Music Curriculum

Introduction
The history of western music is divided into periods; ancient (Greek), medieval,
renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, and 20th and 21st century (includes many sub-
genres).
Ancient, ancient Greek-5th century.
Medieval, 5thcentury-1400s (15th century).
Renaissance, c.1400-1600.
Baroque, c.1600-1750.
Classical, c.1750-1825.
Romantic, c.1800-1900.

Listening

Ancient-The Seikilos epitaph is the oldest surviving example of a complete musical composition,
including musical notation, from anywhere in the world. The song, in the ancient Greek musical
notation, was found engraved on a tombstone, near Aidin, Turkey (not far from Ephesus). The
find has been dated variously from around 200 BC to around AD 100.

While older music with notation exists (for example the Delphic Hymns), all of it is in fragments;
the Seikilos epitaph is unique in that it is a complete, though short, composition.
The following is a transliteration of the words which are sung to the melody, and an English
translation:

Hoson zs, phainou

Mden hols sy lypou;
Pros oligon esti to zn
To telos ho chronos apaitei

English Translation:
While you live, shine
Don't suffer anything at all;
Life exists only a short while
And time demands its toll.

Here is performed by the music group : SAVAE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xERitvFYpAk

Medieval-Mass for Christmas Day, is a Gregorian chant mass sung on Christmas.

The Mass remains the most important service of the Catholic Church, it is a symbolic
reenactment of the last supper. The unchanging texts (each of which may be sung to different
melodies throughout the year), called the Ordinary of the Mass, include the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo,
 Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and Ite, missa est. The variable texts, called the Proper of the Mass, include
the Introit, Collects, Epistle, Gradual, Alleluia, Gospel, Offertory, communion, and others per
season.

Introit: Puer natus est nobis https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=T0etOsoenuY&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY

Kyrie https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=hj2xbwtc0h8&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY&index=2

Gloria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=jQdASy2hZGM&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY&index=3

Gradual: Viderunt omnes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=yXHsCrxFBS8&index=4&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY

Alleluia: Dies sanctificatus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=pv8lFyLgjN4&index=5&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY

Credo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-DIJVOj2ZU

Offertory: Tui sunt coeli

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=7PauDPF2DqA&index=7&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY

Sanctus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=DQZW7jDR9lI&index=8&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY

Agnes Dei
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6KF_dfuDOyc&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY&index=9

Communion: Viderunt omnes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=yXHsCrxFBS8&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY&index=10

Ite, missa est

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=MH5CfxsEjAg&index=11&list=PLH9xFbClskUDhgRFl8u65uuRHRg2aO7YY

Reniassance-John Dowland Flow, My Tears, is an air or lute song. The music has a more
personal or intimate feeling than other genres of its day. Flow, My Tears is Elizabethan
Englands best known air, it was printed in 1600 from Dowlands Second Book of Ayres.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkRrzAo9Wl4

Baroque-Dieterich Buxtehude, Praeludium in E Major. Organ music experienced a

golden age in the Lutheran areas of Germany between 1650 and 1750. Buxtehude (1637-
1707) one of the best known Lutheran composers, was organist at Saint Marys Church in
Lubeck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5SaH1q1EV4

Classical- Franz Joseph Haydn, String Quartet in G Major, Op. 33, No. 5, Scherzo. The
six quartets of Op. 33 were composed in 1781. They are lighthearted, witty, and tuneful.
He tilted the minutes Scherzo which is Italian for joke or trick, the music does play
tricks on the courtly dance by braking the normal metrical pattern.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBN4PECk-Kc

Romantic- Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849), Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2. The nocturnes are
among Chopins most soulful and introspective works. The nocturnes are descriptive
pieces that evoke the quiet and/or fretful dreaminess of night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV5U8kVYS88

Baroque
From 1600-1750
P. 207 The Baroque Period in Sixth Grader.
Baroque means, abnormal, bizarre, exaggerated, or grotesque. However, art critics of the
19th century gave it a more positive spin. For them it summed up the flamboyant,
 theatrical, and expressive tendencies of the 17th century art and architecture. By the 20th
century music historians had adopted the term to describe the music of the age (1600-
1750).
Began in Italy. Baroque composers sought to express a wide range of emotions. Rather
than express their personal feelings, composers, like painters of the same period, wanted
to represent universal emotions in a general way.

Baroque Composers and music

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643). A very innovative and creative composer. The public
often criticized his music as being too radical. He is best remembered for his vocal works
madrigals, operas, and sacred pieces that brought the musics expressive partnership
with words to new heights.
Born in Cremona, in northern Italy, and was trained there by the cathedrals music
director. He began composing music at a young age and had his pieces published. When
he was 23 he took a position as a string player at the court of Vincenzo Gonzaga, duke of
Mantua, and in 1601 was appointed the court music director.