Questions tagged [history]
For questions about how music has developed and changed over time or for questions about concepts and ideas of a historic period of music. Do not use just because the subject of the question is a historic figure or piece.
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What are the practical reasons for still having transposing instruments?
I understand that historically there was a need for transposing instruments. e.g. Brass instruments would use lead pipes to change their key and players in brass bands would like to stick to the same ...
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When were the terms "Major" and "Minor" applied to keys?
In 1547, Heinrich Glarean published Dodecachordon in which he posited that in addition to the 4 existing pairs of church modes (plagal and authentic versions of modes with finals on D (Dorian), E (...
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Why is note B marked with H in Scandinavia and Germany?
At least in Scandinavia and Germany two notes are marked differently than in most other countries:
B -> H
B♭ -> B
I have heard that this is due to mistake in interpreting messy sheet notes, as ♭ is ...
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Did continuo players consider figured bass as "interval symbols" or "chord symbols"?
The "modern" idea of chords and their inversions being functionally equivalent is generally credited to Jean-Philippe Rameau's 1722 Treatise on Harmony. However, figured bass was already in ...
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Origin of the 'squigly line' used for quarter note rest?
This has been driving me nuts - I can't find a single thing on the net that would indicate why the quarter rest is penned the way it is.
Did it evolve from some initial or abbreviation or was it ...
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What is the origin of the notation A4, B3, F5, etc. (i.e. <letter><number>)
Long before I started to play an instrument I used to tune my young son's guitar for him using a device which told me how close the strings were to the correct notes of E2, A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4.
When ...
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Origin of the asymmetrical keyboard layout of a piano
The piano keyboard has white keys based on the C Diatonic scale plus black keys, which add the remaining notes used in western music.
The asymmetrical way in which the black and white keys are placed ...
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"The intervals considered dissonant have changed since the 'Middle Ages'"; How so?
In reading my new book 'Complete Classical Music Guide', I understand the following:
If two notes are separated by a consonant the sound is pleasing to the ears. If they are of a dissonant ...
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What is the reason for pitch inflation?
There's this phenomenon among instrumentalists to constantly raise the pitch of the concert A. This generally occurs among string players, since the range of tunings for woodwinds, for example, is ...
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How did the plagal modes differ from their authentic counterpart in practice?
In the traditional modal system there were eight modes. Four that were authentic and four were plagal. These modes are depicted below:
Based on the description of the modes the final note of the ...
Dom♦
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Where did the symbols ♭ and ♯ originate from, and why those?
We're all used to flat and sharp signs, also naturals. Accidentals in some cases. But why those unusual signs? I suspect the ♭ may have something to do with the German B, but the ♯ sign? Something to ...
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What is so special about the devil's interval (tritone)?
I'm interested in learning more of the Devil's interval: how it originated, some of its uses and what exactly about the interval of a diminished fifth makes it sound ominous?
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Absolute pitch - has it varied through the centuries?
At the moment, absolute pitch seems to be using 12et, with A=440 Hz. Would this have been the case, say, in the Baroque period, when A=quite a bit less than 440 Hz? With some orchestras using 442 Hz, ...
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History of standardization of pitch and tuning: measuring waves
The velocity of a traveling wave in a stretched string is determined by the tension and the mass per unit length of the string. for a string of length cm and mass/length = gm/m. For such a string, the ...
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Examples of songs or phrases played in different temperaments
I've read about the fact that 12 tone equal temperament is a relatively recent phenomenon, and that historically, each key would have a different character due to the unequal temperament. I'm curious ...
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