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9000 BCE
Xylophone
The xylophone was invented in Southeast Asia in the 9th century and is part of the percussion family. Xylophone -
2000 BCE
Castanets
The castanet was invented in Spain in the 20-21st century and is part of the percussion family. Castanets -
1700 BCE
Tambourine
The tambourine was invented in Ancient Egypt in 1700 B.C. and is part of the percussion family. Tambourine -
1600 BCE
Cello
the cello was invented in Italy in the 16th century and is part of the strings family. Cello -
1600 BCE
Triangle
The triangle was invented in Egypt in the 16th century and is part of the percussion family. Triangle -
1500 BCE
Harp
The harp was invented in Ancient Egypt in 1500 BC and is part of the strings family. Harp -
1500 BCE
Trumpet
The trumpet was invented in Egypt in the 1500 B.C. and is part of the Brass family. Trumpet -
1450 BCE
Trombone
The trombone was invented in Belgium in 1450 and is part of the Brass family. Trombone -
1400 BCE
Bagpipes
The bagpipe was invented in Ancient Egypt in the 14th century and is part of the woodwind family. Bagpipes -
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Period: 400 to 1400
Medieval Period
The medieval era, often called The Middle Ages or the Dark Ages -
1200
Gregorian Chant - Medieval Renaissance Period
Gregorian chant is a form of monophonic, unaccompanied vocal music that was created during the medieval period. Famous composers of Gregorian chant include Pope Gregory I and Hildegard von Bingen. Gregorian Chant -
1200
Madrigal - Medieval/Renaissance Period
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition that was popular during the Renaissance period. Famous composers of madrigal music include Claudio Monteverdi, Thomas Morley, and Orlando di Lasso. Madrigal -
1200
Motet - Medieval/Renaissance Period
A motet is a polyphonic choral composition that was popular during the medieval and Renaissance periods. Famous composers of motet music include Josquin des Prez, William Byrd, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Motet -
Period: 1300 to Apr 13, 1377
Guillaume de Machaut - Medieval/Renaissance Period
Machaut was part of the Medieval/Renaissance Period composers. He was born in the 1300s in France. His major influence was his work as a poet and musician and his notable works include Messe de Nostre Dame, Le Voir Dit, and Remede de Fortune. A fun fact about his was that he was the first composer to write a complete setting of the Ordinary of the mass. Guillaume de Machaut -
1360
"Messe De Nostre Dane" Guillaume de Machaut - Medieval/ Renaissance Period
This song was composed in 1360s and uses the style Mass. "Messe De Nostre Dane" Guillaume de Machaut -
Period: 1440 to Aug 27, 1521
Joaquin de Prez - Medieval/Renaissance Period
Prez was part of the Medieval/Renaissance Period composers. He was born in 1440's in France.His major influence was his work as a singer and composer and his notable works include Missa Pange Lingua, Ave Maria, and El Grillo. A quote from him is "The true musician is one who has the ability to express anything and everything." Joaquin de Prez -
1500
Strings bass
The string bass was invented in Italy in the 1500s and is part of the strings family. String Bass -
Period: 1500 to
Renaissance Period
The medieval renaissances were periods of cultural renewal across medieval Western Europe -
Period: Jan 30, 1505 to
Thomas Tallis - Medieval/Renaissance Period
Tallis is part of the Medieval/Renaissance Period composers. He was born on January 30, 1505 in England. His major influence was is work as a church musician and his notable works include Spem in alium, Lamentations of Jeremiah, and If ye love me. Fun fact about Tallis is that he served under four monarchs during his career, including Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Thomas Tallis -
Period: 1525 to
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina - Medieval/Renaissance Period
Palestrina was part of the Medieval/Renaissance Period composer. He was born in 1525 in Italy. His major influence was his work as a composer of scared music and his notable works include Missa Papae Marcelli, Stabat Mater, and Sicut Cervus. A quote from him is "Music is the divine way to tell a beautiful, poetic things to the heart." Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina -
1530
Viola
The viola was invented in Northern Italy in 1530 and is part of the strings family. Viola -
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1562
"Pope Marcellus Mass" Giovanni Pierluihi da Palestrina - Medieval/Renaissance Period
This song was composed in 1562 in the style Mass. "Pope Marcellus Mass" Giovanni Pierluihi da Palestrina -
1570
"Spem in Alium" Thomas Tallis - Medieval/Renaissance Period
This song was composed in 1570s and used the style Motet. "Spem in Alium" Thomas Tallis -
Period: to
Opera - Baroque Period
Baroque opera is characterized by its elaborate and ornamental style of singing and its use of recitative. Famous composers of Baroque opera include George Frideric Handel, Claudio Monteverdi, and Jean-Baptiste Lully. Baroque Opera -
Period: to
Concerto Grosso - Baroque Period
A concerto grosso is a musical composition that features a small group of soloists playing together with a larger group of musicians. Famous composers of concerto grosso include Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi, and Georg Philipp Telemann. Concerto Grosso -
Period: to
Chorale - Baroque Period
A chorale is a hymn or song that is sung by a congregation or choir. Famous composers of chorale music include Johann Sebastian Bach and Heinrich Schutz. Chorale -
Period: to
Baroque Period
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Period: to
Antonio Vivaldi - Baroque Period
Antonio was part of the Baroque period composers. He was born on March 4, 1678 in Italy. His major influences were his work as a violinist and his travels throughout Italy and his notable works include The Four Seasons, Gloria, and Concerto for Two Violins. Fun fact about Antonio is he was nicknamed "The Red Priest" for his red hair and his career as a Catholic priest. Antonio Vivaldi -
Period: to
Jean-Philippe Rameau - Baroque Period
Jean was part of Baroque period composers. He was born on September 25, 1683 in France. His major influence was his work as am organism and his notable works include Hippolyte et Aricle, Castor et Pollux, and Dardanus. A quote from him is "Music, as a moral science, should always be used for the good of humanity." Jean-Philippe Rameau -
Period: to
George Frideric Handel - Baroque Period
George is part of the baroque period composers. He was born on March 5, 1685 in Germany. His major influence was his travels throughout Europe and his notable works include Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks. A quote from him is "I should be sorry if I only entertained them. I wish to make them better." George Frideric Handel -
Period: to
Johann Sebastian Bach - Baroque Period
Johann is part of the baroque period composers. He was born on March 31, 1685 in Germany. A major influence of his was his Lutheran faith and his notable works include the Brandenburg Concertos, Mass in B Minor, and the Goldberg Variations. Fun Fact about him is that he was blind for the last few years of his life. Johann Sebastian Bach -
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Period: to
Christoph Willibald Gluck - Classical Period
Gluck was part of the classical period composers. he was born on July 2, 1714 in Germany. His major influence was his work as an opera composer and his notable works include Orfeo ed Euridice, Alceste, and Iphigenie en Tauride. A quote from him is "I have always tried to compose for the theater as I write for a friend." Christoph Willibald Gluck -
Baroque to Classical
As the Baroque period drew to a close, music began to shift away from the intricate, highly ornamented style that had defined it for so long. Composers such as Haydn and Mozart began to embrace a simpler, more elegant sound that came to be known as the Classical period. The music of this era was characterized by a greater emphasis on melody and harmony, as well as a newfound interest in form and structure. -
Period: to
Franz Joseph Haydn - Classical Period
Haydn was part of the classical period composers. He was born on March 31, 1732 in Austria. His major influence was his work as a court musician and his notable works include Symphony No.94 ("Surprise"), The Creation, and The Seasons. A fun fact about Haydn is that he was known as "Papa"Haydn because of his role as a mentor to younger composers. Franz Joseph Haydn -
Period: to
Classical Period
The Classical period was an era of classical music between roughly 1750 and 1820. A young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a representative composer of the Classical period, seated at a keyboard. The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. -
Period: to
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Classical Period
Mozart was part of Classical period composers. He was born on January 17, 1756 in Austria. His major influence was his upbringing as a child prodigy and his notable works include Symphony No.40, Piano Concerto No.21, and The Magic Flute. Fun fact about Mozart is he composed his first piece of music at the age of 5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -
Period: to
Ludwig van Beethoven - Classical/Romantic Period
Beethoven was part of the classical and romantic period composers. He was born in December, 1770 in Germany. His major influence was his deafness and his notable works include Symphony No.9, Moonlight Sonata, and Fidelio. A quote from him is "Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life." Ludwig van Beethoven -
Period: to
Sonata - Classical Period
A sonata is a musical composition for soloist or small ensemble that is typically divided into three or four movements. Famous composers of sonatas include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Joseph Haydn. Sonata -
Period: to
Symphony - Classical Period
A symphony is a large-scale musical composition for orchestra that is typically divided into four movements. Famous composers of symphonies include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Joseph Haydn. Symphony -
Period: to
String Quartet - Classical Period
A string quartet is a musical composition for four string instruments, typically two violins, viola, and cello. Famous composers of string quartets include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Schubert. Strings Quartet -
"Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts - Classical Period
Made in 1787 using the style Serenade. "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts -
Period: to
Franz Schubert - Romantic Period
Schubert was part of the romantic period composers. He was born on January 31, 1797 in Austria. His major influence was his work as a songwriter and his notable works include Winterreise, Die Schone Mullerin, and Trout Quintet. A quote from Schubert is "The most beautiful music is not the music I know. It's the music I don't know." Franz Schubert -
"The creation" Joseph Haydn - Classical Period
This song was composed in 1798 using the style Oratorio. "The creation" Joseph Haydn -
Period: to
Lieder - Romantic Period
Lieder is a type of German song that was popular during the Romantic period. Famous composers of Lieder include Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms. Lieder -
Period: to
Symphonic Poem - Romantic Period
A symphonic poem is a one-movement orchestral composition that tells a story or paints a picture. Famous composers of symphonic poems include Franz Liszt, Richard Strauss, and Bedrich Smetana. Symphonic Poem -
Period: to
Ballet - Romantic Period
Ballet is a type of theatrical dance that was popular during the Romantic period. Famous ballet composers include Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Adolphe Adam, and Léo Delibes. Ballet -
Classical to Romantic
As the Classical period gave way to the Romantic period, music underwent yet another transformation. Composers like Beethoven and Schubert began to push the boundaries of tonality, using dissonance and chromaticism to create more complex and emotionally charged works. The orchestra also grew in size and complexity, with new instruments such as the tuba and the saxophone being added to the mix. -
Period: to
Hector Berlioz - Romantic Period
Berlioz was part of the romantic period composers. He was born on December 11, 1803 in France. his major influences was is work as a conductor and composers and his notable works includes Symphonies Fantastique, Requiem, and Romeo et Juliette. Fun fact about Berlioz is that he was known for his innovative orchestration techniques, including the use of an expanded percussion section. Hector Berlioz -
"Symphony No.5" Ludwig Van Beethoven - Classical Period
This song was composed in 1808 using the style Symphony 3. "Symphony No.5" Ludwig Van Beethoven -
Period: to
Frederic Chopin - Romantic Period
Chopin was part of the romantic period composers. He was born on March 1, 1810 in Poland/France. His major influence was his work as a pianist and composer and his notable work includes Nocturnes, Etudes, and Ballades. Fun fact about Chopin was that he was known for his delicate playing style, which was a departure from the forceful playing style of his contemporaries. Frederic Chopin -
French horn
The french horn was invented in Germany in 1814 and is part of the Brass family. French Horn -
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Period: to
Romantic Period
The Romantic period started around 1830 and ended around 1900, as compositions became increasingly expressive and inventive. Expansive symphonies, virtuosic piano music, dramatic operas, and passionate songs took inspiration from art and literature. -
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"Nocturnes, Op.9" Frederic Chopin - Romantic Period
This song was composed in 1830 and uses the style Piano Composition. "Nocturnes, Op.9" Frederic Chopin -
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Jazz - 20th Century Period
Jazz is a genre of music that originated in the early 20th century. Famous jazz musicians include Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Miles Davis. Jazz -
Musical Theater - 20th Century Period
Musical theater is a form of theater that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. Famous musical theater composers include Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Richard Rodgers. Musical Theater -
Electronic Music - 20th Century Period
Electronic music is a genre of music that is created using electronic devices and technology. Famous electronic music composers include Brian Eno, Kraftwerk, and Aphex Twin. Electrion Music -
Period: to
Claude Debussy - 20th Century Period
Debussy was part of the 20th century period composers. He was born on August 22, 1862 in France. His major influences was his work as a composer and pianist and his notable works include Clair de Lune, Prelude to the Afternoon of a Fayn, and La Mer. Fun fact about Debussy is that he was known for his use of impressionistic harmonies and textures in his compositions. Claude Debussy -
"Hungarian Dances" Johannes Brahms - Romantic Period
This song was composed in 1869 in the style Orchestral Suite. "Hungarian Dances" Johannes Brahms -
Period: to
Arnold Schoenberg - 20th Century Period
Schoenberg was part of the 29th century period composer. He was born on September 13, 1874. His major influence was his work as a composer and music theorist and his notable works include Pierrot Lunaire, Verklarte Nacht, and Moses und Aron. A quote from Schoenberg is "There is still plenty of good music to be written in C major." Arnold Schoenberg -
"Swan Lake" Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Romantic Period
This song was composed in 1876 using the style Ballet 2. "Swan Lake" Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky -
Period: to
Igor Stravinsky - 20th Century Period
Stravinsky is part of the 20th century composers. He was born on June 17, 1882 in Russia/France/USA. His major influences was his work as a composer and conductor and his notable works include The Rite of Spring, The Firebird, and Petrushka. A quote from Stravinsky is "The one true goal of music is to express the inexpressible." Igor Stravinsky -
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Period: to
20th Century Period
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"The Rite of Spring" Igor Stravinsky - 20th Century Period
This song was composed in 1913 using the style Ballet. "The Rite of Spring" Igor Stravinsky -
Period: to
Philip Glass - 20th Century Period
Glass is part of the 20th century period composers. He was born on January 31, 1937. His major influence was his work as a composer and performer and his notable works include Einstein on the Beach, Koyaanisqatsi, and The Hours. Fun fact about Glass was that he is known for his minimalist style, which involves the repetition of short musical phrases to create a hypnotic effect. Philip Glass -
"Appalachian Springs" Aaron Copland - 20th Century Period
This song was composed by 1944 and using the style Ballet. "Appalachian Springs" Aaron Copland -
"West Side Story" Leonard Berstein - 20th Century Period
This song was composed in 1957 and using the style Musical. "West Side Story" Leonard Berstein
