In these days and age, everyone can enjoy the music being able to choose from a wide variety of styles and genres. A great many generations who lived on the earth before have enabled us to get where we are now, that’s why it is very important to know music history and people who have contributed to the rich and diverse cultural legacy. While it’s impossible to squeeze the centuries-long saga into the frame of one article, here are some interesting facts every music buff should know.
Fact #1: The World’s Oldest Song Was Sang About 3,400 Years Ago
Have you ever wondered what is the world’s oldest song? Well, many people across the globe ask themselves this question and as things stand now, the official answer is the Hurrian Hymn Text H6. 29 clay tablets, some of them containing this text, were discovered in the ancient Syrian city of Ugarit in the early 1950s by a team of French archaeologists. It was officially confirmed that the tablets are nothing else but “a complete cult hymn and is the oldest preserved song with notation in the world.”
This song is also believed to be one of the world’s earliest melodies. By the way, not so long ago, scientists and musicians joined their forces to recreate and record this precious piece of musical art to share its divine sounds with a broad audience.
Fact #2: Some Musical Instruments Existed Much Earlier Than We Think
Have you ever wondered what is the world’s oldest song? Well, many people across the globe ask themselves this question and as things stand now, the official answer is the Hurrian Hymn Text H6. 29 clay tablets, some of them containing this text, were discovered in the ancient Syrian city of Ugarit in the early 1950s by a team of French archaeologists. It was officially confirmed that the tablets are nothing else but “a complete cult hymn and is the oldest preserved song with notation in the world.”
This song is also believed to be one of the world’s earliest melodies. By the way, not so long ago, scientists and musicians joined their forces to recreate and record this precious piece of musical art to share its divine sounds with a broad audience.
Fact #2: Some Musical Instruments Existed Much Earlier Than We Think
Now we know the answer to the question about the world’s oldest song but how about the world’s oldest musical instrument? Any idea? You might be surprised but it’s actually a flute, bird bone and mammoth ivory flutes, to be precise. They were found in 2012 on the old continent, inside the stone-age cave in the southern part of Germany. It is estimated, these flutes are between 42,000 and 43,000 years old, which definitely makes them the oldest instruments ever discovered on earth.
As a matter of fact, the most significant musical instrument of Ireland is not native to this beautiful country. Despite what many people think, the famous irish flute hadn’t been present on the Emerald Island all until by the mid-1800s when it was introduced there by the English. Anyway, the territory of today’s Germany turned to be a real treasure trove of ancient flutes as the previous record-breaker, a vulture bone masterpiece with five finger holes was also found in the Hohle Fels cavern in the southwest of the country.
Fact #3: Mozart Wasn’t Poisoned By Salieri
It is common knowledge that one of the world’s most fabulous and prolific composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) didn’t get really well with his Italian rival Antonio Salieri (1750-1825). However, in contrast to a popular belief triggered by rumors circulated after Mozart’s death, Salieri didn’t kill him. Famous Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov did add fuel to the fire when in his opera “Mozart and Salieri” he suggested that Mozart was poisoned by his contemporary. However, investigations didn’t find any proof to support this theory.
Fact #4: What You Hear On The 4th Of July Is The 1812 Overture
As a matter of fact, the most significant musical instrument of Ireland is not native to this beautiful country. Despite what many people think, the famous irish flute hadn’t been present on the Emerald Island all until by the mid-1800s when it was introduced there by the English. Anyway, the territory of today’s Germany turned to be a real treasure trove of ancient flutes as the previous record-breaker, a vulture bone masterpiece with five finger holes was also found in the Hohle Fels cavern in the southwest of the country.
Fact #3: Mozart Wasn’t Poisoned By Salieri
It is common knowledge that one of the world’s most fabulous and prolific composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) didn’t get really well with his Italian rival Antonio Salieri (1750-1825). However, in contrast to a popular belief triggered by rumors circulated after Mozart’s death, Salieri didn’t kill him. Famous Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov did add fuel to the fire when in his opera “Mozart and Salieri” he suggested that Mozart was poisoned by his contemporary. However, investigations didn’t find any proof to support this theory.
Fact #4: What You Hear On The 4th Of July Is The 1812 Overture
Famed Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikowsky (1840 -1893) gave the world plenty of beautiful works. It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t seen his wondrous ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker or heard pieces of captivating music he created for them at least once in a lifetime. But not many people know that grandiose cannon finale so often played on Fourth of July is a fragment from Tchaikowsky’s 1812 Overture written by him in 1880 to celebrate the Russian triumph over Napoleon.
Fact #5: Bohemian Rhapsody Is the Most-Streamed Song From The 20th Century
Let’s leave the old days and take a look at the not so recent past. Do you have an idea which song from the 20th century is the most-streamed out there? Quite unsurprisingly, it is Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody that first reached the top position in the UK charts in 1975. It hit the #1 spot again in 1991 following one of the saddest events in the world of music, the death of Freddie Mercury, and as incredible as it may seem, since then the song has been gaining even more popularity. It has managed to outperform Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, the previous record-holder, which comes as no surprise given that Bohemian Rhapsody has been streamed over 1.6 billion times across numerous streaming platforms including Youtube and Spotify.
Fact #6: The King Of Rock-N-Roll Is The World’s Best Selling Solo Artist
Fact #5: Bohemian Rhapsody Is the Most-Streamed Song From The 20th Century
Let’s leave the old days and take a look at the not so recent past. Do you have an idea which song from the 20th century is the most-streamed out there? Quite unsurprisingly, it is Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody that first reached the top position in the UK charts in 1975. It hit the #1 spot again in 1991 following one of the saddest events in the world of music, the death of Freddie Mercury, and as incredible as it may seem, since then the song has been gaining even more popularity. It has managed to outperform Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, the previous record-holder, which comes as no surprise given that Bohemian Rhapsody has been streamed over 1.6 billion times across numerous streaming platforms including Youtube and Spotify.
Fact #6: The King Of Rock-N-Roll Is The World’s Best Selling Solo Artist
We bet you haven’t only heard of Elvis Presley but surely love at least one of his songs. Even though he ruled over the music scene from the 1950s to the 1960s, his popularity hasn’t faded over time. With more than one 1 billion sales across the globe, the King of Rock-n-Roll still holds the title of the best-selling solo artist. Although some younger people might think Elvis who died in 1977 is old-fashioned, the moment they hear his songs they usually quickly change their mind – and you know what we mean.
Fact #7: Even Silence Can Be Music
Confused? But it is a proven fact. In 1952, composer John Cage released a song called 4’33’’ that let the audience listen to the silence for exactly four minutes and 33 seconds. The big idea behind this unique music piece was to show that virtually any sound can be music. In that particular case, the audience had to enjoy the sounds of their surroundings.
Fact #8: Orchestras Can Make It Without Conductors
While a conductor is traditionally seen as an inseparable part of any orchestra, the truth is, there are plenty of examples that show the opposite. Many music pieces created during the 17th and the beginning of the 18th centuries have been successfully performed without a conductor who was replaced by a concertmaster who led the orchestra.
Music history is not only significant but also very engaging. Full of unexpected twists and turns, it helps better understand modern trends, their origin, and future development. But, what’s most important, it also lets us reconnect with our roots.
Fact #7: Even Silence Can Be Music
Confused? But it is a proven fact. In 1952, composer John Cage released a song called 4’33’’ that let the audience listen to the silence for exactly four minutes and 33 seconds. The big idea behind this unique music piece was to show that virtually any sound can be music. In that particular case, the audience had to enjoy the sounds of their surroundings.
Fact #8: Orchestras Can Make It Without Conductors
While a conductor is traditionally seen as an inseparable part of any orchestra, the truth is, there are plenty of examples that show the opposite. Many music pieces created during the 17th and the beginning of the 18th centuries have been successfully performed without a conductor who was replaced by a concertmaster who led the orchestra.
Music history is not only significant but also very engaging. Full of unexpected twists and turns, it helps better understand modern trends, their origin, and future development. But, what’s most important, it also lets us reconnect with our roots.
