Music HistoryMusic History

The Beginning…The Beginning…

When did music start?When did music start?

180000 BC: Evidence 180000 BC: Evidence of mammoth bones of mammoth bones crafted to make crafted to make instrumentsinstruments

What would early instruments What would early instruments have been made out of?have been made out of?

Why???Why???

The Ancient GreeksThe Ancient Greeks Western culture takes its Western culture takes its

ideals of beauty and art ideals of beauty and art from ancient Greece and from ancient Greece and RomeRome

Roots of philosophy, Roots of philosophy, government, literature, government, literature, visual art, and our visual art, and our musical idealmusical ideal

Throughout history Throughout history Europe and America Europe and America have turned to Greece have turned to Greece and Rome for instruction and Rome for instruction and inspirationand inspiration

Greek Musical ThoughtGreek Musical Thought

Music has the power to move people in Music has the power to move people in powerful wayspowerful ways

There is one, true, right form of musicThere is one, true, right form of musicConnection between music and numbersConnection between music and numbersConnection between music and astronomyConnection between music and astronomyUnison of music and poetryUnison of music and poetry

What did the music of ancient What did the music of ancient Greece and Rome sound like?Greece and Rome sound like?

Guess what?Guess what?

We don’t know.We don’t know.

What we do know…What we do know…

The Greeks wrote about music and The Greeks wrote about music and composition and the place of music in composition and the place of music in societysociety

The Greeks invented music theory: The Greeks invented music theory: Pythagoras!Pythagoras!

Due to modern archeology and Due to modern archeology and scholarship, we now have a few surviving scholarship, we now have a few surviving samples of musicsamples of music

A little history…A little history… 753 BC Rome founded753 BC Rome founded Ca. 700 BC Homer’s Ca. 700 BC Homer’s IliadIliad and and OdysseyOdyssey Ca. 497 BC Pythagoras diesCa. 497 BC Pythagoras dies Ca. 380 BC Plato’s Ca. 380 BC Plato’s RepublicRepublic Ca. 4 AD Jesus bornCa. 4 AD Jesus born Ca. 33 AD Crucifixion of JesusCa. 33 AD Crucifixion of Jesus Ca. 100 AD Christian liturgyCa. 100 AD Christian liturgy Ca. 312 AD Roman emperor Constantine converts to Christianity to Ca. 312 AD Roman emperor Constantine converts to Christianity to

become more popularbecome more popular 476 AD Rome falls, Christian Church is primary power476 AD Rome falls, Christian Church is primary power 591 AD Pope Gregory I (the Great) elected and formalizes the rules 591 AD Pope Gregory I (the Great) elected and formalizes the rules

of chant: Gregorian Chantof chant: Gregorian Chant 800 AD Emperor Charlemagne imposes Gregorian chant and 800 AD Emperor Charlemagne imposes Gregorian chant and

suppresses all other music forms in the Roman empiresuppresses all other music forms in the Roman empire

What was between the ancient What was between the ancient Greeks and Gregorian chant?Greeks and Gregorian chant?

What is chant?What is chant?

Used as part of the Used as part of the Christian church serviceChristian church service

Considered a heightened Considered a heightened form of speech-prayerform of speech-prayer

Appropriate way to Appropriate way to communicate with Godcommunicate with God

Monks (the intellectual Monks (the intellectual elite) chanted 8 hours a elite) chanted 8 hours a day in the 9day in the 9thth/10/10thth century century

Characteristics of ChantCharacteristics of Chant

900-1000 AD 900-1000 AD First examples of pitch notation First examples of pitch notation

since the Greekssince the Greeks

Homework:Homework:If music were a picture, what would If music were a picture, what would

it look like?it look like?

Pick any song or music selection and draw Pick any song or music selection and draw it for us.it for us.

Can use any materials: different papers, Can use any materials: different papers, different colors of ink, etc. BUT must different colors of ink, etc. BUT must remain two dimensional. Think remain two dimensional. Think ABSTRACT.ABSTRACT.

DUE: In class, Tuesday, April 13DUE: In class, Tuesday, April 13thth