History of Western Music

The Baroque Era

This is music composed c.1600-1750, which often (but not always) features the sound of the Harpsichord (eg. Track 2). Like Baroque art and architecture, it tends to be quite ornate, with lots of ORNAMENTS such as TRILLS and GRACE NOTES.

 


The Classical Era

This is music composed c.1750-1810, with the main composers being Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven (Beethoven lived until 1827 and also wrote music in what we would call a Romantic style). Some of the characteristics of Classical music include grace, symmetry, beauty and a certain simplicity (certainly compared to Baroque or Romantic music).

The first two tracks here are good examples of SYMPHONY, whereas Track 9, with its solo french horn is a CONCERTO.



The Romantic Era

This is music composed c.1810-1900. During this period, the standard line up for an orchestra became larger and incorporated more percussion and brass instruments than before as well as often featuring harp(s). 

Romantic music tends to be very expressive and dramatic, and is often PROGRAMMATIC (descriptive, like the music you hear in the 'Musical Means' question in your exam.) PROGRAMME music was rare before this period. 

Track 8 is a good example of PROGRAMME music: it describes the journey of the River Vltava as it runs from its source in the mountains to the city of Prague. 





Impressionism

This is music written in the period around 1890-1920 most prominently in France, so it kind of overlaps with Romanticism and some 20th Century music. Key composers are Debussy and Ravel. 

The term Impressionist is borrowed from Art (think of paintings by Monet, Renoir, Cezanne etc.); some, but not all, Impressionist music can have what the SQA call 'a rather blurred and vague outline', a bit like the paintings. 

Some uses WHOLE TONE and PENTATONIC scales (eg. track 1). 

A lot of film music makes use of IMPRESSIONIST techniques (the same can be said for ROMANTIC music).





Minimalism

MINIMALISM is a Twentieth Century style which developed in the USA in the 1960s. It is very repetitive, being based on simple rhythmic and melodic figures which are constantly repeated with very slight changes each time. 

Unlike some C20 music it tends to feature CONSONANT, rather than DISONANT, HARMONY. 

Like IMPRESSIONISM and ROMANTIC music, it is a style which is used quite often in film and tv music.