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