The Origins Music And It's
Effects
Daniel Millions - 23rd May 2008
-
Ever since humans have existed, there has been music. Music
can be simply defined as sound art, which is created by
manipulating sound and implementing elements such as
harmony, pitch, and rhythm. Technically, the official
definition is an artistic form of auditory communication
incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured
and continuous manner.
There are several theories of how music came about, the most
prominent one being that humans attempted to imitate the noises
of their surroundings. Specifically, the origin of music can be
traced back as far as four thousand years, as archaeologists
have uncovered instruments dating back to that period.
Throughout early history, music was an incredibly important
part of world culture, especially in countries such as China
and Greece.
During the Middle Ages, religious music was heavily prominent.
The Gregorian chant, a monophonic style of music, was practiced
within several sects of Christianity, mainly Catholicism. When
the Renaissance occurred, music changed drastically. Like art,
focus was shifted away from religion and onto secularism. With
this secularism came more complex and deeper songs that were
composed for pleasure rather than religious service.
In the seventeenth century, opera came about. This was an
exciting and dramatic form of music, as it incorporated actors,
a storyline, and a bold musical score. Despite many competing
forms of entertainment, opera is still alive and well today,
most notably in Italy, where it originated.
The Classical Period featured such notable musicians as
Wolfgang Mozart and Joseph Haydn. Earlier forms of music
evolved further, and new styles were developed as well,
including the now popular symphony. The texture of the music
became more fluid, light, and clear than it had been in the
previous area. Mozart, who remains a famous musician, gained
widespread fame for his unique musical genius and childhood
accomplishments (he composed music at five years old).
With the end of the Classical Period came the beginning of the
Romantic Period. Beethoven is by far the most recognizable of
the Romantic composers. During this period, musical works
became longer, and as in previous ages, certain types of music
were combined and elaborated upon. Concerts became popular and
a more central part of society as well.
Modern times have seen perhaps the greatest advances in music
yet. Advanced technology and communications have enabled a
variety of new music forms, such as jazz, rock, disco, and
electronically synthesized music to come about. Additionally,
more people than ever have access to music due to the
popularity of radio and other similar devices.
Music has created a thriving industry, where producers and
musicians come together to create music and distribute it to
the masses. A multitude of different record labels compete to
sign the most ambitious musicians and sell their musical
conceptions. As in any industry, competition forces innovation
and creativity.
In the future, therefore, it can be expected that several new,
attractive forms of music will be developed in order to attract
a strong customer base. Along with new forms of music, it will
be interesting to see whether any original listening mediums
are invented. While the iPod currently holds the spot for most
popular music listening device, who knows what will come out
next.
The author Daniel Millions writes for Drumsets and
Cymbals
Source: http://megamusictalent.com
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