Music

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). Music

A painting on an Ancient Greek vase depicts a music lesson (c. !" #$). Medium %ound Originating culture various Originating era &aleolithic

Performing arts
Major forms
#allet 'ance Music (pera )heatre

Minor forms
$ircus skills Magic Mime &uppetry %peech

Genres
$omedy 'rama

 *pic +yrical ,omance )ragedy )ragicomedy %atire

v t e

Music is an art form -hose medium is sound and silence. .ts common elements are pitch (-hich governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics, and the sonic /ualities of timbre and te0ture. )he -ord derives from Greek 1234567 (mousike8 9art of the Muses9).:!; )he creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of music vary according to culture and social conte0t. Music ranges from strictly organi<ed compositions (and their recreation in performance), through improvisational music to aleatoric forms. Music can be divided into genres and subgenres, although the dividing lines and relationships bet-een music genres are often subtle, sometimes open to personal interpretation, and occasionally controversial. Within the arts, music may be classified as a performing art, a fine art, and auditory art. .t may also be divided among art music and folk music. )here is also a strong connection bet-een music and mathematics.:=; Music may be played and heard live, may be part of a dramatic -ork or film, or may be recorded. )o many people in many cultures, music is an important part of their -ay of life. Ancient Greek and .ndian philosophers defined music as tones ordered hori<ontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies. $ommon sayings such as 9the harmony of the spheres9 and 9it is music to my ears9 point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to. >o-ever, ="th? century composer @ohn $age thought that any sound can be music, saying, for e0ample, 9)here is no noise, only sound.9:A; Musicologist @ean?@ac/ues Battie< summari<es the relativist, post? modern vie-pointC 9)he border bet-een music and noise is al-ays culturally definedD-hich implies that, even -ithin a single society, this border does not al-ays pass through the same place8 in short, there is rarely a consensus ... #y all accounts there is no single and intercultural universal concept defining -hat music might be.9:E;

Contents

! >istory o !.! &rehistoric eras o !.= Ancient *gypt o !.A Asian cultures o !.E ,eferences in the #ible o !. Anti/uity !. .! Ancient Greece

!.F )he Middle Ages o !.G )he ,enaissance o !.H )he #aro/ue o !.I $lassicism o !.!" ,omanticism o !.!! ="th? and =!st?century music = &erformance o =.! Aural tradition o =.= (rnamentation A &roduction o A.! $omposition o A.= Botation o A.A .mprovisation o A.E )heory E &hilosophy and aesthetics $ognition and psychology o .! Music cognition o .= $ognitive neuroscience of music o .A Music psychology o .E $ognitive musicology o . &sychoacoustics o .F #iomusicology F %ociology G Media and technology o G.! .nternet H #usiness I *ducation o I.! Bon?professional o I.= Academia o I.A *thnomusicology !" Music therapy !! %ee also != ,eferences !A Further reading !E *0ternal links
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History
Further informationC >istory of classical music traditions

Prehistoric eras
Main articleC &rehistoric music &rehistoric music can only be theori<ed based on findings from paleolithic archaeology sites. Flutes are often discovered, carved from bones in -hich lateral holes have been pierced8 these

are thought to have been blo-n at one end like the @apanese shakuhachi. )he 'ivJe #abe flute, carved from a cave bear femur, is thought to be at least E",""" years old. .nstruments such as the seven?holed flute and various types of stringed instruments, such as the ,avanahatha, have been recovered from the .ndus Kalley $ivili<ation archaeological sites.: ; .ndia has one of the oldest musical traditions in the -orldDreferences to .ndian classical music (marga) are found in the Kedas, ancient scriptures of the >indu tradition.:F; )he earliest and largest collection of prehistoric musical instruments -as found in $hina and dates back to bet-een G""" and FF"" #$.:G; )he >urrian song, found on clay tablets that date back to appro0imately !E"" #$, is the oldest surviving notated -ork of music.

Ancient Egypt
Main articleC Music of *gypt

Musicians of Amun, )omb of Bakht, !Hth 'ynasty, Western )hebes. )he ancient *gyptians credited one of their gods, )hoth, -ith the invention of music, -hich (siris in turn used as part of his effort to civili<e the -orld. )he earliest material and representational evidence of *gyptian musical instruments dates to the &redynastic period, but the evidence is more securely attested in the (ld Lingdom -hen harps, flutes and double clarinets -ere played.:H; &ercussion instruments, lyres and lutes -ere added to orchestras by the Middle Lingdom. $ymbals:I; fre/uently accompanied music and dance, much as they still do in *gypt today. *gyptian folk music, including the traditional %ufi dhikr rituals, are the closest contemporary music genre to ancient *gyptian music, having preserved many of its features, rhythms and instruments.:!";:!!;

Asian cultures
Gangubai Hangal
Durga

%ee alsoC Music of .ran, Music of Afghanistan, Music of )aJikistan, Music of %ri +anka, and Music of M<bekistan .ndian classical music is one of the oldest musical traditions in the -orld.:!=; )he .ndus Kalley civili<ation has sculptures that sho- dance:!A; and old musical instruments, like the seven holed flute. Karious types of stringed instruments and drums have been recovered from >arrappa and MohenJo 'aro by e0cavations carried out by %ir Mortimer Wheeler.:!E; )he ,igveda has elements of present .ndian music, -ith a musical notation to denote the metre and the mode of chanting.:! ; .ndian classical music (marga) is monophonic, and based on a single melody line or raga rhythmically organi<ed through talas.%ilappadhikaram by Ilango Adigal gives so much information about how new scale can be formed by modal shift of tonic from existing scale.[16] Hindustani music was influenced by the ersian !erformance !ractices of the Afghan "ughals. #arnatic music !o!ular in the southern states$ is largely devotional% the ma&ority of the songs are addressed to the Hindu deities. 'here are a lot of songs em!hasising love and other social issues. Asian music covers the music cultures of Arabia, $entral Asia, *ast Asia, %outh Asia, and %outheast Asia. $hinese classical music, the traditional art or court music of $hina, has a history stretching over around three thousand years. .t has its o-n uni/ue systems of musical notation, as -ell as musical tuning and pitch, musical instruments and styles or musical genres. $hinese music is pentatonic?diatonic, having a scale of t-elve notes to an octave ( N G O !=) as does *uropean?influenced music. &ersian music is the music of &ersia and &ersian language countriesC musi(i, the science and art of music, and mu)ik, the sound and performance of music (%akata !IHA).

References in the ible

Main articleC >istory of music in the biblical period

9'avid -ith his harp9 &aris &salter, c. IF", $onstantinople Music and theatre scholars studying the history and anthropology of %emitic and early @udeo? $hristian culture have discovered common links in theatrical and musical activity bet-een the classical cultures of the >ebre-s and those of later Greeks and ,omans. )he common area of performance is found in a 9social phenomenon called litany,9 a form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations or supplications. 'he *ournal of +eligion and 'heatre notes that among the earliest forms of litany, 9>ebre- litany -as accompanied by a rich musical traditionC9:!G; 9While Genesis E.=! identifies @ubal as the Pfather of all such as handle the harp and pipe,Q the &entateuch is nearly silent about the practice and instruction of music in the early life of .srael. )hen, in . %amuel !" and the te0ts that follo-, a curious thing happens. P(ne finds in the biblical te0t,Q -rites Alfred %endrey, Pa sudden and une0plained upsurge of large choirs and orchestras, consisting of thoroughly organi<ed and trained musical groups, -hich -ould be virtually inconceivable -ithout lengthy, methodical preparation.Q )his has led some scholars to believe that the prophet %amuel -as the patriarch of a school, -hich taught not only prophets and holy men, but also sacred?rite musicians. )his public music school, perhaps the earliest in recorded history, -as not restricted to a priestly classD-hich is ho- the shepherd boy 'avid appears on the scene as a minstrel to Ling %aul.9:!G;

Anti!uity
Western cultures have had a maJor influence on the development of music. )he history of the music of the Western cultures can be traced back to Ancient Greece times. Ancient Greece Music -as an important part of social and cultural life in Ancient Greece. Musicians and singers played a prominent role in Greek theater.:!H; Mi0ed?gender choruses performed for entertainment, celebration, and spiritual ceremonies.:!I; .nstruments included the double?reed aulos and a plucked string instrument, the lyre, principally the special kind called a kithara. Music -as an important part of education, and boys -ere taught music starting at age si0. Greek musical literacy created a flo-ering of music development. Greek music theory included the Greek musical modes, that eventually became the basis for Western religious and classical music. +ater, influences from the ,oman *mpire, *astern *urope, and the #y<antine *mpire changed Greek music. )he %eikilos epitaph is the oldest surviving e0ample of a complete musical composition, including musical notation, from any-here in the -orld.

"he Middle Ages

#$onin or P$rotin
re%es dies hominis

)he medieval era (EGF A' to !E"" A') started -ith the introduction of chanting into ,oman $atholic $hurch services. Western Music then started becoming more of an art form -ith the advances in music notation. )he only *uropean Medieval repertory that survives from before about H"" is the monophonic liturgical plainsong of the ,oman $atholic $hurch, the central tradition of -hich -as called Gregorian chant. Alongside these traditions of sacred and church music there e0isted a vibrant tradition of secular song. *0amples of composers from this period are +Ronin, &Rrotin and Guillaume de Machaut.

"he Renaissance
"&#& de 'ictoria
Amicus meus

Allegory of Music, by Filippino +ippi ,enaissance music (c. !E"" A.'. to !F"" A.'.) -as more focused on secular themes. Around !E ", the printing press -as invented, and that helped to disseminate musical styles more /uickly and across a larger area. )hus, music could play an increasingly important role in daily life. Musicians -orked for the church, courts and to-ns. $hurch choirs gre- in si<e, and the church remained an important patron of music. #y the middle of the ! th century, composers -rote richly polyphonic sacred music. &rominent composers from this era are Guillaume 'ufay, Giovanni &ierluigi da &alestrina, )homas Morley, and (rlande de +assus. >o-ever, musical activity shifted to the courts. Lings and princes competed for the finest composers. Many leading important composers came from >olland, #elgium, and northern France and are called the Franco?Flemish composers. )hey held important positions throughout *urope, especially in .taly. (ther countries -ith vibrant musical lives include Germany, *ngland, and %pain.

"he aro!ue
(&)& ach
"occata und *uge

)he #aro/ue era of music took place from !F"" to !G ", as the #aro/ue artistic style flourished across *urope8 and during this time, music e0panded in its range and comple0ity. #aro/ue music began -hen the first operas -ere -ritten and -hen contrapuntal music became prevalent. German #aro/ue composers -rote for small ensembles including strings, brass, and -ood-inds, as -ell as choirs, pipe organ, harpsichord, and clavichord. 'uring this period several maJor music forms -ere defined that lasted into later periods -hen they -ere e0panded and evolved further, including the fugue, the invention, the sonata, and the concerto.:="; )he late #aro/ue style -as polyphonically comple0 and ornamental and rich in its melodies. $omposers from the #aro/ue era include @ohann %ebastian #ach, George Frideric >andel, and Georg &hilipp )elemann.

Classicism
+&A& Mo,art
)ymphony -. g/moll

)he music of the $lassical &eriod (!G " A.'. to !HA" A.'.) looked to the art and philosophy of Ancient Greece and ,ome, to the ideals of balance, proportion and disciplined e0pression. .t has a lighter, clearer and considerably simpler te0ture, and tended to be almost voicelike and singable. Be- genres -ere discovered. )he main style -as the homophony,:=!; -here prominent melody and accompaniment are clearly distinct. .mportance -as given to instrumental music. .t -as dominated by further evolution of musical forms initially defined in the #aro/ue periodC the sonata, the concerto, and the symphony. (thers main kinds -ere trio, string /uartet, serenade and divertimento. )he sonata -as the most important and developed form. Although #aro/ue composers also -rote sonatas, the $lassical style of sonata is completely distinct. All of the main instrumental forms of the $lassical era -ere based on the dramatic structure of the sonata. (ne of the most important evolutionary steps made in the $lassical period -as the development of public concerts. )he aristocracy -ould still play a significant role in the sponsorship of musical life, but it -as no- possible for composers to survive -ithout being its permanent employees. )he increasing popularity led to a gro-th in both the number and range of the orchestras. )he e0pansion of orchestral concerts necessitated large public spaces. As a result of

all these processes, symphonic music (including opera, ballet and oratorio) became more e0troverted. )he best kno-n composers of $lassicism are $arl &hilipp *manuel #ach, $hristoph Willibald Gluck, @ohann $hristian #ach, @oseph >aydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mo<art, +ud-ig van #eethoven and Fran< %chubert. #eethoven and %chubert are also considered to be composers in evolution to-ards ,omanticism.

Romanticism
R& +agner
Die +al01re

,omantic Music (c. !H!" A.'. to !I"" A.'.) turned the rigid styles and forms of the $lassical era into more passionate and e0pressive pieces. .t attempted to increase emotional e0pression and po-er to describe deeper truths or human feelings. )he emotional and e0pressive /ualities of music came to take precedence over techni/ue and tradition. ,omantic composers gre- in idiosyncrasy, and -ent further in the syncretism of different art?forms (such as literature), history (historical figures), or nature itself -ith music. ,omantic love -as a prevalent theme in many -orks composed during this period. .n some cases the formal structures from the classical period -ere preserved, but in many others e0isting genres, forms, and functions -ere improved. Also, ne- forms -ere created that -ere deemed better suited to the ne- subJect matter. (pera and ballet continued to evolve.:!H; .n !H"", the music developed by +ud-ig van #eethoven and Fran< %chubert introduced a more dramatic, e0pressive style. .n #eethovenSs case, motifs, developed organically, came to replace melody as the most significant compositional unit. +ater ,omantic composers such as &yotr .lyich )chaikovsky, AntonTn 'voUVk, and Gustav Mahler used more elaborated chords and more dissonance to create dramatic tension. )hey generated comple0 and often much longer musical -orks. 'uring ,omantic period tonality -as at its peak. )he late !Ith century sa- a dramatic e0pansion in the si<e of the orchestra, and in the role of concerts as part of urban society. .t also sa- a ne- diversity in theatre music, including operetta, and musical comedy and other forms of musical theatre.:!H;

2.th/ and 23st/century music

Main articleC ="th?century music

'ouble bassist ,eggie Workman, tenor sa0ophone player &haroah %anders, and drummer .dris Muhammad performing in !IGH With ="th?century music, there -as a vast increase in music listening as the radio gained popularity and phonographs -ere used to replay and distribute music. )he focus of art music -as characteri<ed by e0ploration of ne- rhythms, styles, and sounds. .gor %travinsky, Arnold %choenberg, and @ohn $age -ere all influential composers in ="th?century art music. )he invention of sound recording and the ability to edit music gave rise to ne- sub?genre of classical music, including the acousmatic :==; and Musi/ue concrWte schools of electronic composition. @a<< evolved and became an important genre of music over the course of the ="th century, and during the second half of that century, rock music did the same. @a<< is an American musical artform that originated in the beginning of the ="th century in African American communities in the %outhern Mnited %tates from a confluence of African and *uropean music traditions. )he styleSs West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the s-ung note.:=A; From its early development until the present, Ja<< has also incorporated music from !Ith? and ="th?century American popular music.:=E; @a<< has, from its early?="th?century inception, spa-ned a variety of subgenres, ranging from Be- (rleans 'i0ieland (!I!"s) to !IG"s and !IH"s?era Ja<<?rock fusion. ,ock music is a genre of popular music that developed in the !IF"s from !I "s rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, and country music. )he sound of rock often revolves around the electric guitar or acoustic guitar, and it uses a strong back beat laid do-n by a rhythm section of electric bass guitar, drums, and keyboard instruments such as organ, piano, or, since the !IG"s, analog synthesi<ers and digital ones and computers since the !II"s. Along -ith the guitar or keyboards, sa0ophone and blues?style harmonica are used as soloing instruments. .n its 9purest form,9 it 9has three chords, a strong, insistent back beat, and a catchy melody.9:= ; .n the late !IF"s and early !IG"s, it branched out into different subgenres, ranging from blues rock and Ja<<?rock fusion to heavy metal and punk rock, as -ell as the more classical influenced genre of progressive rock and several types of e0perimental rock genres.

Performance
Main articleC &erformance

$hinese Ba0i musicians &erformance is the physical e0pression of music. (ften, a musical -ork is performed once its structure and instrumentation are satisfactory to its creators8 ho-ever, as it gets performed, it can evolve and change. A performance can either be rehearsed or improvised. .mprovisation is a musical idea created -ithout premeditation, -hile rehearsal is vigorous repetition of an idea until it has achieved cohesion. Musicians -ill sometimes add improvisation to a -ell?rehearsed idea to create a uni/ue performance. Many cultures include strong traditions of solo and performance, such as in .ndian classical music, and in the Western art?music tradition. (ther cultures, such as in #ali, include strong traditions of group performance. All cultures include a mi0ture of both, and performance may range from improvised solo playing for oneSs enJoyment to highly planned and organised performance rituals such as the modern classical concert, religious processions, music festivals or music competitions. $hamber music, -hich is music for a small ensemble -ith only a fe- of each type of instrument, is often seen as more intimate than symphonic -orks.

Aural tradition
Many types of music, such as traditional blues and folk music -ere originally preserved in the memory of performers, and the songs -ere handed do-n orally, or aurally (by ear). When the composer of music is no longer kno-n, this music is often classified as 9traditional.9 'ifferent musical traditions have different attitudes to-ards ho- and -here to make changes to the original source material, from /uite strict, to those that demand improvisation or modification to the music. A cultureSs history may also be passed by ear through song.

Ornamentation
Main articleC (rnament (music)

.n a score or on a performerSs music part, this sign indicates that the musician should perform a trillDa rapid alternation bet-een t-o notes. &lay (helpXinfo) )he detail included e0plicitly in the music notation varies bet-een genres and historical periods. .n general, art music notation from the !Gth through the !Ith century re/uired performers to have a great deal of conte0tual kno-ledge about performing styles. For e0ample, in the !Gth and !Hth

century, music notated for solo performers typically indicated a simple, unadorned melody. >o-ever, performers -ere e0pected to kno- ho- to add stylistically appropriate ornaments, such as trills and turns. .n the !Ith century, art music for solo performers may give a general instruction such as to perform the music e0pressively, -ithout describing in detail ho- the performer should do this. )he performer -as e0pected to kno- ho- to use tempo changes, accentuation, and pauses (among other devices) to obtain this 9e0pressive9 performance style. .n the ="th century, art music notation often became more e0plicit and used a range of markings and annotations to indicate to performers ho- they should play or sing the piece. .n popular music and Ja<<, music notation almost al-ays indicates only the basic frame-ork of the melody, harmony, or performance approach8 musicians and singers are e0pected to kno- the performance conventions and styles associated -ith specific genres and pieces. For e0ample, the 9lead sheet9 for a Ja<< tune may only indicate the melody and the chord changes. )he performers in the Ja<< ensemble are e0pected to kno- ho- to 9flesh out9 this basic structure by adding ornaments, improvised music, and chordal accompaniment.

Production
Main articleC Music production

@ean?Gabriel Ferlan performing at a =""H concert at the collWge?lycRe %aint?FranYois Zavier Music is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the marketplace. Amateur musicians compose and perform music for their o-n pleasure, and they do not derive their income from music. &rofessional musicians are employed by a range of institutions and organisations, including armed forces, churches and synagogues, symphony orchestras, broadcasting or film production companies, and music schools. &rofessional musicians sometimes -ork as freelancers, seeking contracts and engagements in a variety of settings. )here are often many links bet-een amateur and professional musicians. #eginning amateur musicians take lessons -ith professional musicians. .n community settings, advanced amateur musicians perform -ith professional musicians in a variety of ensembles and orchestras. .n some cases, amateur musicians attain a professional level of competence, and they are able to perform in professional performance settings. A distinction is often made bet-een music performed for the benefit of a live audience and music that is performed for the purpose of being recorded and distributed through the music retail system or the broadcasting system. >o-ever, there are also many cases -here a live performance in front of an audience is recorded and distributed (or broadcast).

Composition
Main articleC Musical composition

An old songbook sho-ing a composition 9$omposition9 is often classed as the creation and recording of music via a medium by -hich others can interpret it (i.e., paper or sound). Many cultures use at least part of the concept of preconceiving musical material, or composition, as held in -estern classical music. *ven -hen music is notated precisely, there are still many decisions that a performer has to make. )he process of a performer deciding ho- to perform music that has been previously composed and notated is termed interpretation. 'ifferent performersS interpretations of the same music can vary -idely. $omposers and song -riters -ho present their o-n music are interpreting, Just as much as those -ho perform the music of others or folk music. )he standard body of choices and techni/ues present at a given time and a given place is referred to as performance practice, -hereas interpretation is generally used to mean either individual choices of a performer, or an aspect of music that is not clear, and therefore has a 9standard9 interpretation. .n some musical genres, such as Ja<< and blues, even more freedom is given to the performer to engage in improvisation on a basic melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic frame-ork. )he greatest latitude is given to the performer in a style of performing called free improvisation, -hich is material that is spontaneously 9thought of9 (imagined) -hile being performed, not preconceived. .mprovised music usually follo-s stylistic or genre conventions and even 9fully composed9 includes some freely chosen material. $omposition does not al-ays mean the use of notation, or the kno-n sole authorship of one individual. Music can also be determined by describing a 9process9 that creates musical sounds. *0amples of this range from -ind chimes, through computer programs that select sounds. Music from random elements is called Aleatoric music, and is associated -ith such composers as @ohn $age, Morton Feldman, and Witold +utos[a-ski. Music can be composed for repeated performance or it can be improvisedC composed on the spot. )he music can be performed entirely from memory, from a -ritten system of musical notation, or some combination of both. %tudy of composition has traditionally been dominated by e0amination of methods and practice of Western classical music, but the definition of composition is broad enough to include spontaneously improvised -orks like those of free Ja<< performers and African drummers such as the *-e drummers.

4otation
Main articleC Musical notation

%heet music is -ritten representation of music. )his is a homorhythmic (i.e., hymn?style) arrangement of a traditional piece entitled 9Adeste Fideles9, in standard t-o?staff format for mi0ed voices. &lay (helpXinfo) Botation is the -ritten e0pression of music notes and rhythms on paper using symbols. When music is -ritten do-n, the pitches and rhythm of the music is notated, along -ith instructions on ho- to perform the music. )he study of ho- to read notation involves music theory, harmony, the study of performance practice, and in some cases an understanding of historical performance methods. Written notation varies -ith style and period of music. .n Western Art music, the most common types of -ritten notation are scores, -hich include all the music parts of an ensemble piece, and parts, -hich are the music notation for the individual performers or singers. .n popular music, Ja<<, and blues, the standard musical notation is the lead sheet, -hich notates the melody, chords, lyrics (if it is a vocal piece), and structure of the music. %cores and parts are also used in popular music and Ja<<, particularly in large ensembles such as Ja<< 9big bands.9 .n popular music, guitarists and electric bass players often read music notated in tablature (often abbreviated as 9tab9), -hich indicates the location of the notes to be played on the instrument using a diagram of the guitar or bass fingerboard. )abulature -as also used in the #aro/ue era to notate music for the lute, a stringed, fretted instrument. Botated music is produced as sheet music. )o perform music from notation re/uires an understanding of both the rhythmic and pitch elements embodied in the symbols and the performance practice that is associated -ith a piece of music or a genre. .n improvisation, the performer often plays from music -here only the chord changes are -ritten, re/uiring a great understanding of the musicSs structure and chord progressions.

5mpro%isation
Musical improvisation is the creation of spontaneous music. .mprovisation is often considered an act of instantaneous composition by performers, -here compositional techni/ues are employed -ith or -ithout preparation. .mprovisation is a maJor part of some types of music, such as blues, Ja<<, and Ja<< fusion, in -hich instrumental performers improvise solos and melody lines. .n the Western art music tradition, improvisation -as an important skill during the #aro/ue era and during the $lassical era8 solo performers and singers improvised virtuoso caden<as during concerts. >o-ever, in the ="th and =!st century, improvisation played a smaller role in Western Art music. .n .ndian classical music, spontaneous improvisation is a core component and an essential criteria of any performance.

"heory
Main articleC Music theory Music theory encompasses the nature and mechanics of music. .t often involves identifying patterns that govern composersS techni/ues and e0amining the language and notation of music. .n

a grand sense, music theory distills and analy<es the parameters or elements of music \ rhythm, harmony (harmonic function), melody, structure, form, and te0ture. #roadly, music theory may include any statement, belief, or conception of or about music.:=F; &eople -ho study these properties are kno-n as music theorists. %ome have applied acoustics, human physiology, and psychology to the e0planation of ho- and -hy music is perceived. Music has many different fundamentals or elements. )hese are, but are not limited toC pitch, beat or pulse, rhythm, melody, harmony, te0ture, allocation of voices, timbre or color, e0pressive /ualities (dynamics and articulation), and form or structure. &itch is a subJective sensation, reflecting generally the lo-ness or highness of a sound. ,hythm is the arrangement of sounds and silences in time. Meter animates time in regular pulse groupings, called measures or bars. A melody is a series of notes sounding in succession. )he notes of a melody are typically created -ith respect to pitch systems such as scales or modes. >armony is the study of vertical sonorities in music. Kertical sonority refers to considering the relationships bet-een pitches that occur together8 usually this means at the same time, although harmony can also be implied by a melody that outlines a harmonic structure. Botes can be arranged into different scales and modes. Western music theory generally divides the octave into a series of != notes that might be included in a piece of music. .n music -ritten using the system of maJor?minor tonality, the 0ey of a piece determines the scale used. Musical te0ture is the overall sound of a piece of music commonly described according to the number of and relationship bet-een parts or lines of musicC monophony, heterophony, polyphony, homophony, or monody. )imbre, sometimes called 9$olor9 or 9)one $olor9 is the /uality or sound of a voice or instrument.:=G; *0pressive ]ualities are those elements in music that create change in music that are not related to pitch, rhythm or timbre. )hey include 'ynamics and Articulation. Form is a facet of music theory that e0plores the concept of musical synta0, on a local and global level. *0amples of common forms of Western music include the fugue, the invention, sonata?allegro, canon, strophic, theme and variations, and rondo. &opular Music often makes use of strophic form often in conJunction -ith )-elve bar blues. Analysis is the effort to describe and e0plain music.

Philosophy and aesthetics

Main articlesC &hilosophy of music and Aesthetics of music &hilosophy of music is the study of fundamental /uestions regarding music. )he philosophical study of music has many connections -ith philosophical /uestions in metaphysics and aesthetics. %ome basic /uestions in the philosophy of music areC What is the definition of music^ (What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for classifying something as music^) What is the relationship bet-een music and mind^ What does musical history reveal to us about the -orld^ What is the connection bet-een music and emotions^ What is meaning in relation to music^ )raditionally, the aesthetics of music e0plored the mathematical and cosmological dimensions of rhythmic and harmonic organi<ation. .n the eighteenth century, focus shifted to the e0perience of hearing music, and thus to /uestions about its beauty and human enJoyment (!laisir and &ouissance) of music. )he origin of this philosophic shift is sometimes attributed to #aumgarten in the !Hth century, follo-ed by Lant. )hrough their -riting, the ancient term SaestheticsS,

meaning sensory perception, received its present day connotation. .n recent decades philosophers have tended to emphasi<e issues besides beauty and enJoyment. For e0ample, musicSs capacity to e0press emotion has been a central issue. .n the ="th century, important contributions -ere made by &eter Livy, @errold +evinson, ,oger %cruton, and %tephen 'avies. >o-ever, many musicians, music critics, and other non? philosophers have contributed to the aesthetics of music. .n the !Ith century, a significant debate arose bet-een *duard >anslick, a music critic and musicologist, and composer ,ichard Wagner. >arry &artch and some other musicologists, such as Lyle Gann, have studied and tried to populari<e microtonal music and the usage of alternate musical scales. Also many modern composers like +amonte _oung, ,hys $hatham and Glenn #ranca paid much attention to a scale called Just intonation. .t is often thought that music has the ability to affect our emotions, intellect, and psychology8 it can assuage our loneliness or incite our passions. )he philosopher &lato suggests in the +e!ublic that music has a direct effect on the soul. )herefore, he proposes that in the ideal regime music -ould be closely regulated by the state. (#ook K..) )here has been a strong tendency in the aesthetics of music to emphasi<e the paramount importance of compositional structure8 ho-ever, other issues concerning the aesthetics of music include lyricism, harmony, hypnotism, emotiveness, temporal dynamics, resonance, playfulness, and color (see also musical development).

Cognition and psychology