What is music.?

In the next article we will explore the meanings of music across time and cultures. Music has been partner of humans since the beginning of its history. It has been speculated that early in its history relates to the imitation of the sounds of nature, like the singing of birds and also nature domestic human, for example the natural rhythm of the heartbeat; the latest theories concerning the beginnings of art give great importance to this last point (forms perceived internally), referring to these influences as "entópicas", and strongly linking them with the work of shamans and their internal experiences.

Incredible as it may seem, the latest findings confirm that the concepts of harmony (several notes played simultaneously) already were present in prehistoric music (e.g. the music found in cuneiform with data from more than 4,000 years in the city gives Ur, Mesopotamia it incorporated). During the prehistoric music was part of celebrations and rituals, which do not differ much from the uses given today. In fact, our nervous system is practically the same, so anything that moves mankind is universal in nature.

The theories of the ancient Greek philosophers are consistent with the speculations of scholars in medieval times, defined music as tones ordered horizontally (melodies) and vertical (harmony). This order or structure which must have a group of sounds to be called music is for instance present in the assertions of the Goethe German philosopher when he compared with architecture, defining the latter as "frozen music". Most agree the appearance of the structure, but some modern theorists differ in that the result should be pleasurable or pleasant. To understand the development of this wonderful art form, we will explore its evolution in the West, both in its classical or learned tradition and popular forms.

As the culture evolved, some musical forms were being dominant, to finish featuring the music of a particular time. It is so as of prehistoric forms of music we come to medieval music, from the year 476 (fall of the Roman Empire) until the year 1450 (the Renaissance). The most popular at this time form are the famous songs Gregorian, alone monophonic performed traditionally by monks, who even enjoyed great popularity as a Christian music until today for its compelling and repetitive melodies that inspire a mystical air.

With the advent of the Renaissance between 1450 and the year 1600, a more complex instrumentation is common and introduces the concept of the bass as a base. One of the outstanding instruments of that time is the viola da gamba (leg viola), which continued being used until the Baroque period; This type of viola is not as belonging to the family of violins (whose name is actually viola da braccio or arm), but that is something like a mix between a guitar (has frets or separations) and a cello. This instrument was manufactured in several sizes, being the bass the most popular, now memorialized with the movie "All the mornings of the world", on the use of this instrument in the courts of France.

Then, between the year 1600 and 1750 reached the Baroque, where the structure is refined and especially interpretative "ornaments" of the music. In this era where it popularized and established the opera as a musical form. To pipe organ and the harpsichord were standard on the keyboards of the time, and the former viola da gamba were replaced by instruments of the violin family, with a sound more powerful, suitable for classrooms and presentations on a larger scale. Featured musicians are c (and not to mention his art of Fugue, the Partitas for solo violin and the passion according to St. Matthew), George Friedrich Händel, Antonio Vivaldi (popular until today with its four stations) and Claudio Monteverdi.

Further down the line of the time we got to the classical period, and at this point we must pause and clarify an important concept: what is classical music? Strictly speaking, corresponds to the erudite music composed between 1730 and 1820, but also accepted this name and common use is for all the music learned of the Baroque period onwards, even to this day with the compositions of contemporary learned musicians (e.g. John Williams, that can recognize it its memorable sound track for the Star Wars universe)(, really spectacular). In the classic period (1730-1820) established many conventions in terms of style and form, and with regard to the instruments used, the facilitating of the piano (whose full name is "piano forte") stands out from the harpsichord. The inevitable musicians of this era are Ludwig van Beethoven (in its first stage of compositions) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Also include Joseph Haydn and Muzio Clementi.

During the romantic period between 1815 and 1910 the canons and interpretation techniques were defined with precision, and formalized institutions for teaching and dissemination of music by Europe. For composers of the period, it was important to use emotion, feelings, and intuition to express the most profound truths. Among the composers are to Franz Schubert, Rossini, the amazing pianist Franz Liszt, Felix Mendelssohn, Chopin and Berlioz. A breed of awesome music. In addition are Robert Schumann, Giuseppe Verdi, Richard Wagner, and for lovers of the violin we have greater prodigy of all times, to Niccolò Paganini; such was the skill of this violinist, who thought was possessed by superhuman forces.

Modern music, between 1905 and 1985, is a consequence of the crisis and the breakdown of traditional values in the arts, global trend characterized by belief in progress and science; the idea is basically break the old moulds and start something new. The truth is that classical or learned music from this point forward is not as accessible as the past, for his abstract air and more intellectual. Names that might sound like the current auditor are those of Arnold Schoenberg, Igor Stravinsky (the rite of spring is quite popular), Alan Berg and Béla Bartók.

Finally, what is learned music brings us to what is known as music of the 20th century to the present. As mentioned, the general public is inclined by Baroque periods to the romantic, more accessible and "Welcome" to the hearing. Fortunately, as really good music never goes fashion we always enjoy recreations of the compositions of these past times.

Now, we delinearemos broadly the genus not learned or popular, although the distinction between the two is not easy and the truth is that the Division is rather for the purpose of classification and study, but the music is a. Once again we must draw a distinction, since by popular music we refer to the genre of "pop" and also to all the musical styles of type more accessible to the public in general.

In the subgenre of pop, although it has always been present in all cultures, it is in more recent times-speaking pop music as such mass by advances in the media and the recent globalization. Pop has its roots in the music folk (modern style with traditional folk influences, such as Bob Dylan) and black culture; This adding to fashion or trends of an epoch translated into simple and catchy melodies give us as a result pop. Highlights for the genus in chronological order, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, Carole King, Neil Diamond, Steve Wonder, the Beach Boys, the BeeGees, Billy Joel, Elton John, the Eagles, Michael Jackson, Madonna (of course), Abba and The Police. The most recent phenomena are the Spice girls, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, an icon for teenage girls.

A genre of popular music which has had important influences on pop, jazz and rock, are the Blues, whose roots are in the African rhythms and melodies of African-American "Spirituals". We cannot fail to mention to Robert johnson (icon of the Delta Blues, originating in Mississippi) and B.B.King, both equipped with guitarists. For the most fanatical recommends the movie "Crossroads" or in English "crossroads", with music by Johnson and the interpretations of the contemporary guitarist Steve Vai.

On the other hand we have the jazz, also African American roots, considered the first original art developed in the United States form. Its characteristics is use of syncopated notes, the "swing" and improvisation. You can find an article dedicated to this form on our site.

Rock and roll, which took input from all genres mentioned above was a real revolution in its time, and whose rhythms and current variations are known simply as rock. Discussion on the first "pure" recording of this genus, but in their home, there is no doubt that include Bill Halley and his Comets, the legendary Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

One of the most current popular genres is electronic music, which has its beginnings linked to the development of the synthesizer, an instrument that allows the generation of electronic sounds, providing alternatives beyond the traditional instruments. In the early 1970s, musicians such as Jean Michel Jarre and Kitaro laid the báses for today's electronics, and other subgenres as New Age, for example. He is thus aimed at the dance in its versions as the techno, Trance and House.

Currently the passion for music in humans has further fueled through a series of technological innovations. Not to mention the playback devices, storage technology has undergone an amazing revolution with the development of computing and in particular the Mp3 format, which has massed allowing individuals in computers and specialized devices save a large amount of musical works. Never in history was so easily accessible musical art of all time for a person..!!