Music History: Different Types of Music Over the Centuries
There are various types of music and each of these styles may have several sub-types. Let’s take a look at music styles and understand what makes one different from the other. In particular, let’s delve into music styles of the early music period and common-practice period.
Cantata
Cantata originated in the early 17th-century, but has evolved through the years.
- Loosely defined today, a cantata is a vocal work with multiple movements and instrumental accompaniment; it can be based on either a secular or sacred subject.
Round
A round is a vocal piece wherein different voices sing the same melody, at the same pitch, but the lines are successively sung
Symphony
Usually has 3 to 4 movements, ranging from slow to fast. The beginning is moderately fast, the next section is slow, followed by a minuet, and then a very fast conclusion. The music form has its roots in Baroque sinfonia, but composers like Haydn and Beethoven developed it.
Chamber Music
Originally referred to a type of classical music that was performed in a small space such as a house or a palace room, with few instruments and no conductor.
- Today, chamber music is performed very similarly in terms of the size of the venue and the number of instruments used.
Polyphony
In its early forms, polyphony was based on plainchant.
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