Book details
How music grew, from prehistoric times to the present day
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Stored record
Metadata
- Gutenberg ID
- 72171
- Title
- How music grew, from prehistoric times to the present day
- Language
- en
- Book source
- Project Gutenberg
- Description max 80 words
-
A lively, accessible history of music from prehistoric times to the present, tracing its evolution from folk traditions to complex compositions. Ideal for novices, this book explores how music grew alongside human civilization, politics, and religion.
- Summary up to 500 words
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In *How Music Grew*, Marion Bauer and Ethel Peyser invite readers on a narrative journey through the evolution of music, steering clear of a dry encyclopedia format to instead follow a 'lane' parallel to history's road. The authors explore how music has marched down through the ages, touching upon its entanglement with politics, religion, and criticism. The narrative begins in prehistoric times, where music emerged as a crude way for early humans to express feelings and pass down stories, utilizing primitive instruments like the rattle and the syrinx. Moving into the Middle Ages, the text highlights the flourishing of wandering minstrels and the hurdy-gurdy, a unique instrument bridging bowed and keyed designs. A significant focus is placed on the rise of folk music among the common people. These songs—lullabies, war ballads, and labor chants—served to unite nations across centuries, preserving cultural heritage even as empires rose and fell. The authors illustrate how folk melodies could bridge divides, citing the famous instance where Breton and Welsh soldiers recognized their shared ancestry through a seven-hundred-year-old song. The book details the transition from the guild-based Meistersingers, who carried music into German homes, to the Romantic era. This period featured giants like Beethoven, Chopin, and Liszt, who revolutionized the orchestra and piano. The narrative culminates with Richard Wagner, the 'Wizard,' who transformed opera by weaving mythological storytelling with leit-motifs. Throughout, Bauer and Peyser emphasize that music is not merely a technical art but a vital expression of human emotion, making complex historical developments accessible and engaging for readers of all ages.
- LLM editorial rating
- 4.2/5
- Download URL
- https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/72171.epub.noimages
- Local file path
-
data/epubs/pg72171.epub - Downloaded at
- 2026-08-14 02:47 UTC
People
Authors
- Marion Bauer
- Ethel R. Peyser
- Ethel R. Peyser and Marion Bauer
Classification
Categories
- History
- Music