From approximately 1200 to 1450 - the music of this period is mainly vocal, with chant typifying sacred music, and the songs of troubadours making up the main body of secular music.
The era from around 1450 to 1600. The music was characterised by the use of freer forms, and a progression from modes toward major and minor scales, and harmony.
A term borrowed from architecture to describe a particular music style, similarly elaborate and heavily ornamented in style, which was prevalent around 1600-1680.
In the Late Baroque period, tonality was fully established. The contrapuntal technique culminated in the full absorption of tonal harmony. The forms grew to larger dimensions. The aria, concerto and sonata reached an elaborate state. Vocal music was dominated by instrumental music.
The modern era (from 1900 to post WWII) saw new directions in music, from Impressionism to atonality and serialism, and a neoclassicist movement - looking back to Baroque and Classical forms for inspiration.
From 1960 on, the contemporary composer relied more and more on electronic synthesisers and computers. The increasing market for film scores influenced many composers to work for music that is approachable by the masses, while others look to minimalism for the complex simplicity that expresses our times.
