This document provides an overview of the history of European classical music divided into periods from the Medieval era to the 20th century. It describes the defining musical styles of each period including characteristics like texture, melody, harmony, form, and prominent composers. Key periods mentioned include the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras.

1. The European Tradition

2. Periods
 We can divide the history of music into separate periods of
time, each identified by its own particular style. Of course,
musical style does not change overnight. It is a gradual
process, often with different styles overlapping so that a
‘new’ style emerges from within the ‘old’.
 Medieval music – to about 1450
 Renaisaance music – 1450-1600
 Baroque music- 1600-1750
 Classical music- 1750-1810
 19th century romanticism 1810- 1910
 20th century music 1900 onwards

4. Medieval Times
in context…
 War in the Europe/Asia/Africa continent
 Black plague
 Marco Polo (1271-1295)
 Pilgrimage
 Farming & community
 Education- merchants & priests read & write only
 Keeping record- books are expensive

5. War in the
Europe/Asia/
Africa
continent

6. Black plague

7. Marco Polo (1271-1295)

8. Pilgrimage

9. Farming &
Community

10. Education- merchants & priests
read & write only

11. Keeping record- books
are expensive

12. Medieval Musicians

17. Medieval music
 Sacred V.S. Secular
 Single melodic line
 Melody range within an octave, move in steps
 Rhythms are irregular, following the nature accent of the
Latin words
 Modes- special system of scales (white notes on the piano,
start and end on the same note)
 Texture- begins with monophonic, later on with the
‘organum’ style, polyphonic texture is introduced.
Tendency to contrast sound rather than blend
 Harmony- unison, 4th, 5th, octave

19. Renaissance
‘rebirth’
 Columbus
 Texture- richer, fuller, 4 or more parts
 Timbre- Blending > contrast
 Church music – acapella & instrumental accomp.
 Secualr music- vocal, dances, instrumental pieces

20. Columbus

24. Spy service- 007 Francis
Walsingham

29. Texture- richer, fuller, 4 or more
parts

30. Renaissance
in context…
 Entertainment & leisure activites increase
 Gutenberg press (1660)- newspapers in Germany!
 Small town and villages
 Elizabeth I
 Monarchy
 Spy service- 007 Francis Walsingham
 Shakespeare (1564-1616)
 Plays were played by men, female roles by boys

31. Baroque
1600-1750
 Ornate and extravagant, hence the music is very
decorative, eg ornamented melody lines and complex
counterpoint.
 The Baroque period was the first in which composers
thought as much in terms of harmony (chords), as
polyphony (individual lines), and this way of thinking
formed the basis of music for the next 300 years.

55. Composers
 JS Bach
 Handel
 Vivaldi
 Teleman
 Corelli
 Pachebel
 Scarlatti
 Purcell

59.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoYPkChHhKM&f
eature=related

66. Baroque Orchestra
 String instruments dominant
 Flutes/recorders, oboes, bassoons
 Horns
 Sometimes trumpet and timpani
 Harpsichord or organ as ‘continuo’
 Passage for different family of instruments.
 Terraced dynamics- sudden changes in volume level
 Echo + imitation

67. Characteristics of
Baroque Music
MELODY: a continuous spinning out of a
single melodic idea
RHYTHM: forward rhythmic drive
TEXTURE: balance of homophonic and
polyphonic texture
TIMBRE: strings, winds and harpsichord
DYNAMICS: contrasting dynamic levels
were achieved by… 1. increasing or
decreasing the instrumentation or 2.
abrupt shifts in dynamics, resulting in
terraces of tonal intensity.

68. Vivaldi – Summer from
‘The Four Seasons’

69. Boismortier- Gavotte

70. CONCERTO GROSSO
 ‘Together’
 Contrasting 2 groups of instruments: a small group of
soloists called ‘concertino’, against an orchestra of
strings called ‘ripieno’ or ‘tutti’ plus the harpsichord or
organ.

72. Bach- Brandenburg Concerto No.1

73. ritornello
 ‘ritornello’ (meaning return), applies to vocal and
instrumental music in the Baroque period.
 A recurring idea played by the group (tutti/ ripieno
between soloist sections.

74. Opera
 Dafne (1598) Recitative, Aria, Chorus + Instrumental &
dances
 Early operas include brief choruses, dances and
instrumental pieces in simple chordal style. The
recitative tend be be long and monotonous.
 Monteverdi’s opera ‘Orfeo’ in 1607 made changes to
increase the dramatic impact of the story. How? Music
Elements?

76. The Rise of Opera
 The major innovation in music during the Baroque
era.
 Opera is drama sung to orchestra accompaniment
 It is a unique fusion of music, acting, poetry, dance,
scenery and costumes

77. Baroque Opera
Purcell- Dido and Aeneas

79. Recitative V.S. Aria
 Recitative as a means of swiftly telling the story, while
giving greater importance to arias (songs) which
portrays the characters’ thoughts and emotions as they
were affected by events in the story.
 While recitative took its rhythms from speech, arias
and choruses often borrowed their rhythms from the
dance.

81. Da capo aria
 Ternary ‘ABA’ form
 Only 2 sections (A & B) are written out.
 At the end of section B, the composer wrote da capo,
and the singer repeats the first section whilst adding
his own vocal decorations to the printed melody.
The major solo form in Baroque opera. Da Capo (from
the head) means return to the opening and repeat. The
mood of the opening returned, and the middle part was
often contrasting. Singers often took advantage of this
to ‘show off’ their lavish decoration on the reprise.

82. Oratorio
 Based on scared stories
 Recitative to move the story along
 Arias for the more thoughtful, reflective moments
 Choruses to describe the more dramatic events in the
story
 Passion- an oratorio about the Christ’s crucifixion
 Chorales- German hymn tunes, used in oratorios
 Cantata- miniature oratorios

83. R ‘ Ernie is a boy who lost his pocket money on the way
to school, and he’s very sad because he was going to
buy frozen coke from 277 after school’
A ‘ I am so sad, so sad, so sad, I have no money to spend,
I want my frozen coke from 277 but I have no money to
spend, I think I will die of thirst’
C ‘Ernie is so sad, so sad, he’s got no money to spend,
look at his friends, they are laughing at him because
he’s got no money to spend’

85. Cantata
 Choir+ Orchestra
 Can be sacred/secular
 A short version of
oratorio

86. Chorale
simple, singable tunes, hymn-like

87. Harpsichord

89. Prelude

91. FUGUE
 Meaning ‘flight’- parts fleeing away or chasing each
other as they enter with the subject.
 Texture- contrapuntal/polyphonic
 Melody- imitation
 Harmony- changes/modulates
 Form- 3 or 4 parts (SATB)
 A technique where a theme is extended and developed
mainly by imitative counterpoint.

94. SUITE
a piece of instrumental music in several
movements, usually in dance style.
Grouping short
dance pieces
together.
 1. German
allemande, 4/4,
moderato
 2. French
courante, ¾,
allegro
moderato
 3. Spanish
saranbande, ¾
adagio
 4. English gigue,
6/8 allegro

98. toccata
 The 16th century’s scale-like ‘warm up’ type pieces.
 Light touch, fast finger works, forward rhythmic drive.

99. Basso Continuo
Figured Bass
 The single-note bass-line is
played by a low string
instrument, sometimes with
a keyboard to thicken the
texture. This was called
basso continuo since it
‘continued’ throughout the
piece.
 The notes are improvised,
and composers leave figures
below the notes to tell the
players how exactly to play
the chord, and therefore the
bass line is often called
figured bass.

100. Baroque Instrumental Music
 Canzona, ricercar, toccata, fantasia, variations, fugue,
chorale, prelude, suite, sonata and concerto

103. Listening
 Henry Purcell ‘Ah! Belinda’ from Dido and Aeneas
 Deep Purple ‘Child in Time’… music is structured on
this ground bass..
 G G|A G G|A F F|G G G|A
1 2 3 4 5 6
Intro, set
mood
Words sung
through
Mainly
vocalized,
more excited
Bolero
rhythm
Keyboard
featured
Keyboards,
percussion
Keyboards
joins ostinat
ff Guitar solo
Ostinato x3 Ostinato x4 Ostinato x6 Increasing
build up

104. Composing
 Form a group of musicians, and compose your own piece structured on
a ground, or ostinato
1. Decide whether your ostinato is to have rhythm (as Deep Purple’s) or
to be mainly in notes of equal value (as Purcell’s)
2. Above your repeating ostinato, add a rhythmic part on one or more
percussion instruments- matching the mood of your ostinato
3. Compose/improvise a melodic line above your ostinato- or a texture
of melody and harmonies
4. Decide whether your music should keep to the same mood
throughout- or change mood, and perhaps also build up to a climax
5. Also decide whether your ostinato continues right through- or stops.
Perhaps dramatically, at some point and then starts up again

105. Main Characteristics of
Baroque Music
 Both homophonic + polyphonic texture
 Basso continuo/figured bass as structure & harmony
 One mood per piece
 Repetition of small motive
 Logical, sequential exploration of harmony through scales and
arpeggios
 Energetic rhythm
 Long decorated melodic phrases
 Contrast in timbre, dynamic and texture
 Violin & strings (timbre)
 Major & minor keys (harmony)
 Binary, ternary, rondo, variations, ritornello, fugue (structure & form)
 Chorale, opera, oratorio, cantata, toccata, suite, concerto grosso

108. Term Definition Instruments
used / Timbre
Music example
Baroque Orchestra
Baroque Opera
Recitative
Aria
Oratorio
Chorale
Ritornello
Cantata
Prelude
Fugue
Toccata
Da Capo Aria
Suite
Prelude
Concerto Grosso
Figured Bass

109. RHYTHM TONALITY MELODY TEXTURE
Strong barline and
pulse, unity of
rhythm in
movement
Major & minor keys,
modulation within
a piece of music
Imitation points,
motifs, sequence,
scale passages
Based on triads,
clear sense of key,
strong cadence
points
DYNAMICS TIMBRE STRUCTURE
Terraced (either loud or
soft depending on
timbre/instrumentation)
no gradual
String orchestra with
soloists, basso
continuo
(harpsichord+ bass).
Contrasting string
and woodwind
sections
Suite (dances), concerto
grosso, opera(recitative,
aria, chorus), oratorio,
cantata, chorale,
prelude & fugue,
toccata

110. GCSE Anthology No.11
1. Suggest an appropriate time signature for this music.
2. Name the two instruments which play together at the
beginning before the violin come in.
3. Which of these is the correct term for the part which both of
these instruments read? Ripieno? Tutti? Concertino? Basso
continuo?
4. Describe the bass part in the whole extract
5. What name is given to this sort of bass part?
6. Name a woodwind, a string and the keyboard instrument used
in thee extract.
7. What is the appropriate name given for the female and male
vocal (in consideration for their vocal range).
8. What is the texture device used between the male and female
vocal entry?

111. GCSE Anthology No.15
1. Which one of these words best describes the melodies???
diatonic / atonal / chromatic / pentatonic
2. Which one of these words could also be used to describe the melodies???
Smooth / conjunct / disjunct / calm
3. Name the solo melody instrument.
4. Name the type of voice.
5. What are the other two instruments, which accompany the two soloists?
6. Which one of these is the correct term for this accompaniment???
Basso continuo / orchestra / chamber ensemble / consort
7. How does the bass melody differ from the soloist’ melodies?
8. What is the first melodic instrument heard?
9. What is the melodic device used between the soprano entry and woodwind?
10. Suggest a composer for this piece: Beethoven / BeeGees / Bellini / Bach

112. GCSE Anthology No.19
1. This music divides into three sections: two solo sections and a chorus. What
type of voice sings the solo sections?
2. Both of the solo sections are recitatives: that is, music in which a story is told
by a soloist almost as fast as in normal speech. In what ways do these
recitatives differ from each other in rhythm? Instrumentation?
3. Which instruments are added in the chorus?
4. What is the proper name given for the female soloist?
5. The soloist is singing in a recitative style. Suggest an example from the music
that exemplifies recitative singing.
6. What is the proper name given for the keyboard accompany?
7. Describe the texture.
8. Is this extract taken from an Opera? Oratorio? Concerto grosso? Give a
reason for your answer.
9. What is the cadence used at the end of the chorus?
10. Suggest a time signature for the orchestra entry: Presto / Andante / Allegro

113. AQA GCSE PAPER 3
1. What musical device is used in the bass throughout this extract?
Ground bass / pedal / sequence / ostinato
2. Follow the words as the recording is played.
‘mark how readily each pliant string
Prepares itself and as an off’ring
The tribute of some gentle sound does bring.
Then altogether in harmonious lays,
To the sublimest pitch themselves they raise,
And loudly celebrate their Master’s praise.’
Describe the music sung by the singer for the words ‘some gentle sound’. (3)
3. Name the keyboard instrument heard in this extract.
4. When the violins enter, are they playing in (unison / octaves / thirds)
5. Describe the singing of the choir when it enters. (2)