History Of Music

The development of music among humans must have taken place against the backdrop of natural sounds such as birdsong and the sounds other animals use to communicate.^{[citation needed]} Prehistoric music is the name which is given to all music produced in preliterate cultures.^{[citation needed][4]}

Ancient

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Main article: Ancient music

A range of paleolithic sites have yielded bones in which lateral holes have been pierced: these are usually identified as flutes,^[5] blown at one end like the Japanese shakuhachi. The earliest written records of musical expression are to be found in the Samaveda of India and in 4,000 year old cuneiform from Ur.^{[citation needed]} Instruments, such as the seven-holed flute and various types of stringed instruments have been recovered from the Indus Valley Civilization archaeological sites.^[6] India has one of the oldest musical traditions in the world—references toIndian classical music (marga) can be found in the ancient scriptures of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. The traditional art or court music of China has a history stretching for more than three thousand years. Music was an important part of cultural and social life in Ancient Greece: mixed-gender choruses performed for entertainment, celebration and spiritual ceremonies; musicians and singers had a prominent role inancient Greek theater

In the 9th century, al-Farabi wrote a notable book on music titled Kitab al-Musiqi al-Kabir ("Great Book of Music"). He played and invented a variety of musical instruments and devised the Arab tone system of pitch organisation, which is still used in Arabic music.^[7]

Medieval and Renaissance Europe

Main articles: Medieval music and Renaissance music

While musical life in Europe was undoubtedly rich in the early Medieval era, as attested by artistic depictions of instruments, writings about music, and other records, the only European repertory which has survived from before about 800 is the monophonic liturgical plainsong of theRoman Catholic Church, the central tradition of which was called Gregorian chant. Several schools of liturgical polyphony flourished beginning in the 12th century. Alongside these traditions of sacred music, a vibrant tradition of secular song developed, exemplified by the music of thetroubadours, trouvères and Minnesänger.

Much of the surviving music of 14th century Europe is secular. By the middle of the 15th century, composers and singers used a smooth polyphony for sacred musical compositions such as the mass, the motet, and the laude, and secular forms such as the chanson and themadrigal. The introduction of commercial printing had an immense influence on the dissemination of musical styles.^{[citation needed]}