Chinese Instruments

http://summerthundermusic.com/index_files/chninstruments.htm

Here is a list of chinese instruments.

Music is an important part of Chinese way of life. Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, taught the Six Arts: ritual, music, archery, chariot riding, calligraphy, and computation. He said the second most important was music. It's said, where ever Chaozhou move, they take their music heritage with them.

Bone Flute

This instrument is called the vulture bone flute and it was found in a European cave. It has five holes and a v-neck mouth piece. Its about .3 inches wide and 13 inches long. Being that the fragments of the flutes are about 40,000 years-old, which is evidence that the humans had a strategic advantage over the Neanderthals.

The Romantic Era

As the Classical period came to an end in the early 1830’s a new age in music arrived. Western society was still establishing itself after the many social and political revolutions of the late 18^th century. New social orders and ways of life and thought started to permeate to the general masses.  The Romantic era lasted from approximately 1830 – 1900 and did not necessarily mean romantic love. The composers and musicians of the Romantic era continued to add depth and emotion to classical forms. They were intent on expressing personal emotions, feelings, and deeper truths in their music. The Opera genera also enjoyed much popularity.  They continued to add depth and nationalistic tones. During this period Germany came to be the musical center of Europe. With the great German masters Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms.

Below is the piece Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream by Felix Mendelssohn.

The Classical Period

The Classical period picked up after the Baroque Age and lasted until approximately 1830. Musicians moved away from the ornamented styles of the Baroque Age and started to embrace a clean uncluttered style, meant to emulate Classic Greece. Aristocracies were replacing monarchs and the church as the purveyors of the arts. This new class of patron wanted elegant music that could also be used for entertaining.  During this time Vienna became the musical center of Europe and the works of this period are often referred to as Viennese style. The best composers and musicians came from all over Europe to study in Vienna. The orchestra and symphony were in their heyday. The Classical period reached its zenith with the symphonies, string quartets, and sonatas by the three great composers of the Viennese school Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Below is the piece Fur Elise by Ludwig Van Beethoven

The Baroque Age

The Baroque Age lasted from ca. 1600 – 1750. It saw composers rebelling against the prevalent styles of the Renaissance period.  A major portion of what is considered classical music today first originated in the Baroque Age. It was also during this period that Opera was established as a music genre. Opera originated in Florence, Italy and some of the earliest opera masterpieces were composed by Claudio Manteverdi.  The Baroque Age was so influential in music that almost all music compositions created later were judged against the great pieces of this age. This music is still widely performed and can easily be heard today. Some of the notable composers from The Baroque Age include Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and George Frideric Handel.

Below is the piece Spring 1st movement by Antonio Vivaldi, part of the Four Seasons.

The Renaissance Period

As Western Europe advanced out of the Middle Ages there was a great time for cultural awakening. The arts, language, and science flowered all across Europe. Sacred music began, for the first time, to break free of the confines of the Church.  Secular music began to thrive during this period and instrumental and dance music was also performed. Some of the great musicians of the period include Johannes Ockeghem, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, and William Byrd. The Renaissance period left us with a wide variety of instrumental music.

Below is the piece Fantasia I [a6] by William Byrd, performed by The Royal Wind Music. 

The Chameleons: How music has changed!: don't worry early music will become the music of t...

The Chameleons: How music has changed!: don't worry early music will become the music of t...: "Just as old styles and designs are becoming things of the present so will music of the past become music of the present. Take for example how ..."

don't worry early music will become the music of today

Just as old styles and designs are become things of the present so will music of the past become music of the present. Take for example how long time historical antiques have become very important to this generation, so will the music of the past become connected to this generation. Another example is how clothes and shoes of the pasts are now the leading fashions of the present generation.

The true intention of music of the past

The world has been changing from the time known to man and so has music too. Music of ancient time were more of a general and holistic emotions of an entire people which depicts society sentiments about the conditions of the community in which they lived. In today's world most music shows our carnal desire as compared to music that shows expression about an entire community. morden music cares about personal emotions; it talks about brake ups, gangs, wars, sexual emotions violence, etc. while early music was concerned about the general feelings about an entire community and not individual.

past musical instrument

Never did most people fully understood that early musical instruments were designed with well crafted hand. They were intented to be used in three different ways: strings, wind, and percussion but these instruments can be view from pictorial decorations, pot decorations, relief, mosaics, statues etc are all a rich source of information concerning acient Greek musical instruments. Unfortunately very few fragments have been discovered but they are quite illuminating. finally the various preserved texts and works of ancient Greek liturature are invaluable sources of information.

These instruments are in three categories and they are the strings, the wind, and the percussion instruments. the wind instrument were designed to be blown and in ancient Greek, they were intented for different purpose. the string instrument as we all know is one of the most popular kinds of instrument. Example of such instrument are the guitar, kitharis, varvitos, phorminx, the helyre ect. most of these early instrument can be found on the site http://www.lyravlos.gr/ancient-greek-instrument-en.asp and the last kind of instrument is the percussion instrument most of these types of instruments were intented for religious purposes and most of them were made from wood. in the early days in greek culture, these instruments were played by women.

Naga Tribal Chant & Dance

Africans and music. This is how they express their feelings and tell stories. Music is a way of life for them and they take it real serious. When they were slaves, music helped them cope with the pain. They also hid messages in song.

Indian Classical Music

The post about the Gregorian Chant reminded me at this banquet I bartended at. The events where mainly for Hindu clients. The music that was playing at the party is hypothesizing just like a Gregorian chant. As I looked deeper down into the music, the songs our holy scriptures in their culture. The Vedas are a collection of holy scriptures and hymns. The vocal structure is completely complex. The Samagana is specifically singing hymns to create the Samaveda . Its represents the philosophy and science of uniting thought, sound and music. Udgatar priests usually sing these hymns. So this reminded me of the Gregorian chant.

music and the generation.

Music has evolved for many centuries and it has been the way of life for generations. If we were asked, what is music? many different answers may come out. All of these answers can in no way be regarded as wrong. Music is any sound intented to convey or a form of expression that may be acceptable to a particular generation.

Different kinds of music have been handed down in accordance to four distinct circles; they include the prehistoric period. this period include paleolithic, mesolithic and neolithic. The second period is the ancient period and this period include music that were associated with ancient civilization. They include Egypt, the Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Estruscan, and the Roman civilization. the third period is the middle age. this period of music was inherited from the following cultures. They include; Early christians, Byzatine, Islam, early medieval, Romanesque and the Goetic. The fourth period is associated with this generation and it is refer to as modern music.

What is important to stress is that music is strongly affiliated and seriously connected to the generation. The expression of the period and ideas of the people can clearly be recognize in the music of each period mentioned above.

No matter what period a music originated, the general notes and tone of a music could be provocative, lovely, intimidating, mean, vocal, challanging, harmoneous, deceitful etc. In real essence music is the generation perception.