Review Questions
1. What are the Hurrian songs? Why are they important?
The Hurrian songs are a set of fragmentary relics as well as a nearly complete example of notated music from around 1400 BCE. They are important because it was the first piece of evidence that there was written musical pieces and these songs were played during important life events such that as marriages and royal family births.
2. What is the Natya Shastra? Why is it important?
The Natya Shastra is a written discourse on the performing arts, including music, dance, stage performances, and that alike. The importance of music to ancient India is best seen through Natya Shastra. It was also important because it gave quite detailed information on the types of instruments that were used at the time and forms of music that was popular.
3. Who were troubadours? What was their music like?
Troubadours were traveling poet-musicians who traveled from place to place, singing and performing for the upper class. Their music was generally monophonic and accompanied themselves with an instrument like the lyre or drums.
4. What are the modes in Western music? Describe at least one mode in Western music.
There are seven different modes: Dorian, Ionian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. Dorian mode in C begins and ends on D.
5. What is polyphonic music? How does it differ from monophonic music?
Polyphonic music uses two or more independent melodies; whereas monophonic music has only one independent melody.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. Why did early humans develop music? What are some of the ways that they were thought to create music?
Some scholars believe that music developed from natural sounds and rhythms and humans mimicked these sounds, as they are known to mimic the noises they hear. Therefore early music was likely simple sounds repeated for enjoyment and to create reactions from animals during hunting. Some of the ways they