Musical Characteristics
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| Hebrew—Biblical references to music include:
singing, dancing and instruments; primarily religious music; psalms sung
in unison responsorially
or antiphonally
Egypt—Hieroglyphics depict music as important
to the Egyptian society; various instruments shown in use; Egyptian
music influenced later music of the Greeks, Hebrews and early Christians
China—Literary references to music show a
musical history of at least 4,000 years; the Chinese are credited with
being the first to develop a science of acoustics and a theory of music;
made use of the pentatonic
scale.
Greece—influenced Western music theory,
aesthetics and concepts; many of the early musical terms come from the
Greek language; texture was largely monophonic;
based on the Doctrine
of Ethos; the cults of Apollo and Dionysus influenced the concept of
music in Greece; theory was based largely on mathematics of Pythagorean
ratios (modes
and tetrachords);
had instrumental and vocal notation |
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Contributions of Greek Music |
- Concept of music consisting of pure, unencumbered
melodic line
- Idea of melody intimately linked with words (rhythm
and meter)
- Tradition of improvised performers
- Philosophy which regarded music and art as an
orderly system interlocked with nature
- Scientifically founded acoustical theory
- System of scale formation based on tetrachords
- Musical terminology
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Genre and Forms |
Hebrew
- Canticle
- Psalms
- Royal
- Hymns
- Thanksgiving
- Laments
- Didactic
- Instrumental
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Greek
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Theorists, Treatises and Collections |
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Composers and Major Works |
| Only a few fragments of music remain from this period. |
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Hymnology |
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Last updated:
Saturday, February 14, 2009 |
