The Renaissance was, for musicians, an era of discovery where innovations and explorations gave composers greater freedoms. The invention of the printing press help spread written music to more people and disseminate the new musical style called polyphony which unified this whole 200-year period.

The word ‘baroque’ comes from the Portuguese word ‘Barroco’ meaning ‘oddly shaped pearl’. This derogative title was given to this period because of its ornamental and decorative nature. Characteristics include the development of the major and minor harmonic system, the basso continue and especially the dominance of the harpsichord.

Unlike the ornate music of the Baroque, the Classical period is all about perceived simplicity of form, melody and style. Musical stalwarts like the concerto, sonata, string quartet and even the orchestra were established with the 3 greats – Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven dominating musical convention.

In this period composers moved away from the formal constraints of the Classical period. Instrumental music, especially the piano, had a pre-eminent position in the compositional world with composers expressing the full gamut of their emotions in their music. Pieces became longer and harmony became more chromatic and less defined.

The 20th century is the period when music was shattered into a thousand pieces and where there seems to be no unifying features. Music changed markedly from one decade to the next with the world rocked by world wars, depression and diverse political doctrines. Part 1 looks at the importance of tonality and how composers dealt with its demise or continuance. 

Music changed remarkably after World War II with the advancement of tape, then electronic, then computer technology. Many composers broke away from writing music for a large, potentially uneducated audience and instead, wrote for small groups of like-minded musicians. These all had dramatic effects on music in the late 20th century.