The Beginning Of Music Flashcards
What did Storr talk about?
Music emerges from an evolutionary point of view early on as a result of changes in human speech
Speech would have once been made up of grunts but then evolved and became more functional (language)
Formal, direct structure of language emerged = informal vocal sounds emerged
When was the first notated music found?
14th century B.C. (Syria)
What were the first pieces of notated music?
Hurrian hymns - had a religious function
What used to be similar to music?
Poetry - originally sung/chanted
What was Orpheus able to do?
Charmed people with his ‘magic’ music. Played a stringed instrument
What example of a function did music have in ancient Greece?
Important ceremonial function
What was the original purpose of producing music in Western music?
Religious purposes - to glorify God etc.
What was the purpose of the first instruments made in the Western tradition?
Made to replicate and imitate the human voice. E.g., rudimentary flutes, woodwind or brass instruments that you blow. Sound is controlled by your voice/vocal apparatus to some extent.
When was the first concert Hall set up in London and why?
1678 - set up specifically and solely for the performance of music. Music was always a side-show up until then (e.g., church, military setting)
Did composers or performers become famous first?
Composers
Who is more famous now - performers or composers?
Performers
How have concerts changed since the 19th century?
Used to be very selective, private, for the upper class.
Nowadays, anyone can pay to go. This is more modern.
How has the advance of recording changed the way that we listened to music?
Recordings were initially used to capture live experience. Only those who could afford it could listen. E.g., gramophones.
Music is more available now. We do not listen as closely, keenly, or as well. It is not a novelty.
The intensity of the experience of listening to music has become lessened since recordings are readily available.
Don’t listen for as long. Listen to a first few seconds or minute and judge whether we like it or not.
What did Adorno argue about listening to music?
The availability of music means we don’t listen as well now as we used to. The ‘regression of hearing’.
What other way can we see recording changing the behaviour of audiences?
Audiences demand precision.
When recordings are available, a wider audience can listen to and master the music. Anyone can listen to a CD etc. and memorise the song/work, whereas previously only skilled musicians would be able to do this (read from a score etc.)
When the audience go and see the performers, they notice differences (e.g., mistakes, adlib, improvisation). Some people might not like them changing the music or reproducing the music if they expect to go and hear the precision of performance that was on the recording.
