From their birth to their disappearance or transformation, musical genres form part of the history of music: they highlight the particularities of each era. The book echoes this concern. It follows a chronological progression, introducing in turn the religious and profane genres, vocal and instrumental, from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. Written in a language accessible to all, the study of each genre is divided into several recurring sections:
• elements of history retrace the appearance of the genre, but also its development and evolution -
• a description of the musical characters gives the identification keys -
• the major works are presented chronologically -
• for important genres, a musical example is the subject of a comment -
• iconography, punctual and relevant, gives the visual reflection of the genre.
The Musical Genres offer, in a practical and handy format, an invitation to listen to a public anxious to enrich their knowledge, from the curious music lover to the student in musicology.
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