Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Music In A Few Historical Steps

By Jack Wogan


It is very hard to establish when music started to be played. It might have been the result of a happy accident, as many of our best things today are. As to when this happened we can know for sure only it was in the prehistoric time. The first music was probably a series of rhythmic beats which had only one purpose: to serve a religious ceremonial. How do we know this? Archaeologists and anthropologists say that there are many similarities between the wild tribes still existing today and how the primitive people lived. So the wild beats which can still be heard in Africa or South America may be very close to what one could hear thousands of years ago.

As music was a part of a holy ceremonial it changed slowly. The art started when the bonds with religion were broken and when all was left was the love for its aesthetics and harmony. By the time the Greek civilization blossomed, music was considered an art and the Greeks included it into their pantheon together with 8 other arts, under the name of muses.

But together with the end of Antiquity there seemed to be an end for its refinement also. The Middle Ages brought large movements of population which increased the instability of all areas of life. The Church was for a long time the only constant in people's lives so its power gradually grew. It started to dictate the path to be followed for many areas of life. So music was once more subjected to religion. But as the people felt the need to enjoy music outside the church as well, troubadours started to sing in inns and at parties.

The Baroque (the 17th and the 18th Century) was needed so that music could become great. It was that period when opera was born as a genre and great composers like Bach, Vivaldi or Handel gave music a new face. By the end of the 18th Century Vienna concentrated genial talents like Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert and new musical styles have appeared.

The last two centuries came with huge and fast changes for all human life. Naturally, music has followed the movement and many new musical styles came to life. The sounds in our days explore new boundaries of aesthetics and Europe and Asia are no longer the irradiant centers of world's music. Today this art is more accessible than ever. You can train your voice or you can learn to play piano if you a have a little talent. Or you can just listen; everybody has talent for that. And there are so many choices at hand.




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