History of music - Definition

The history of music in relation to human beings predates the written word and is tied to the development and unique expression of various human cultures.

Prehistoric music

The origin of music likely stems from natural sounds and rhythms. Bird song, the heartbeat, the rustling of wind through trees, the crackle of a burning fire and the sounds of waves breaking on a beach or bubbles in a brook. Man-made music echoes these soundscapes using pattern, repetition and tonality.

Aside from the obvious bird song it should be noted that music is not entirely the field of humankind. Monkeys have been witnessed to beat on hollow logs. Although this might serves some purpose of territorialism, it suggests a degree of creativity employed by the (type of ape here), which seems to incorporate a call and response dialogue.

Thirty-thousand-year-old bone flutes have been found in archeological sites; the design seems to be similar to that of the recorder.

Most likely the first instruments were percussion instruments, the clapping of hands, stones hit together, or other things that are useful to create rhythm.

Music can be theoretically traced to prior to the Oldowan era of the Paleolithic age, the anthropological and archeological designation that suggests when stone tools first began to be used by hominids. The noises produced by work such as pounding seed and roots into meal was one source of early rhythm created by early humans that was likely to register in the collective consciousness.

Music and the development of culture

Music archeology

Early music

See main article Early music.

Medieval music

See main article Medieval music.

Renaissance music

See main article Renaissance music.

Baroque music

See main article Baroque music.

Music in cradles of civilizations

Africa

Asia

Central America

Mesopotamia

Common practice period

See main article Common practice period.

Classical music era

See main article Classical music era.

Musical analysis can be traced back to the 1750s.

Romantic music

See main article Romantic music.

Classical traditions

China

Europe

India

Persia

Modern

20th century classical music

See main article 20th century classical music.

Contemporary

See main article Contemporary music.

See also

• Music history
• History of western music
• History of Indian music
• History of African music
• History of Arabic music
• Timeline of trends in music

References

• The Origins of Music, ed. Nils L. Wallin, Björn Merker and Steven Brown, The MIT Press, 2000, ISBN: 0262232065

Sources

• Timeline of European music (http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0151192.html)
• U.S. popular music timeline (http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0885982.html)
• China music timeline (http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Music/mus-timeline.html)
• Bone flute found in China at 9,000-year-old Neolithic site  (http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/1999/bnlpr092299.html)