# a paradox about classical medieval music



## deprofundis (Apr 25, 2014)

We may think atonal and spectral music is relatively new to the colors of classical universe.
But i read somewhere correct me if i am wrong ancien romanian and bulgarian had spectralism.
What about atonal or semi atonal overtone in ancient medieval music could it had occurs somewhere
in europe but was forgotten.

So modernism may have occur in music naturally depending on the music folkloric context.Im on to something here , we think we evolve that mens n womens were backward back than and were conservative(rather).

So im looking for atonal medieval music and since this article about spectralism on romania and bulgaria puzzle me.

Are we evolving or we are running in circle and time an illusion, that there is lost knowledge, lost music of grandiose importance.

Jeez i Wonder what you guys think about this.

Instrument like Bowed psaltery created the spectral element, than some will argue a bowed psaltery is an invention of 20 century, they could be wrong, chance are ...there far older than this. and i wont one please give me one, i bet these are like expensive 

:tiphat: i hope you guys dig my post , especially cryptic ones on ''special medieval classical music''.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Start with wiki on Spectralism. This talks about Bartok and spectral influences from Romanian folk music because of the use of wind instruments.

There's a fascinating passage from Jean Ritchie's autobiography in yesterday's Telegraph



> In her memoir Singing Family of the Cumberlands (1955), Jean Ritchie recounted how she and a cousin had followed the sound of the family's singing to return home after getting lost on the mountains. As the notes of Father Get Ready rang out over the hillside, "the wind did strange things with the modal melody. Its cadences rose and fell over the solemn hills with unbelievable beauty. I could have believed without much persuasion that it was a host of angels."


Which shows an awareness of Spectral techniques in the Appalachians.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

True spectralism, the style that is around and about today, came from spectral analyses of sounds. It's the only genre i can think of which started lifes electronic music before becoming oriented towards acoustic instruments! I have no idea what medieval music has to do with this it it would be interesting to investigate.....


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2015)

Try the music of Perotin and Gesualdo.


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2015)

The diatonic scales, harmonic theory, and tempered chromatic keyboard we use all evolved, and before they evolved atonality must have been common. If you look at it that way, much of today's music is a de-evolution.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Jerome, there's a difference between monophonic and early polyphonic modal music and CP harmony. If you think about it that way, it's an evolution of texture as well as an evolution of simplistic modes to complex melodic and harmonic writing over time.


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## gardibolt (May 22, 2015)

I had a similar thought when Liszt's Hungarian Coronation Mass was playing a few weeks ago. I was not listening closely, and at first I mistook it for a 20th century choral work, but it actually incorporates ancient material that just somehow sounds wholly modern.


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