Throughout History (CBH)

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This section contains a short, nonfantasy look at the history of music from the Dark Ages through the Renaissance period. This examination concentrates upon western culture, which is the primary basis for the AD&D® game.
Music was not always the sophisticated production that we of the 20th century are used to hearing. Although it has played a part in the life of the human race since before recorded history, modern music took many years to develop.
Before the time of the Christian church, music was rarely written down. With such sparse information, it is hard to decipher what the songs of the ancients were like. However, it is likely that they were very simple rhythms that were pounded out with sticks or simple percussion instruments.
Eventually reeds or canes were used to form the first woodwinds and a new musical sound emerged. But we still don't know what the music of this early era sounded like.
It wasn't until the 800s that music was being regularly recorded in western civilizations. Even then, it was only the monks of the Christian church who were writing it down. Thus, our records of these early songs are somewhat slanted. Music throughout most of the Dark Ages (up until A.D. 1100) consisted mainly of simple tunes that were played or sung in unison, thus they were pure melody (i.e., no accompaniment). They were primarily used either to help pass time during work or to sing during religious ceremonies.
This Dark Age music was based on the modal scale, as opposed to the keyed scale of modern times. Dark Age music was likely borrowed from the Greeks and Romans. Although simple, it could be very elegant and beautifully expressive.
Near the end of the Dark Ages, musicians were combining several melodic lines. At first this was performed by mirroring a tune at a different pitch, but soon the added lines were taking on a form of their own, becoming a melody in their own right. This development was immeasurably enhanced when a system for writing down music developed around A.D. 900.
Around  A.D. 1100, examples of written music begin appearing outside the Christian church. Songs and dances were written by and performed by public entertainers (like many of the bard kits included in this book). From the mid-14th century on, secular music was being composed and performed by professional musicians. However, such professionals were mainly employed by the church and a few nobles.
At the same time, music began to take on a more complicated form. Accompaniments and advanced multiple melodies (polyphonics) were being used. This spurred an increased demand for public entertainment and noblemen began taking a major interest in music. It became a matter of honor and pride for a nobleman to support a professional musician at his court.
During the Renaissance, the cry for secular music increased dramatically, with master compositions appearing around  A.D. 1500. These compositions included both instrumental and vocal parts. Yet, even then, most composers wrote primarily for the church or wealthy noblemen.
Music continued to evolve through the baroque period (A. D. 1600-1750), classical period (A. D.  1750-1827), and on into the modern era, but these are beyond the scope of the AD&D® game.