The Oldest MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Unleashed By A Cave

A prehistoric flute made of bone (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music undoubtedly plays an important part in any sophisticated culture. But the fact that ancient people had a great longing for music might surprise you. The people of that time were not equipped with the modern accessories such as pedal extenders, adjustable piano bench or the sheet music cabinet space, but they certainly knew how to make musical instruments. One such civilization is known to exist in Europe. They used to make a flute out of the bone of a vulture. This flute was structured by drilling appropriate holes in the wing bone of a griffon vulture. The interesting part is that this flute has been recently excavated and is known to be the oldest musical instrument found.

Exhumed from a cave in Germany, the existence of this flute indicates that the people of that civilization had a good taste for music. Probably by now, you will be able to imagine how one of the first inhabitants of Europe used to enjoy the sound of the flute and drums by dancing around a campfire. As told by the archeologists, the flute is around 35,000 years old. But no real surprises there, as every civilization has a history of music. The way music is widespread today; there is no question to its prevalence back in the ancient times.

Moreover, you would not disagree with the fact that music probably has its roots even in ancient times which are not a part of recorded history. However, the discovery of this flute reveals that this was the first time when people started making musical instruments that can last for a long time. And as you can see, they were more than successful in their attempt.

Obviously, this cave was inhabited for millenniums otherwise it would not have provided such a clear view of the past civilizations. The cave protected the artifacts of the past quite well. Or else, how could you have possibly imagined a flute lying in the depths of the cave in a nearly original form for almost 35,000 years? Well, the idea seems quite perplexing. But all thanks to the excavation technology, today's archeologists have been able to get hold of a great piece of archeology.

Interestingly, the cave from where this instrument was excavated was the same from where a 40,000 year Venus statuette was found. For all those readers, this statuette is the oldest known sculpture of a female form. Besides this, the cave also had other beautiful artifacts including inscriptions and carvings. Various carvings of a horse's or bear's head; a water bird in flight; and other chimera forms of human and lion give an insight into the artistic taste of those people during that time.

This is not all, as another restructured form of the same flute was found further deep into the cave. Sadly, this one was found in 12 pieces buried under the floor of the cave. It is also believed that the cave will unleash more archeological assets in future that will surely leave one wide-eyed with excitement.

Connor R Sullivan  - Article Directory: EzineArticles

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CLASSICAL MUSIC Development

Johann Sebastian Bach (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music in XVIII century (1600-1825)

There were two times in this century. The first era was called the baroque era. This era was around 1600 to 1750. Baroque was the beginning of modern music because it has experienced the revolution from both theory and technique of its cultivating.

The key characteristics of this era included the merger of major and minor scales, many dissonant tones, the development of the orchestra, and the regular structures, but monotony. They also included the use of violin, harpsichord, organ, and flute.

In this era, people also knew the basso continuo technique, namely the bass accompaniment that brought harmony. There was repetition in the structure of music.

Composers who lived in this era were Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, Claudio Monteverdi, and Henry Purcell.

The second era was called the classical era. Sonatas and chamber music grew with more dynamic melodies. All of the classical era rules were applied intelligently by the composers.

The key characteristics of this era were the development of musical harmony, a very strong element of the dynamics that colored the composition, and a dynamic atmosphere that was expressed through the tempo, melody, and harmony. In this era, people also knew the pattern of 'question and answer'. Piano, with its ability to create dynamic, became a very important instrument.

The popular composers in this era were Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, and John Gay.

Portrait of Beethoven in 1804
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Transition period of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

This period represented the transition time from classical music to romantic music that was initiated by Beethoven. He brought a dynamic element by using wider harmonies and more emotional techniques of music cultivating.

This period was called as transitional because there were some principles of classical era that were violated by Beethoven. For example, the use of the intro was considered to be the outside of the classical composition theory. However, it was precisely a characteristic of romantic music. Through his works, Beethoven influenced the transition of classical to romantic music greatly.

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A printed musical notation - SHEET MUSIC

Sheet music of composer W. J. D. Leavitt. Three piano pieces, including 'Villagers Dance.' Published 1884, dedicated to Miss Grace E. Leavitt.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A sheet music is a form of musical note either in a printed form or is hand written. There are many musical notes that are kept in a booklet. Generally it is a normal sheet with musical notes written over it for concerts. When musicians play or take part in concert then they require these sheet music so that they can read the notes and play the music because a concert generally has more than 30 musical notes. These sheet music helps in recalling them the music they have to play.

With development of technology these days these sheet music notes are also available on the internet which can be downloaded and kept on the computer screen. Many big directors and movie makers use the computer based sheet music to add musical notes in movies. Music composers make music notes and write it on paper. These become sheet music and are complied in the form of a pamphlet or a booklet. A sheet music is different from a recoding therefore the word sheet is used to imply music notes on paper either printed or written in hand. If we see any musical concert we will see a booklet with sheet music placed on the podium for quick reference.

Portrait of a Musician, detail: hand and sheet music booklet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A sheet music has many terminologies which we should be familiar with. Score is one word which is very commonly used in sheet music. Sheet music can be used as a form of guidance, for concert to perform. In fact many music schools teach their students how to write musical notes on the music sheets. These days unlike the older version of sheet music the modern format of sheet music is different. Generally when a single person is playing or performing then there will be one sheet music but if there are multiple players performing then each person has a separate sheet music and each person concentrate on their own part. Generally there are many musical stores that print famous music notes on sheet music and then publish it.

Sheet music is really very helpful as they help in remembering music notes and by reading sheet music we can slowly but gradually we can read music notes too and make our own music. Once we become experts then we can create music and write our own music on music sheets. Every singer has his own sheet music and it differs from person to person how they write their music pieces. Sheet music is generally seen kept over pianos.

Pianos have a stand to place this sheet music so that we can easily read them in front of us while playing the piano.

Generally people learning music too can write their music pieces on sheet music and refer it later to practice. We just need to know how to read these music pieces so that we can write it and refer it later for practice till we perfect it. So just keep writing on sheet music and keep filling your music booklet with your music pieces.

Mary Ashley is the author of this article on Piano Music. Find more information about Piano Playing here. Article Directory: Article Dashboard

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The Beginnings Of MUSIC - The Romans

Seated woman playing a kithara.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Romans had little or no musical genius, and they were content to take their music, like every other artistic element of their national life, from the Greeks. The Greek was the child of nature, refined and educated through his own innate sense of beauty and fitness; The Roman was a barbarian civilized with the civilization of the barrack-yard and the camp. So it's safe to say that the Romans music was just a rehashed version of the Greeks music.

To the Greek, Art of any kind was something great and almost holy. To the Roman, Art of any kind was just for relaxation. Roman music is simply Greek music in a corrupted condition, absolutely no artistic value whatsoever.

The only influence upon music by the Romans was in the development of wind instruments. A race of fighting men, the Romans regarded military music more seriously than any other branch of the art; essentially practical men, they could readily appreciate its usefulness ; and, in this respect, they remind one of the elderly warriors who expressed that music was all very well on parade, but should not be allowed to interfere with conversation.

In the Roman armies trumpets of various kinds were used, some of them being of immense proportions. All the military musical instruments were of brass, and comprised the tuba, a straight trumpet something like a modern post-horn in shape; the cornu, or horn, bent nearly in the form of a circle; the lituus, or Clarion, slightly bent at the end; and the buccina, shaped like the horn, but of much greater size, the tube being about twelve feet long. Of these, the tuba was used by the infantry, the lituus by the cavalry.

The most interesting feature in connection with Roman musical life is its wide distribution across the world. This has ever since remained a prominent characteristic of musical art. Into Rome drained all the wealth, knowledge, and luxury of the known world.

Greek philosophers and artists, Egyptian priests, men of all races from across the Alps, Jewish converts to Christianity, fleeing from persecution in their own country, all gravitated towards Rome. It was among these warring influences that the early Christian Church, preserver, and regenerator of music, was quietly growing in power and influence; and, with the coming of Christianity, music no longer belonged to one country but to the whole world.

By Mike Shaw Michael David Shaw is a keyboard and organ teacher. He has written an easy start music eBook especially for beginners simply called "Lesson 1" You can download this Music PDF at http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk, http://www.keyboardsheetmusic.co.uk, and http://musical-instruments-uk.mikesmusicroom.co.uk/ Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Development of CLASSICAL MUSIC (III)

The only known photograph of Frédéric Chopin,
often incorrectly described as a daguerreotype
Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music in XIX century (1825-1900)

Music in this century belonged to the romantic era music. The cultivation of music in this period was marked by the expression, timbre, and melodies that departed from the works of Beethoven. Composers of this time worked on the composition based on personal experience and sense of nationalism. Poetry could also be one of "raw materials" of the composition making.

In this period, the composer were said to reach a level of virtuoso, meaning a level that indicated that a composer was very skilled in playing musical instruments. Composer has already considered the aspects of the sound and the effects that were generated by the techniques of playing instrument.

In this time, the revolutionary changes happened. The changes were made by Richard Wagner. He combined the elements of music, poetry, and scenarios by using leitmotif technique, namely the technique of using motif or musical theme on both character and part of opera story.

The instruments used in this period were much more diverse. Melody grew longer, more dramatic and emotional. Tempo was also more extreme in which mostly used tempo rubato (freedom).

The famous composers in this time were Franz Schubert, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn, Frederic Chopin, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Giuseppe Verdi, Johannes Brahms, Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, and Richard Strauss.

Photograph of Claude Debussy
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music in XX century (1900s)

Around 1900, there was a reaction against romantic music. This reaction was expressed in the group of impressionism that was pioneered by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Debussy was "in rebellion" with the romantic music in German by using the melody and harmony which had a new quality system based on whole-tone scales (the interval scale was 1).

Music of this century was called impressionist era. There was atonal expressionism music, namely music without the basic tone but full of expression. The melody movement flew with strange and expressive rhythmic. Many people consider it like notes without meaning.

In this time, all forms and types of noise were allowed. Rhythmic could be very complex and sounded strange but expressive. In addition, composition could vary widely because it was the result of improvisation and change.

The composers of this era were Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Arnold Schoenberg, Scott Joplin, and Charles Ives.

Contemporary Music

The birth of record and radio media created the new markets for classical music and romantic music. Music of this period was known as the music of contemporary era. The typical music of this era was similar to the impressionist era. Its composers were Bela Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly, Olivier Messiaen, Luigi Dallapicolla, and Luciano Berio.

By Stewart B Johnston Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Development of CLASSICAL MUSIC (II)

Music in XVIII century (1600-1825)
There were two times in this century. The first era was called the baroque era. This era was around 1600 to 1750. Baroque was the beginning of modern music because it has experienced the revolution from both theory and technique of its cultivating.

The key characteristics of this era included the merger of major and minor scales, many dissonan tones, the development of the orchestra, and the regular structures, but monotony. They also included the use of violin, harpsichord, organ, and flute.

Montage of great classical music composers - from left to right: first row - Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Händel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven; second row - Gioachino Rossini, Felix Mendelssohn, Frédéric Chopin, Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi; third row - Johann Strauss II, Johannes Brahms, Georges Bizet, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Antonín Dvořák; forth row - Edvard Grieg, Edward Elgar, Sergei Rachmaninoff, George Gershwin, Aram Khachaturian (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In this era, people also knew basso continuo technique, namely the bass accompaniment that brought harmony. There was repetition in the structure of music.

Composers who lived in this era were Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, Claudio Monteverdi, and Henry Purcell.

The second era was called the classical era. Sonatas and chamber music grew with more dynamic melodies. All of the classical era rules were applied intelligently by the composers.

The key characteristics of this era were the development of musical harmony, a very strong element of the dynamics that colored the composition, and a dynamic atmosphere that was expressed through the tempo, melody, and harmony. In this era, people also knew the pattern of 'question and answer'. Piano, with its ability to create dynamic, became a very important instrument.

The popular composers in this era were Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, and John Gay.

Portrait Ludwig van Beethoven 

when composing the Missa Solemnis 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Transition period of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

This period represented the transition time from classical music to romantic music that was initiated by Beethoven. He brought a dynamic element by using wider harmonies and more emotional techniques of music cultivating.

This period was called as transitional because there were some principles of classical era that were violated by Beethoven. For example: the use of the intro was considered to be the outside of the classical composition theory. However, it was precisely a characteristic of romantic music. Through his works, Beethoven influenced the transition of classical to romantic music greatly.

By Stewart B Johnston Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Development of CLASSICAL MUSIC (I)

The development of the classical music in the world is surely affected by the development of Western music. The development of Western music itself is identical with the development of instruments used.

Starting from the medieval times until today, music has undergone huge changes. Changes in the music will continue to run over time where the previous work affects the work in the next era. At least, the development of music can be classified into eight periods.

Music in the middle ages (450-1450)

The history of Western music development began from the religious or liturgical music. The development of music in this time belonged to the ancient time. This music has been around since the Greeks and Hebrews.

Actually, this music was liturgical prayers that were released, so this music was strongly influenced by the activities of the church. The popular music in this time was Gregorian. In this time, the instrument has not been found yet.

Music at the beginning of this century was monophonic. It was dominated by a single voice. Composition was sung without the pressure and relied on improvisation. In the XI century, the existence of counterpoint technique was known, namely the use of harmonization with the movement of the opposite tunes with original melodies (inversion).

The popular composers in this century were Hildegard von Bingen, Moniot d'Arras, and Guillaume de Machaut.

Music in XV & XVI century (1450-1600)

Hildegard von Bingen
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music in this century was classified into the Renaissance. It was still influenced by the church, but had to use instruments like the organ, flute, and harpsichord. The movement of the melody used kontrapung techniques, namely the movement of several melodic lines at once.

The existence of Madrigal (secular music that was sung without accompaniment), motet, Missa, fantasia, toccatta, and Fugue was also known. This century was called as a renaissance since it emerged as the development of knowledge and art.

Some characteristics of music in this century were polyphonic. In this era, people began to recognize the existence of four-voice choir that was divided into 3 types of composition. Those types were sacred (church), secular (non-ecclesiastical), and instrumental. The division of the melodic phrases was already balanced, while the vocal form was attached to the structure of the text or lyrics.

The composers in this era were Giovanni Gabrieli, Giovanni Perluigi, Orlando Lassus, Guillaume, and Du Fay.

Music in XVII century

Music in this century was influenced by opera and Oratorio. Opera was a musical drama which partly or wholly sung with orchestral accompaniment or instrumental music, while Oratorio referred to the musical drama without a script.

In Oratorio, there was usually a sacred element. Opera was originally pioneered in the Florentine Academy, Italy. Furthermore, the opera was known in France, Germany, and England. The popular composers in this time were Jocopo Peri and Claudio Monteverdi.

By Stewart B Johnston Article Source: EzineArticles

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