Style of the

Musical Time Periods

What is Style?

Style:The way in which something is said, done,

created, expressed, or performed.

How to tell differences in style

1. Look for things that are the same

2. Look for things that are different

3. Be specific

Scarborough Fair

This English folk song dates back to late medieval times. It is named for the seaside resort of Scarborough in England.

What do you think this song is about?

There are 7 musical time periods

1. Medieval 450-1450

2. Renaissance 1450-1600

3. Baroque1600-1750

4. Classic 1750-1827

5. Romantic 1827-1885

6. Impressionistic 1885-1910

7. Twentieth Century 1910-Present

Medieval Time Period 450-1450

The beginnings of music

Came from the church

Plainsong or Chant

The rhythm came from the natural flow of the voice and words

Use of vocal inflection

Medieval Time Period 450-1450

Performed by Monks

This guy -------------NOT THIS GUY!--

Medieval Time Period 450-1450

Listen to this example and name the things that are the same & things that are different

Medieval Time Period 450-1450

Things to listen for:

Vocals only- no instruments

(a cappella)

Sung by men

Performed in Unison

(only 1 melody line)

Sung in Latin

No meter

Renaissance Period 1450-1600

Renaissance means Re-BirthMusic moved out of the church and

was performed by the general public

Very simple music, only a few instruments were used

Renaissance Period 1450-1600

Listen to this example and name the things that are the same & things that are different

Renaissance Period 1450-1600

Things to listen for:

Simple melodies

Definite meter

Only a few instruments

Vocals can be any language

Baroque Period 1600-1750

Baroque means “Ugly Oyster”

Music used emotion

Composers wanted the listener to know the emotion they were feeling when they wrote it

Baroque Period 1600-1750

Music often used counterpoint, where different voices or instruments echo each other but at different pitches

Baroque Period 1600-1750

Composers from this time in history:

George Frideric Handel

Baroque Period 1600-1750

Johann Sebastian Bach

Father of music we now hold true

Baroque Period 1600-1750

Bach was so important to the Baroque Period that when he died, they ended the era!

(1685-1750)

Baroque Period 1600-1750

Listen to this example and name the things that are the same & things that are different

Baroque Period 1600-1750

Things to listen for:

Emotion

More complex rhythms and textures

Counterpoint

Organ and harpsichord

Classic Period 1750-1827

Music became an art form

Piano was invented

Composers started to become famous in their own time

Two composers became the leaders of music (as we know it today)

Classic Period 1750-1827

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Classic Period 1750-1827

and Ludwig Van Beethoven

Classic Period 1750-1827Beethoven was so important to the Classic Period

that when he died, they ended the era!(1770-1827)

Classic Period 1750-1827

Listen to this example and name the things that are the same & things that are different

Classic Period 1750-1827

Things to listen for:

Music is precise and mathematical

Piano was introduced

Keyboards are the instrument of choice

Very complex rhythms and textures

Romantic Period 1827-1885Composers were

tired of living in the shadow of Mozart & Beethoven

Music became VERY emotional

Composers wanted to influence your emotions

Romantic Period 1827-1885

Composers of this time wereJohannes Brahms

Romantic Period 1827-1885

and Peter Tchaikovsky

Romantic Period 1827-1885

Listen to this example and name the things that are the same & things that are different

Romantic Period 1827-1885

Things to listen for:

Strong emotional influence

Long notes played on strings and piano

Slower tempos

Lush, thick harmonies

Impressionistic Period 1885-1910

Composers didn’t care about following rules

Music became fragmented

Sudden changes in the direction of the music

Dream music

Composers liked to use the harp and flute

Impressionistic Period 1885-1910

Composers of this time wereClaude Debussy

Impressionistic Period 1885-1910

and Maurice Ravel

Impressionistic Period 1885-1910

Listen to this example and name the things that are the same & things that are different

Impressionistic Period 1885-1910

Things to listen for:

Fragmented sounds

The sound of dream music

Sudden changes in the direction of the music

The use of Flute

Twentieth Century 1910-Present

Composers broke the rules

Music became sound effects to create a mood

Sudden changes in the type of sound

No melody

No meter

Twentieth Century 1910-Present

Composers of this time wereIgor Stravinsky

Twentieth Century 1910-Present

and Ralph Vaughan Williams

Twentieth Century 1910-Present

Listen to this example and name the things that are the same & things that are different

Twentieth Century 1910-Present

Things to listen for:

No meter

No melody

Background sound (sound effects)

Notes that do not sound good together being played at the same time