8/3/2019 MUS101 HW#8 Midterm

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So far I think I have learned a lot. I am majoring in mechanical engineering so the

music world is totally new to me. I have learned that music is a language to express

feelings and emotions. I have learned about instruments from the five different

families: strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion and keyboard. Instruments like the

tambourine that is a percussion instrument commonly used in different cultures

from around the world; also different types of tambourine such as the Riq from

Middle East, the Pandeiro from Brazil and the kanjira from southern India.

We have also learned about music history and how music was only played in

churches for a long period of time until it was printed and everyone who could

afford to buy the prints could play it, so amateur music was born.

I have read about music in different times like the Classical Period where the nobles

and the emperors began to grow interest in music, therefore creating a need for

good musicians like Mozart who was already playing the piano at age three, his first

opera at age nine and that his career spiked at age 33 and Beethoven who also

showed early talent but die to his loss of hearing he had to switch to being a

composer instead of being a great piano player.

Another important period was the Romantic Era where music developed

significantly due to important events like the French Revolution. Music was written

and played for the musicians personal interests instead of pleasing the general

public. Famous people in this era include Niccolo Paganini who was famous because

he played so well that people began to think that he sold his soul to the devil in

exchange for his exceptional abilities in various instruments including the violin.

8/3/2019 MUS101 HW#8 Midterm

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I have also learned about the orchestra, which is very interesting and important

because it is part of our culture.

Instruments in the orchestra include the violin which are louder than a viola and can

be made in different sizes to fit any type of person including kids, also some wood

violins are very rare because they sound better with time probably because of the

wood that they are made of or the type of paint which is still unknown to this day.

Another important instrument is the cello because it adds strength and depth to the

orchestra; cellos are much bigger than a violin and a viola. Flutes and piccolos are a

different type of instrument from a different family that play in the orchestra; flutes

are made of metal because of the sound and piccolos are the smallest instrument in

the orchestra.

The oboe is a critical instrument for the orchestra because it is the instrument that

tunes the entire orchestra. The clarinet is a recent addition from the woodwind

family.

Percussions are very important in the orchestra because some of them are used for

the harmony. The percussions are the oldest instruments because when

instruments were not even invented people could play percussions with their

bodies.