have today still in print is primarily sacred music. This music, for the most part, is in the form of sections of the Mass, such as the Gloria, Kyrie and Agnus Dei. Most people of the Middle Ages were poor peasants who worked all day for meager wages and had no idle time lounging the way the upper classes did. Therefore, there are few extant secular compositions of music from this era. The rise of a new middle class, however, gave financial freedom for some people to spend time and money on entertainment in the form of music and dance. Thus, the rise of the middle classes also gave way to the rise in composition and performance of secular music, which became the music of choice for composers of that day.

    Read More

  • Music, Technology and Society

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    Music is found in every know culture, past and present. It is also, already being composed for the future. It is widely varied between all times and places. Since scientists believe that the modern humans arrived in the African culture more than 160,000 years ago, around 50,000 years ago, it is believed that the dispersal of music has been being developed between all cultures in the world. Even the most isolated tribal groups are thought to have had a form of music.

    Read More

  • What Does Music Mean To You Essay

    801 Words  | 2 Pages

    What does music mean to you? Music is something that has been around for many years. It started out as just some drums and a few instruments, but has changed a lot over time. The dictionary defines music as “an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color.” When I think of music I think of it has a story combined with instrumental sounds. Over the years, it has changed so much, some for the good and the bad. There are many different types of music and different emotions it will bring.

    Read More

  • Pop Culture: Music is a Positive Influence

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    Music has been known throughout time. It can help us through everything. There are so many solutions with music to help a person go through so many situations. Music can affect many people in many different ways. Without music some people would be lost and would have no motivation. Music can provide inspiration and insight through education. Music has influence on suicides, killings and shootings, and provocative actions. It can also influence good morals, respect, allowing differences, health, and much more. Music can come in many forms and categories and music is very good for the world.

    Read More

More about History of Music

Open Document