The Comparison of Music Styles

Different sounds, songs and melodies play a great role in human live. First of all, it is hard to imagine an everyday life without music. Second, music draws people to the understanding of art as well as develops their spiritual world. However, not all music compositions may do it, but only a small part of them, for example, classical music songs. Nowadays, there are different music styles and everyone chooses his/her own. Many people listen to music for relaxation and calming. It is especially helpful after a difficult and nervous work. While listening to such music, people forget about their problems. Though, on the contrary, there is another type of music that makes a person aggressive and angry.  Today, it is hard to imagine human life without music.  It has become an integral part of a human life and culture.  It makes people think and solve their problems. One can easily define the nature of somebody’s soul and life direction, only by the music he/she listens to.  It also unites people. While there is music playing, people can easily understand each other, share emotions and feelings. Very often, music may evoke the feeling of euphoria, caused by the release of dopamine. Furthermore, scientists have found that in people, rabbits, cats and dogs, under the influence of music, may change the blood pressure, increase the heart and respiration rate.  

Classical music denotes the period of the European music development between 1750 and 1820 years. The term classical music is always associated with the works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. They are truly called the Viennese classics. They formed the further directions in the development of musical trends.  According to Rushton J. (1994), the term Classical music appeared only in the late 19^th century when people started to call the period from Johann Sebastian Bach to Beethoven as a golden age.

The classical music concept is always confused with the term “classical music”. Classical music has a more general meaning, denoting the music of the past that began with the Mozart Sonata in a major.

The aesthetics of classicism is based on the belief in rationality and harmonious world. It is reflected in the balanced parts of works and developed basic canons of musical forms. In this period, the sonata form was finally formed. In the classical period appeared a string quartet that consisted of two violins and cello. The Orchestra has also expanded significantly. In comparison with Baroque music, Classical music is clearer, less complex and lighter.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is an outstanding representative of that period. He was a great Australian composer, conductor, violinist virtuoso and organist. Mozart wrote in all musical genres, known in that period. Furthermore, he succeeded in every one.  They say Mozart had an extraordinary ear for music, memory and ability to improvise. All these have made him one of the world’s greatest composers.

Mozart was born in Salzburg on January 27, 1756.  His musical talent appeared at an early age when he was about three years old.  Works of Handel, Stradella, Durante have made a great impact on Mozart’s future creations.  He composed more than 600 works of various genres. The most famous are “the Requiem”, Piano Concerto no. 24 in C minor,

Symphony no. 40 in G minor, etc. He paid much attention to instrumental music. The main types, of which were trio, sonata, serenade and divertimento. In his works Mozart used different instruments, including wood winds (classical clarinet, chalumeau), keyboards (clavichord and fortepiano), brasses and strings. According to Solomon (1995), Mozart’s the most famous pupil was Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Later, Hummel became a great Australian composer and virtuoso pianist.  

Jazz is another music style that emerged in the United States in the late 19^th and the early 20^th centuries. Jazz is a fusion of African and European cultures. According to Shipton (2007), the main features of jazz are improvisation, polyrhythm and swing.  The musical instruments that are used in jazz include trumpet, saxophone, piano, trombone, clarinet and drums. Jazz was formed out of blues.

Luis Armstrong was a great American jazz trumpeter, singer and band leader. He made a great impact on the development and popularization of jazz all over the world. In his works, he used such musical instruments as tambourine, alto, trumpet and clarinet.

Armstrong’s works have made a great impact on the music of the 20th century. His fans state that Louis was one of the greatest musicians that had ever played jazz. They also say that his trumpet sounded divine, especially when he was at his best. Armstrong’s trumpet sounded “brightly”, with amazing vibrations and dizzying transitions. Due to his inexhaustible imagination for improvisations, he expended the capabilities of the pipe and musician who plays on it. His most famous CDs are “Hello dolly”, “Jazz Festival” and “A Rhapsody in Black and Blue”. A great impact on Armstrong made such jazz performers as Bunk Johnson, Buddy Petit, Kid Ory and of course Joe “King” Oliver.

Contemporary music is the music beginning from 1970s to the present. The modern music forms include pop, rock, electronic, experimental, serial and minimalist music.

Rock music is a genre of modern popular music. It was formed out of “rock and roll” American music style, in 1950s.  Rock is also a subcultural phenomenon. Due to it appeared such subcultures as punk, hippie, punk, metal, Goth etc.

Today, rock music has a lot of trends, starting from the fairly “light” genres such as rock and roll, pop rock and finishing with death metal and grind core.  There were numerous attempts to combine rock with all possible kinds of music. As a result, appeared such styles as: jazz-rock, folk-rock, Latin rock, punk-rock etc. 

The Queen is one of the most famous British rock bands. It became popular in the mid-70^th of the 20 century. According to Queen, the band was formed in 1971. Two years later they recorded their first album and signed a contract (“About The Band”, n.d.).  From that time, their popularity started to grow rapidly. Many people call the Queen one of the most successful music bands that had ever played rock. Many of their songs became classical, including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You”, “We Are the Champions”, “Innuendo”, “The Show Must Go On” and “Princes of the Universe". A great impact on this band made “Led Zeppelin” and Jimi Hendrix. The Queen’s success lies in improvisation. Their songs are the mix of hard rock, artistry and pop music. However, their best feature was a choir of all participants that later became a symbol of the band. The most successful sound of the choir was in “A Night at the Opera” and “A Day at the Races” albums. They used all typical for rock music instruments, including drum kit, bass guitar, rhythm guitar, piano etc.

Thus, music has always played an important role in human life. One can hardly imagine his/her day without music. People tend to listen to it everywhere: at home, driving a car and even at work. Music has become a part of people’s culture. Different music styles and trends changed with the development of the human society. Music is also the reflection of people’s inner world, tastes and thoughts. In different times, people listened to different types of music.

 During the Classical period, people paid much attention to the pitch, speed and rhythm of the melody. It left less space for improvisation; like it is in modern rock or jazz music. On the contrary, jazz is a whole improvisation. There is no definite melody of sounding. One and the same song that is played by the same author may sound totally different.

In classical music mainly used such instruments as violin, brasses and different types of keyboards. In jazz prevails trumpet, saxophone, piano and trombone. Furthermore, instruments that are used in rock music totally differ from the previous styles. Rock musicians and bands mainly play on drum kits, bass guitars, rhythm guitars and pianos. All these music styles and periods have made a great impact on the further development of music and art. They created a huge number of followers as well as supporters. Music unites people. As a result, different groups, clubs and even subcultures are created.