Music

Conscious or sub-conscious, music makes up for an important part of our everyday life. Its sounds produce emotion, and triggers thoughts and often memories.

According to the definition of music any sound that is pleasing to the ears and harmonious sounding constitutes as music, but where did it all begin? When did sound turn into music?

While opinions differ on where music actually started the general consensus is that it begun before the existence of mankind. Throughout history there have been 6 eras, each with its own specific musical style, and each of those periods have contributed into shaping music the way we perceive it today.

Music during medieval times marks the creation of graphical representations of music in order for other musicians to understand and be able to play it. It is where musical notation began, a technique that is still used today. It is also the era from which music made up out of multiple melodic voices, each functioning independently, but creating a whole sound. This is known as polyphonical music. Music before the middle ages consisted of only one melodic voice which is called monophonical music.

The actual definition of "renaissance" is rebirth, and related to music this period brought forth different ways to create and perceive music. Different musical instruments were introduced, like the Shawm and the Trumpet.

The definition of "baroque" is bizarre, and in music stood for a period of experimenting with form, styles and the use of many different instruments. It was this period in history where the opera was born as well as pure instrumental performed music.

The classical era ranges from 1750 until 1820 and was the time of "the sonatas" and other tunes with simple melodies and easy to listen to styles. During that age the piano was the musical instrument of choice by most music composers of that era.

The romantic period lasted one century from 1800 until 1900 and was the time where music was primarily used for storytelling and idea expression, accompanied by a whole range of musical instruments, creating music with richer sound and with more dramatic overtones.

The 20th century was a time of innovation for music in both performance and in the appreciation of it. It was also the birth of electronically enhanced forms of music.

All eras as described above have had a significant impact on music and how it is perceived. Much of the music we listen to every day would not have existed had it not been for all these different periods, all contributing a vital part to it. Music is an ever evolving beast and it is safe to say the evolving will not stop in our age. Music is subject to continuous change, which makes one wonder what music will sound like centuries from now and how the population of that age will perceive the music of our time in the grand scheme of things and how we will have affected its evolution.