Music has been a part of human history since ancient times. When composing music, musicians use percussion instruments, wind instruments, and stringed instruments to produce sounds and tones. Percussion instruments like drums and rattles provide rhythm in a musical composition. Wind instruments produce sound in response to the musician’s breath. Stringed instruments such as the harp, guitar, and violin produce sound using tuned strings.
There are several notable ages in the history of music, including:
Music in Ancient Greece and Early Christian Rome – Music was part of ancient theatre, worship, and dance in Ancient Greece. Ancient Greek vases show people playing instruments and singing. As Christianity spread through Western Europe, music became incorporated into worship and prayer.
This vase dated circa 440 BCE features two youths and a flute player.
Ceramic vase from around 440 BCE depicts two youths next to a flute player.
Middle Ages – The Middle Ages occurred between 450 and 1450 CE. Aristocratic courts and churches frequently used music in the Middle Ages, and there is evidence of music notation from this time. Popular songs for entertainment focused on religion, love, and current events. Many musical compositions from the Middle Ages used monophony or a single melodic line.
Renaissance – During the Renaissance, or ”rebirth,” of the late 1400s through the early 1600s, Gutenberg invented an efficient printing press, which allowed for the printing of music. In contrast with the monophony of Medieval music, Renaissance music was typically polyphonous and featured at least two independent melodic lines.
Baroque Period – The Baroque Period took place in the 17th and 18th centuries. New forms like the passion, oratorio, and cantata rose to prominence. J.S. Bach (1685-17750), Handel (1685-1759), and Vivaldi (1678-1741) are notable Baroque composers.
Classical Period – The string quartet and symphony became popular musical forms during the classical period. Composers like Haydn (1732-1809), Mozart (1756-1791), and Beethoven (1770-1827) further developed the sonata, concerto, and overture in this era.
Nineteenth-Century Music – Also known as the Romantic Period, music created in the 19th century attempted to evoke emotion through melody and expressive harmony. Schubert (1797-1828), Chopin (182-1849), Brahms (1883-1897), Richard Wagner (1813-1883), Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), and Dvorak (1841-1904) produced important musical works during the 19th century.
Twentieth-Century Music – The Modern era of music introduced impressionism and expressionism. Impressionist songs emphasize the creation of emotion or sensation, and expressionist songs use abstraction to portray the essence of a subject. Well-known modern composers include Debussy (1862-1918), Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), and Richard Strauss (1864-1949).
Origin of Music in the Prehistory Period
It is challenging to ascertain when music originated, but archaeological evidence indicates that humans have used musical instruments since at least 40,000 years ago. Because organic materials like wood and bone can biodegrade over time, it is possible that older instruments existed despite there being no remaining evidence.
An important artifact in Slovenia provides some clues about the history of music. In 1995, researchers discovered a bear’s femur bone with holes in it and posited that it might be an ancient flute. Still, it is unclear whether the holes were naturally created or formed by humans.
Music in the Ancient World
Understanding the history of music in the ancient world primarily requires analysing archaeological evidence. The oldest playable musical instrument is a Neolithic flute discovered in central China. These flutes were formed from the bones of cranes and included between five and eight drilled holes. For thousands of years, Chinese leaders also added musical instruments like drums, ocarinas, and chimes to their tombs.
In Mesopotamia, archaeologists found evidence of musical expression dating back thousands of years. The Oxus trumpet was created around 2000 BCE, and arched harps from the third millennium BCE have been discovered in Western Iran. Pictorial depictions show harpists performing with drummers, vocalists, and wind players as far back as the third millennium in Mesopotamia.
Archaeological evidence also suggests that music was important in ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. ”Seikilos Epitaph” is an Ancient Greek musical composition from the first century CE. This epitaph was inscribed on a marble column at a gravesite in Turkey. Archaeologists have found pictorial depictions of musical instruments on monuments, temples, and tombs from these ancient civilizations.