Early Music History

Early Music HistoryResearching early music history can be difficult, especially when there are so many different kinds of music, including folk music, rock music, jazz music, classical music, opera music, and much more. For example, is it possible to write a paper on both the music from that era and the music from a certain city? How do you determine if a piece was written by an African American or if it was composed by a 'Renaissance man' like Mozart?One way of determining the history of early music is to take a look at the pieces that influenced that music. Consider: The band leader John Coltrane, a man who, unlike many other musicians, was actually 'born black.' His song 'My Favorite Things' from his album A Love Supreme does not sound like anything that could be considered early music, but it is one of the most recognizable songs ever. By taking a look at the history of this song, you can start to understand the formative years of the music that followed, and why it eventually be came mainstream.Today's history is complicated and varied. Consider the many different kinds of people who have played the piano in the last 100 years. Each person has their own style, so there's no reason that you can't find the right writer to properly research a topic in your college or graduate program.Many pieces are composed with help from musical theory. An example is the piece composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, called 'Eroica.' It's one of the best known pieces of art created in the last 200 years, and its beauty is immeasurable.This is just one of the many areas where an individual researching early music history can use early music theory to write a paper. It doesn't have to be 'correct,' but it does need to be completely accurate. If the piece you're writing is meant to be performed, it is important to use a chart and time notation to give the musician a base from which to work. By using the chart, the musician knows what time of day the piece is to be performed and will k now how long to play it before having to change into different clothes.Another part of writing a musical history is the way you choose to record the history. A good idea is to bring in musicians from the original era and mix them in with the more recent musicians. By doing this, you will have a better grasp of the history and how it differs from the present.There are many aspects of the early music history, but the basics are research, research, research. A good student can be asked to perform a number of history research topics. By becoming familiar with these topics, the student will make a better research paper and have a better understanding of music history as a whole.