The Six Eras of Music History
1900- Present Day
20th Century
John Cage
20th century United States composer of avant-garde music, changed the definition of music to organized sound.
Aaron Copland
20th century United States composer who developed a distinctly American music (1900-1990)
Igor Stravinsky
A 20th century composer who composed the ballet The Rite of spring. This ballet almost caused a riot when it first was performed in Paris in 1913, because its combination of pulsating, dissonant rhythms from the orchestra pit and risque performances by the dancers shocked the audience.
Basso Continuo
A bass part written out in full and accompanied by numbers to indicate the chords to be played
Johann Sebastian Bach
German baroque organist and composer. One of the most important composers of all time.
Richard Wagner
German composer of operas and inventor of the music drama in which drama and spectacle and music are fused (1813-1883). Wrote during the Romantic era.
Claudio Monteverdi
Important Italian composer of the Renaissance.
Hildegard von Bingen
Important Middle Ages composer. First recognized female composer.
Polyphony
Music arranged in parts for several voices or instruments
Monophony
Music consisting of a single vocal part (usually with accompaniment).
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Prolific Austrian composer of the classical era and child prodigy, rebelled against the church's rule of music. One of the most influential composers of all time.
Johannes Brahms
Romantic German composer who developed the Romantic style of both lyrical and classical music (1833-1897)
Homorhythmic
Text is sung by all voices at once, making the words more understandable
1600-1750
The Baroque
1750-1825
The Classical
450-1450
The Middle Ages
1450-1600
The Renaissance
1825-1900
The Romantic
George Fredrick Handel
Was famous for Oratorios. One of his famous was "The Messiah". Wrote during the classical era