short essay about modern music

267 Music Essay Topics + Writing Guide [2024 Update]

Your mood leaves a lot to be desired. Everything around you is getting on your nerves. But still, there’s one thing that may save you: music. Just think of all the times you turned on your favorite song, and it lifted your spirits!

So, why not write about it in a music essay? In this article, you’ll find all the information necessary for this type of assignment:

• 267 brilliant music essay topics,
• a sample paper,
• a step-by-step guide and writing tips.

And don’t forget to bookmark  custom-writing.org  where you can find helpful essay tips in articles like this one.

🔝 Music Essay Topics: Top 10

• 🎵 Music Essay Definition
• 🎼 Essay Topics
• ✍️ How to Write
• 📑 Essay Sample

🔗 References

• Compare different recording formats.
• The purpose of music.
• Ternary and rondo: compare and contrast.
• Music as a lifestyle.
• The benefits of singing.
• Ethnomusicology as a career.
• Evolution of the radio.
• The importance of school musicals.
• Music as a tool for meditation.
• Music in sports.

🎵 Essays about Music: What Are They?

A music essay describes or analyzes a piece of music, its context, or one’s personal attitude towards it. This type of assignment requires a compelling primary argument and a clear structure.

To write well about music, you don’t have to be a professional musician. All you need is to be able to listen, understand, and evaluate it. You should also provide your interpretation and opinion on it.

Writing about Music: Assignment Types

An essay on music is a popular assignment in high school and college. However, many students find it hard to describe sounds in a written form. In this article, we will give you some tips on writing about music.

Here are the typical tasks that you might receive:

• Concert report. It requires describing the music you’ve heard using as many details and terms as you can.
• Historical analysis of a piece. Your aim is to describe the historical context of a piece or its relation to the historical setting. For this type of assignment, you may need to do some research.
• Song analysis. In this type of essay, you explore song lyrics’ meaning and show how they work together with the melody.
• Performance or media comparison. Here you need to compare several interpretations or performances of one piece of music.

All of these assignments require a different approach and topic. You will find topics for these types of tasks below.

How to Choose a Music Essay Topic

First things first, you need to find a suitable music essay topic. To accomplish this task, you might want to take the following steps:

• Analyze your relationship with music . What role does it play in your life? Your topic choice will be different if you are a musician or merely a listener.
• Think about how music influences your everyday life . For instance, you can study how listening to music affects our mental health. Impressing your readers with some historical facts from the world of music is also a great idea.
• Try reflecting on the role of different music genres in your life . Whether you prefer rap or classical music, exploring a genre is an excellent topic idea. Topics related to musical instruments are also worth attention.
• Narrow your topic down. Otherwise, it will be too difficult to focus your essay on just one idea.

🎼 Music Essay Topics List

The first thing you need to do is to choose your topic. We have prepared a variety of music topics perfect for research papers and short essays. You can also use them for speeches or college application essays.

Argumentative Essay about Music: Topics & Ideas

Argumentative essays about music are usually concerned with a specific music-related issue you choose to address. Just like with any other argumentative essay, you should present both sides of the topic. Also, reliable facts are a must for this type of essay.

• The influence of modern technologies on the music industry. Technologies allow artists to create and promote their songs independently. Because of this, record labels are less critical to musicians than before. However, the emergence of new technologies also gave rise to piracy. Do the positives outweigh the negatives?
• What’s the effect of pop music on the modern generation? Today’s pop songs are usually commercial. Because of this, some people say that pop has ruined the current generations’ perception of music. Others argue that contemporary pop music expanded the possibilities of the genre.
• Rock music makes people more aggressive. Some consider rock music merely an arrangement of aggressive tunes that foster violence. On the counter side, science has proven that people who prefer rock to other genres are calmer and more concentrated. Which position do you agree with?
• Can people with hearing impairments become famous musicians? Many believe that access to fame and fortune is limited for disabled people. The deaf may seem especially unsuited for the music business. Yet, the examples of Beethoven, Neil Young, and Chris Martin show that hearing problems don’t have to be an issue.
• Will streaming completely substitute physical copies? Digitalization is on its way to replacing LPs and CDs. For most people, it’s simply more convenient. But their opponents claim that an MP3 file can never sound as good as a physical copy.
• Some music genres can be a catalyst for violence. While their beats may be calm, hip-hop and rap’s lyrics are often aggressive and brutal. Does it have adverse effects on a listener?
• Can a person become addicted to music?
• Censorship on the radio: why stations shouldn’t bleep out obscenities.
• Is mandatory musical education in high schools practical?
• The impact of Mozart’s music on toddlers.
• Should a musician’s personal life affect people’s perception of their art?
• How susceptible are teenagers to political messages in songs?
• Music influences one’s mental and physical capabilities.
• Are children who listen to music more intelligent than others?
• Music genres are inherently dependent on musical instruments.
• Is music as an art form more popular than cinema?
• Debate whether rap musicians promote a frivolous and careless lifestyle .
• Many musicians became famous only because they’ve had connections.
• Music festivals are the best form of entertainment.
• Does music always sound better live than on records?
• Is classical music better than modern genres?
• Is it justified that some religions view music as a sin?
• Typically, music defines a culture and its traditions: true or false?
• Rap music has a strong connection to rebellious movements.
• Jamaican music’s link to the stoner lifestyle is unjustified.
• Synesthesia: how is music related to visuals?

Opinion on Music: Essay Topics

Opinion essays about music might seem similar to the argumentative type. Here, you are expected to write your personal opinion on a topic. Naturally, you can have many opinions on musical topics. Why not broadcast them? Keep in mind that you also need to provide reasons for your point of view.

• Music therapy can help people with mental illnesses. It’s a well-known fact that music affects the human brain. This ability makes it perfect for treating mental health problems. On the one hand, psychologists established that listening to classical music increases one’s cognitive capacity. On the other hand, listening to heavy rock impacts responsiveness.
• The questionable treatment of women in the music industry . While it may seem that both sexes are treated equally, women still earn much less than they deserve. Moreover, the extreme sexualization of girls persists as one of the most pressing problems in the industry.
• Which musician or band impacted your worldview? Discuss what makes your favorite artist special. Consider analyzing their lyrics, genre, and evolution. If you want to, add a review of one of their albums.
• What are the challenges of being an independent artist? Typically, independent artists deal with all the financial, promotional, and distributional affairs by themselves. In the increasingly complex music business, this is not an easy task.
• Is social media efficient for promotion? Almost every modern artist uses social media to promote their albums or songs. Users often check their networks for updates, which increases the musician’s visibility. But do such methods help in the long run?
• Passion is the essential personal quality for every musician. If an artist is not eager to continually produce high-quality output, they’re unlikely to succeed. However, qualities such as responsibility, honesty, hard work, and creativity are also vital.
• Is music good for stress relief?
• How does music connect people ?
• Analyze qualities that good musicians shouldn’t have.
• Who are the most excellent musicians in the country genre?
• Is it possible to live without interacting with music?
• Choose three successful rappers and analyze their influence.
• How can a musician become famous without having money or connections?
• What are the difficulties of being in a band?
• Who impacted the development of indie music the most?
• Is pop music losing its popularity? If so, why?
• Three factors that affected your choice of a favorite genre.
• Which artists are the most prominent in power metal?
• Which record label is the most influential now?
• Can Justin Bieber’s songs be considered legendary?
• Did Kanye West introduce a new kind of rap?
• Which rock bands lost their fame because of a scandal ? How did it happen?
• Discuss Dire Straits’ impact on music history .
• Who are currently the most successful women pop singers ?
• Why are some music genres more popular than others?
• What does success in the music world depend on?

Topics for a Persuasive Essay about Music

Is there anything music-related you want to convince people of? A persuasive paper is your chance. Carefully craft your arguments to show your readers you’ve always been right about the beauty of cowbells. If it’s not your jam, consider these essay topics about music:

• A seven-string guitar is superior to a six-string one. The additional string gives more room for creativity. It might be challenging to master, but in the end, the music has a fuller sound . Do you think it’s worth the effort?
• The lyrics don’t matter as long as the melody is good. It’s possible to like songs from different countries, even if the listener doesn’t understand the language. The singing is simply part of the composition. Does this mean that what the vocalist says is unimportant?

• Most people living in big cities neglect country music. People from urban areas tend to think that country music is tasteless. For them, its tunes and lyrics sound too simple. Does the strong association with cowboys, farms, and long roads simply not appeal to the city lifestyle?
• Should rap music be performed only by black people? The genre hosts a large portion of African American artists. Not only that, but black rappers are widely considered the best of their craft. Do white artists do the genre justice?
• Music that artists make merely to get money is soulless. Passion is a critical factor for every musician. If money is the primary driver for creating a song, the result is inevitably flawed. Do you agree?
• Pop music is undergoing a transformation. Listeners acknowledge pop as the primary genre of contemporary music. Yet, new musical instruments are changing the game. Even the lyrics touch on more serious topics than before.
• Indie is the new pop. Indie music is a relatively novel genre. Still, it continues to gain popularity. The light-hearted tunes paired with existential lyrics have captured the audience’s hearts. Is it possible to envision the future of music without bands such as Coldplay, The 1975, and the Arctic Monkeys?
• The meaning of freedom for jazz as a musical genre.
• Punk rock has recently witnessed a renaissance.
• Exposing plants to classical music makes them grow faster.
• Classical music: intellectually stimulating or relaxing ?
• Is it justified that some countries legally prohibit artists from performing?
• Is it easier for children to learn with music?
• Can a person ever become a great artist without a natural talent ?
• Should workplaces allow their employees to listen to background music?
• Jimi Hendrix’s guitar skills are still unmatched.
• The impact of pop music on European culture and trends.
• Kurt Cobain’s death should have been a wake-up call for the music industry .
• Why is music beneficial to society?
• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s legacy can be felt even today.
• Nintendocore is a legitimate genre that the industry should take more seriously.
• Should you listen to a bands’ music even if you disagree with their opinions?
• Musicians should receive more government support.
• Patriotic songs make people feel passionate and energetic about their country.
• Depressive and sad tunes can worsen a person’s mood.
• Doctors and therapists need to understand the importance of music.

Music Evaluation Essay Topics

Do you want to know how to evaluate music? The point is to divide your overall impression into several parts. Music evaluation requires much attention and concentration, so try to do your best to stay focused while listening.

Use these criteria for evaluating music performances:

Now all you need to do is choose a topic and get down to writing!

• Discuss the rise and fall of hardcore punk. Many bands that started in the hardcore punk scene softened their sound over time. Why did this genre disappear from the mainstream?
• Copyright laws are going too far. It’s getting increasingly difficult to use somebody else’s intellectual property. Creators on YouTube have to fear lawsuits for creatively repurposing copyrighted music. Moreover, laws such as the DMCA are frequently abused to generate revenues.
• More bands should use their influence for political purposes. Renowned artists have a broad reach. Bands like Rise Against or Anti Flag use this influence to raise political awareness among their fans. Is it a fair approach?
• Borrowing and plagiarism in contemporary music . New artists don’t emerge without having listened to other musicians. They draw inspiration from their predecessors. Thus, songs are always a mix of already existing tracks. In your essay, discuss the difference between homage and plagiarism.
• What are the similarities between poetry and song lyrics? Songs and poems are similar in that they deliver a message to the audience. Their creation demands extensive knowledge of rhyming, literary devices, and other components.
• Why do some musicians ask others to write lyrics for them? It is a common practice to have a crew of songwriters who create texts for performers. Sometimes it happens due to a lack of imagination or inspiration. Does finding out that your favorite artist doesn’t write their lyrics destroy the magic of their music?
• How can popular music diversify as a genre? Pop music reached its peak. Adding and borrowing elements from different genres can be one way to diversify a streamlined genre.
• The history of music as political propaganda.
• Explain the difference between high and low contemporary music culture .
• How is contemporary music related to that from other periods?
• What are the connections between pop music and the hip-hop genre?
• What connects popular music and contemporary culture ?
• How does music in the United States relate to Spanish music ?
• Analyze the evolution of Indian music .
• Discuss why certain albums manage to climb to the top of the charts.
• The link between social classes and musical genres.
• Differences and similarities of music and other art forms .
• How does a musical instrument’s origin influence its development?
• What is the role of traditional music today?

• What are the main processes in music production?
• How is music theory relevant today?
• Analyze which contemporary artists’ albums had an effect comparable to that of Queen’s A Night at the Opera .
• Eurodance: Europe’s most extravagant genre.
• Songs and everyday life of Michael Jackson vs. Madonna: who wins the ultimate pop crown?
• What difficulties has Eminem faced throughout his career?
• Over-ear headphones provide a better sound experience than on-ear ones.

Topics for an Expository Essay on Music

An expository essay explains or describes a subject. In the colorful world of music, topics can range from the physics of sound waves to artists’ social impact.

• The importance of Blues music in the late 19 th century and now. Blues originated in the 19 th century American South. It was an outlet for African Americans to express their sorrows. Later, it exceeded by far the cultural boundaries that confined it.
• The role of music in prison camps.  Singing was an essential part of life in the Nazi concentration camps. One of the most well-known songs of that time is called  Peat Bog Soldiers . In your expository essay, explore why prisoners started singing and how it developed.  
• How did Chester Bennington’s death impact the music industry? Linkin Park was a giant in the business for decades until depression made their lead singer take his own life. The event sparked debates surrounding mental health and pressure in the creative industry. What long-lasting effects did these discussions have?
• How did Baroque music reflect the zeitgeist? Compared to the Renaissance period, Baroque was in all aspects very pompous. The artists of the Sun King’s time didn’t shy away from the extravaganza. This ideal is especially prominent in architecture. How does music fit into the picture?
• Investigate the development of musical harmony. The Ancient Greeks already had an idea of some tones fitting together better than others. However, it wasn’t until the 1600s that tonality became a crucial part of music theory.
• Music in commercials: an analysis. Songs and jingles are commonplace in TV commercials. But what are they good for? In your essay, you can compare the success of advertisements with and without music.
• What causes music trends to change? It’s easy to define various eras of music. Naturally, the invention of new instruments has influenced this development. What other factors played a role in these transformations?
• Why is 4/4 a universal beat?
• Examine the origins of The Star-Spangled Banner .
• The effects of dissonance on the human mind .
• How do staccato, legato, and other forms of articulation influence the perception of a musical piece?
• Discuss the significance of music in video games.
• Music drives people’s motivation.
• Explain the calming effects of nature sounds .
• How does music influence literature?
• Celtic music is known to have an extraordinary impact on the psyche. How does it work?
• How does music impact the discharge of hormones such as dopamine?
• Music therapy is suitable for those who have bipolar disorder.
• What made Falco such a unique artist?
• How does the perception of a silent film differ from that of a movie with sound?
• A rock concert by Kansas: How the relevance of live concerts changed over time.
• Is being able to read music important for a composer?
• How did Beethoven write music after losing his hearing?
• Should all songs have proper rhythm and structure?
• Why do so many indie artists become commercial?
• Is it essential for song lyrics to rhyme?

History of Music: Essay Topics

If you’re interested in the evolution of music, you’ve come to the right section. Historical research reveals the significance of music throughout time. Unsurprisingly, songs and melodies have been part of human culture for centuries. Dive deeper into this exciting subject with one of the following ideas:

• How did the Catholic Church influence music development in Europe? During the Middle Ages , religious movements had a significant impact on music. Consequently, composers used to create more sacred music. It became a way of personal expression since it often contained religious texts. 
• The cultural meaning of Renaissance music and its influence on other styles . During the time of the Renaissance, sacred and secular music heavily impacted each other. As a result, more variety emerged. The chanson and madrigal, for example, became popular around Europe.
• Research archaeological findings of early musicality. The search for the oldest musical instrument delivers thrilling insights. Archaeologists have excavated a flute made of ivory and bird bones, dating approximately 43,000 years ago. They found it in a cave in Germany where Neanderthals lived.
• History of early music and appearance of musical instruments. The beginning of the human culture was the turning point of musical instruments’ appearance. They were primarily used for spiritual rites; typically, they were horns or drums for ceremonies.
• Louis Armstrong’s contributions to the jazz world. Jazz originated in New Orleans and was a favorite among African Americans. Louis Armstrong’s improvisations forever changed the genre, making the soloist-improviser the center of the performance.
• The phenomenon of pop music and its origins. Popular music dates back to the second half of the last century. It comes from the US and the UK. Its main peculiarity lies in the variety of tunes and lyrics .
• Native American music before the discovery of the New World. Incas and Aztecs had particular styles of music. Findings show that these ancient civilizations used instruments for ceremonies. Researchers also discovered that various American cultures mingled, thus creating new techniques.
• The use of string instruments in classical Greek songwriting.
• Famous composers of 18th century Italy and their influence.
• Mozart vs. Beethoven: comparison of techniques.
• Deliver a thoughtful analysis of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony .
• What role do acoustic instruments play in jazz compositions?
• Explore the history of the Ocarina.
• Due to what circumstances did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart become one of the greatest musical geniuses in history?
• Influence of the Romantic period on modern music.
• How and why were the swing era and jazz connected?
• Rock and roll as an international language in the 20th century.
• Explore the rise of techno music.
• Is there a historical connection between music and math?
• How did music become a staple subject in many schools?
• The greatest musicians of World War I.
• Industrialization and its effect on music development.
• How did female producers such as Kate Bush impact the music industry?
• Analyze Frédéric Chopin’s contribution to classical music.
• Music evolution in ancient Greece vs. the Roman Empire.
• How does archeology help to uncover musical traditions ?
• Tupac’s influence on modern rap music.

Classification Essay about Music: Topic Ideas

In a classification essay, you explain how a whole relates to parts or vice versa. To do it, you need to divide one broad category into several subcategories. Each classification paragraph focuses on one subcategory, so you need to find a key feature that will be your basis of division. For example, you can divide music by genre, volume, musical instruments, etc.

Here is our list of musical topics for this essay type:

• The most popular types of alternative music among teenagers. Naturally, teens like different kinds of rock and experimental music . Try to dig deeper and ask some teenagers about their preferences to get a clear picture.
• Types of modern dance music . Describe the tendencies and popular genres. You can also focus on a specific country.
• The most popular types of jazz music in Europe. Although jazz emerged in the United States, this genre became recognizable all over the world. You can analyze the most popular streamed songs, or the concerts and other mass events.
• Rock music in the ’70s. You can describe the genres, styles, or types of performers. The concerts, clothes, and lifestyles are also suitable for this topic.
• Blues musicians of different time periods. Analyze the lyrics, the musical instruments they used, and how long their careers lasted.
• Classification of music for children . Some of it can be for dancing, development, or just listening. Research the purposes of different kinds of music for children.
• Types of music used in films. The soundtrack is one of the main things we remember after watching a movie. There can be popular songs or tracks composed specifically for a film.
• Rock bands that represent different subgenres.
• Rap subgenres in the United States.
• Periods of classical music.
• What motivates people to start a musical career?
• Different kinds of music for relaxation.
• The industries where composers work.
• Types of opera singers and instrumental music.
• Different professions in the music industry.
• Unpopular genres of independent music.
• Different types of music listeners.

College Essay about Music: Topics

When you apply to your dream college, you need to write an impressive essay. Admissions officers pay attention not only to your grades and achievements but also to your personality. Your writing can indicate your motivation, academic interests, and how well you fit into the college. Writing an essay about “music in my life” is a great way to demonstrate your passion and creativity.

Choose one of these topics related to music for your college essay:

• The role of music in your life.  Describe what music means to you, how often you listen to it, and how it helps you in life. For example, you can write about inspiration, motivation, or the sense of  freedom  that it gives you.  
• What are the essential aspects of music for you? Try to write down everything you like about music. It might be melodies, lyrics, vocals, or mood. You can choose several aspects if you feel that you can’t decide.
• The time when music changed your life. In this essay, you can pick one occurrence or describe how music changed your life gradually. It’s important to indicate where you started from and where it led you.
• How do you see the future of the music industry? Demonstrate to the admissions officer how well you know the art and the business.
• Your role model in the music industry. You may write about the qualities of the person you admire and why you want to develop them in yourself. Remember that admission officers want to read about you, not your idol.
• How did your musical taste change over the last ten years? Describe the evolution of your preferences. Explain why you have changed some of your past choices. Do you think your musical taste has improved?
• Your favorite musical genre.
• Does listening to music help to heal body and spirit?
• What is the best music performance you have ever seen?
• Why do people become fans of particular musicians?
• Your favorite song lyrics .
• Can people be judged by their musical taste?
• Why is music an essential part of human culture?
• Quote about music that appeals to you the most.
• How can music education help you in the future?
• Do you prefer listening to music or performing it?
• How can music change your mood?
• Why you want to become a musician.
• Which culture has the most beautiful ethnical music?
• Is music more of an art or business?
• What are the essential parts of musical education ?

Other Music Essay Topics

• Why do supermarkets play music? Think of the reasons why marketers use music in advertising and how it impacts customer behavior.
• An analysis of Robert Wise’s The Sound of Music . Evaluate how the director uses music to tell a story.
• The impact of music on the human brain. Examine the latest research in the mental health field and how music therapy affects depression treatments.
• The workings of the music industry . Assess how contemporary audio technology and touring lifestyle affect musicians.
• The role of music in different cultures. Choose and compare two countries to analyze their perspectives on the music industry.
• Music on television . Evaluate how the music of TV shows and movies impacts the audience’s feelings and behavior.
• Oliver Sacks’ contribution to music psychology. Explore the theories he discusses in Musicophilia and describe its influence on music psychology.
• Should all music be available for free download? Think about the ethical and legal aspects of this issue.
• How did music psychology help the development of music education? Try to find a correlation between these two fields.
• Britney Spears and the adverse effects of teen popularity. Writing about this topic, you might want to focus on how her early fame affected her life. What happened after her famous breakdown in 2007?
• The half-life of one-hit-wonders. Focus your paper on quantitative research. How long do one-hit-wonders stay famous on average? Why do they fail to maintain their success?
• Journalism and the music industry. Examine the effects positive or negative press had on a musician of your choice.
• Festivals and sponsorship. Discuss the benefits that corporate sponsors and the creators of music festivals gain from working together.
• Rock songs and pessimistic lyrics. Why do most popular rock songs have such sad and angry lyrics?
• Discuss the development of your music taste. Write about what pushed you to change and how it influenced your life.
• The psychology of music. Examine what someone’s favorite music genre can tell about their personality.
• Is ASMR music? ASMR artists make quiet sounds to soothe their audience. But can we really consider it music?
• A historical analysis of jazz. Explore how African Americans influenced the flourishing culture of jazz that has spread worldwide.
• The effect of classical music on children’s cognitive abilities. Supposedly, classical music is great for kids. Study this theory and make your conclusions.
• Discuss the characteristics of modern Latin American music. Dive into its diversity and describe the reasons for its popularity.
• How do Chinese artists make traditional music? Write about its complex creation process. Analyze the importance of articulation for composers.
• The history of music . With this essay, explore the six periods of music history. To top it off, you can predict what music will be like in the future.
• The music industry goes online. Discuss the importance of the internet for the industry and the challenges associated with it.
• The magic of instrumental music. Pick your favorite orchestra pieces and find unique features in each of them.
• Musical education: the sound of success? Does everyone need a musical background?
• Explore the latest techniques in songwriting. Look into the song creation process of contemporary musicians. How do they get the audience to enjoy their art?
• Compare and contrast e-pianos and keyboards. In doing so, consider their structure, sound, and features.
• The Woodstock festival as a game-changer. How has the Woodstock Music and Art Fair influenced the current state of the music industry? Additionally, investigate how current festivals hold up to the standards set by Woodstock.
• Music therapy for stroke patients. Find out whether incorporating elements of music therapy can support the treatment of patients who suffered a stroke.
• How do amplifiers work? If you’re a musician, you’ve likely used an amplifier before. Now it’s time to figure out what they are actually doing.
• The Killers’ contributions to indie rock. How would you define their style of music? What makes them a key player in indie music?
• Analyze the music in Grease . Pick some of the most popular songs from the musical and write about their influence on American culture.
• What’s the best way to interpret songs? Describe methods to deconstruct songs and how the music style affects this process.
• Teufel vs. Sennheiser: the ultimate comparison. German sound equipment manufacturers are known for their cutting-edge technologies. But which brand is the best?
• What role does harmony play in music composition? Choose several pieces of music and describe how the artists used harmony.
• How necessary are double bass drums? Do musicians place them on stage just to impress people, or do they have actual use?
• Compare regular festivals and free ones. Why spend hundreds of dollars on Coachella if you can go to Woodstock for free? In your essay, focus on the differences such as size, participating artists, and general entertainment.
• A historical analysis of choral music. Singing in groups is a practice common across various cultures. You might choose one or two to work on.
• How did The Rolling Stones influence British culture? The Rolling Stones are one of the longest-standing rock bands of all time. Naturally, this left significant marks on their home country.
• How important are regional accents for English-language singers? When working on this theoretical topic, include some examples and your personal opinion.
• The world of musical instruments: medieval music. This fun essay can focus on different types of medieval instruments and their evolution.
• Does the creative process differ for electronic and acoustic music? Look at how artists usually write songs. Do they start with the melody, the rhythm, or the lyrics? Does it depend on the medium?
• The correlation between poems and medieval songs. Find out how composers were reinventing poetry to create songs.
• Hip-hop and gender equality. What is the role of women in the development of this music style? Don’t forget to give examples.
• When politics interferes with art: Eurovision. Analyze the role of the political situation in this song contest. Is there anything left of its original idea?
• How did Vladimir Vysotsky become a beloved musical figure outside of Soviet Russia? It’s unusual for Russian-language musicians to gain fame outside of their home country. Research how Vysotsky managed to mingle in the USA and have some of his work posthumously released in Europe.
• K-pop conquers the world . You may narrow the topic down to a specific artist. Focus on the influence of Korean music in other cultures.
• Music school students vs. amateurs. Discuss the different experiences and outcomes of music school students and those who learn to play instruments at home.
• Do music choices shape one’s identity , or is it the other way around? It’s an exciting question that lets you dig deep into the psychology of music.
• The music of dissents. Energizing songs play an essential part in rebellions and revolutions. For example, analyze how protesters used music during the Arab Spring.
• The development and popularity of electronic music. Starting from the early experiments, analyze the development of this style and its increasing influence
• How do artists use social media to promote their music? You might want to choose one or two examples to illustrate the tools they use.
• Organum as one of the oldest written types of music . Study the development of this music style throughout various cultures.
• The appeal of Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters. Many people consider the song one of their favorites. Examine its structure, melody, and lyrics. What makes it unique?
• Africa’s hidden musical gems. African music is as diverse as its people. Pick two countries and compare their style. How do they differ from Western art?
• Did people’s music tastes improve compared to previous decades? Here, you have the chance to express your views on the evolution of people’s music preferences.
• Is the life of pop stars as easy as people think? Share your thoughts on whether famous musicians and singers have a leisurely lifestyle.
• Physiological reactions to different types of music. Study how your body reacts to various beats and tones.
• Why do people tend to listen to specific songs on certain occasions? In your essay, ponder the effects of love songs or powerful anthems on one’s mood .
• What does someone’s ringtone say about their personality ? Think about how it affects your perception of a person.
• The impact of music on the individual’s productivity . Studies suggest a positive effect on people’s performance when they listen to something pleasant while working. But all the noise can get overstimulating. That’s why finding the balance is central.
• Music is natural. In the depth of nature, there is music. Rain, a bird’s song, or the tapping of a squirrel’s feet melt together to create a beautiful composition. Music is everywhere—one only needs to listen carefully.

If you haven’t found what you’re looking for, you’re welcome to use our topic generator .

✍️ Music Essay: How to Write

So, you have chosen your essay title. Now it’s time to start writing! But before you begin, read the sections below and learn how to organize your work.

How to Describe Music in Writing

You might think that writing about music is like dancing about architecture. Well, it is not an easy task, but we know how to cope with it.

Follow these tips while writing:

• Make a comparison.  Explain which characteristics of a piece remind you or are identical to those of another one. It’s better to avoid comparing music from different composers in this case. Instead, evaluate and analyze two musical pieces from the same composer.
• Describe the melody and dynamics.  You may want to use musical terms to show your knowledge and proficiency. Define the genre and what kind of instruments and tones are used.
• Explain how it makes you feel.  You can use basic human emotions to describe the feelings of a listener. For example, it can be anger, tenderness, irritation, excitement, or nostalgia.
• Use metaphorical language.  You may try using your imagination to create analogies. Be careful not to make your metaphors overcomplicated, as it may confuse the readers.

Essays about Music: Descriptive Words

Do you want your essay on music to be interesting and expressive? Then you may want to use descriptive vocabulary. Here are some of the terms that you can use in your essay to make it sound more professional:

• Tempo is the “speed” of music. There are fixed expressions to define tempo—for example, largo, moderate, or presto. You can also describe how fast the music feels.
• Timbre is the term that evaluates the “color” of music. Even if two instruments play the same note of the same volume, the sound is still different. This is how you can notice the color of the tone. For example, gentle, clear, heavy, or warm can be the adjectives to describe timbre.
• Dynamics define the volume levels of music. The volume can be the same all the time, for example loud or soft. If the volume of music changes, you can use such expressions as “gradually gets louder” “or suddenly becomes soft.”
• Harmony characterizes how all the notes and chords sound together. The sequence of chords—chord progression—defines how satisfying the melody is for the listener. For example, if the transitions are smooth, you can use such words as “relaxed” or “warm.”

Music Essay Outline

Like any other assignment, writing about music requires a proper essay outline that will guide you through the writing. The following sections will help you with that.

Before you start, here are some tips that will help you prepare for writing:

• Do some prior research. Try to learn as much as possible about the piece you will be writing about. It’s also helpful to listen to the music several times with headphones to notice more details.
• Don’t be afraid of asking questions. Consult your instructor if you’re unsure about your topic or the piece you have chosen.
• Choose the topic that you like. If you’re passionate about a subject, it is always easier to write about it. Who said that homework could not be interesting?
• Follow the recommendations that your instructor gives. It includes word limit, formatting style, deadline, and essay type.

Music Essay Introduction

The introduction is the section where you come up with a brief explanation of the topic. You may start it with a quotation, definition, or short statement that catches your reader’s attention and leads them to the essay subject.

A thesis statement is usually the last sentence of the introduction that defines the content of body paragraphs. It needs to be specific and not longer than two sentences. If you decide to shift the focus of your essay while writing, it’s crucial to change your thesis too.

Different types of essays require different thesis statements. Let’s take a closer look:

Music Essay Body

Your essay’s body is the most significant part of your writing. Here, you provide evidence and explanations of your claims.

The typical body paragraph structure includes:

• A topic sentence explaining the argument for a particular paragraph.
• An introduction to the evidence you gathered to support an argument.
• Quotes and facts (don’t forget about proper citation!) and their explanation.
• A connection between the evidence and the essay topic.
• Paragraph transitions  leading your reader to the next section.

Topic Sentence about Music

Topic sentences can be used as a roadmap to writing your essay. Each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence that defines what the paragraph is about. It introduces the argument or main thought that will be explained. It’s also connected with the thesis statement.

It’s essential to make your thesis easy to understand, so it’s better not to overcomplicate it. For example, here’s an unsuccessful topic sentence with unnecessary words:

As stated above, the guitar is an essential musical instrument in rock music that defines how it sounds.

Instead, you can formulate it like this:

The guitar is the most iconic musical instrument in rock music that defines how it sounds.

Music Essay Conclusion

When writing a conclusion for your essay on music, you can use the following structure:

• Summarize the text in a few sentences.
• Review the key points of your paper.
• Paraphrase the thesis.

To make your essay conclusion more effective, avoid the following:

📑 What Music Means to Me: Essay Example

Now you know all about writing an essay on music! To make it even easier for you, we’ve prepared an essay sample that you can use for inspiration. Check it out:

Now all you need is to turn the music on and get down to writing! We hope you liked this guide. If you did, don’t hesitate to share it with your friends.

Further reading:

• How to Write a Good Critique Paper: Killer Tips + Examples
• How to Write an Art Critique Essay: Guidelines and Examples
• How to Write a Movie Critique Paper: Top Tips + Example
• Modern Fairy Tale Essay: How to Write, Topics and Ideas
• 200 Creative Topics for Opinion Essays
• 182 Free Ideas for Argumentative or Persuasive Essay Topics
• 180 Excellent Evaluation Essay Topics

✏️ Music Essay FAQ

Music is a vast topic. An essay might deal with anything ranging from trends in the 1950s to the best guitarists of all time. Writing an introduction to certain music styles or bands is also possible. In any case, the paper should be well-structured, logical, and cohesive.

Writing about music doesn’t necessarily require any specific skills. If you’re not familiar with the theory of music and can’t play musical instruments, you can just write about the music you like. Here are some topic ideas: favorite music band, style, or how you perceive music.

You can interpret music as a topic in various ways. If you are getting a degree in this field, you might want to write something more specific and technical. If your essay aims to merely inform and entertain, write about your favorite music style or band.

If you are writing an essay for school, a good choice would be an expository essay. It doesn’t require any specific knowledge of the music industry. Title suggestions might be: “My perception of music,” “My favorite band,” “How music can change the world.”

• What is the Music Industry? Definition and Facts: Study.com
• What Music Do You Write To?: Writers & Artists
• A Music Review: British Council
• Music: UNC Writing Center: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Sound and Sense: Writing about Music: Colorado State University
• Music analysis Research Papers: Academia.edu
• The Power of Music Therapy: Belmont University
• Musicology: Northwestern Bienen School of Music
• Musicology: Areas of Study: Indiana State University
• Music Facts: Facts.net
• Music History from Primary Sources: Library of Congress
• Music: Encyclopedia Britannica
• A History of Classical Music: Part 1: The List
• What Is Jazz: Smithsonian Institution
• The 50 Greatest Composers of All Time: Classical Music
• Musical Terms and Concepts: SUNY Potsdam
• Ethnomusicology: University of Oxford
• Music Research Process: Syracuse University
• Journal of Popular Music Studies: University of California Press
• The History of Pop Music in 5 Defining Decades: The Culture Trip
• Music of the 20 th Century: Lumen Learning
• Explainer: Indie Music: The Conversation
• Your Brain on Music: University of Central Florida
• Music and Health: Harvard University
• The Psychological Function of Music Listening: NIH
• Essays that Worked: Hamilton
• Writing in Music: Writing Thesis Statements: The City University of New York
• Academic Writing about Music: University of Denver
• How to Write Song Lyrics: Berklee
• Essay Introduction: University of Maryland
• Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements: Purdue University
• Writing Body Paragraphs: Monash University
• Some Tips for Writing Efficient, Effective Body Paragraphs: University of California, Berkeley
• Writing a Paper: Conclusions: Walden University
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Not everyone knows it, but globalization is not a brand-new process that started with the advent of the Internet. In fact, it’s been around throughout all of human history. This makes the choice of topics related to globalization practically endless.  If you need help choosing a writing idea, this Custom-Writing.org...

In today’s world, fashion has become one of the most significant aspects of our lives. It influences everything from clothing and furniture to language and etiquette. It propels the economy, shapes people’s personal tastes, defines individuals and communities, and satisfies all possible desires and needs. In this article, Custom-Writing.org experts...

Early motherhood is a very complicated social problem. Even though the number of teenage mothers globally has decreased since 1991, about 12 million teen girls in developing countries give birth every year. If you need to write a paper on the issue of adolescent pregnancy and can’t find a good...

Human rights are moral norms and behavior standards towards all people that are protected by national and international law. They represent fundamental principles on which our society is founded. Human rights are a crucial safeguard for every person in the world. That’s why teachers often assign students to research and...

Global warming has been a major issue for almost half a century. Today, it remains a topical problem on which the future of humanity depends. Despite a halt between 1998 and 2013, world temperatures continue to rise, and the situation is expected to get worse in the future. When it...

Have you ever witnessed someone face unwanted aggressive behavior from classmates? According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 1 in 5 students says they have experienced bullying at least once in their lifetime. These shocking statistics prove that bullying is a burning topic that deserves detailed research. In this...

Recycling involves collecting, processing, and reusing materials to manufacture new products. With its help, we can preserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save energy. And did you know that recycling also creates jobs and supports the economy? If you want to delve into this exciting topic in your...

Expository writing, as the name suggests, involves presenting factual information. It aims to educate readers rather than entertain or persuade them. Examples of expository writing include scholarly articles, textbook pages, news reports, and instructional guides. Therefore, it may seem challenging to students who are used to writing persuasive and argumentative...

Expository or informative essays are academic papers presenting objective explanations of a specific subject with facts and evidence. These essays prioritize balanced views over personal opinions, aiming to inform readers without imposing the writer’s perspective. Informative essays are widely assigned to students across various academic levels and can cover various...

Your computer stores your memories, contacts, and study-related materials. It’s probably one of your most valuable items. But how often do you think about its safety? Cyber security is something that can help you with this. Simply put, it prevents digital attacks so that no one can access your data....

A problem solution essay is a type of persuasive essay. It’s a piece of writing that presents a particular problem and provides different options for solving it. It is commonly used for subject exams or IELTS writing tasks. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to write this...

Have you ever wondered why everyone has a unique set of character traits? What is the connection between brain function and people’s behavior? How do we memorize things or make decisions? These are quite intriguing and puzzling questions, right? A science that will answer them is psychology. It’s a multi-faceted...

Thank you very much for this post on music essay writing! You don’t know how long I looked for the helpful information on writing music essays!

Music takes an important part in my life. I wake up and go to bed listening to music. And now when I’m writing my music essay, I also listen to music. And it’s also a pleasure to read an article on how to write an essay on music!

Presentations made painless

• Get Premium

115 Popular Music Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Music has always been a powerful form of expression, and popular music in particular has the ability to shape culture and society. If you are tasked with writing an essay on popular music, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer number of topics to choose from. To help you narrow down your options and get started on your essay, here are 115 popular music essay topic ideas and examples.

• The impact of social media on the music industry
• The evolution of music streaming services
• The role of women in the music industry
• The influence of technology on music production
• The rise of K-pop in the global music market
• The impact of the internet on music distribution
• The role of music in political movements
• The portrayal of race and ethnicity in popular music
• The influence of music on fashion trends
• The role of music in advertising
• The impact of music festivals on local economies
• The relationship between music and mental health
• The evolution of music videos
• The influence of popular music on language and slang
• The role of social justice in popular music
• The impact of music streaming on album sales
• The rise of TikTok as a platform for discovering new music
• The influence of popular music on youth culture
• The role of music in shaping identity
• The impact of music piracy on the music industry
• The portrayal of gender in popular music
• The role of music in shaping societal norms
• The influence of popular music on political campaigns
• The evolution of music genres
• The impact of music awards shows on the industry
• The relationship between music and nostalgia
• The role of music in protest movements
• The influence of popular music on film and television
• The portrayal of love and relationships in popular music
• The impact of social media influencers on music trends
• The evolution of music marketing strategies
• The role of music in cultural appropriation
• The influence of popular music on fashion trends
• The impact of music festivals on tourism
• The relationship between music and dance
• The role of music in shaping generational identities
• The influence of popular music on consumer behavior
• The portrayal of masculinity in popular music
• The impact of music education on academic achievement
• The evolution of music production techniques
• The role of music in branding and advertising
• The influence of popular music on language and communication
• The impact of music streaming on artist royalties
• The relationship between music and emotion
• The role of music in social movements
• The influence of popular music on body image
• The portrayal of sexuality in popular music
• The impact of music festivals on environmental sustainability
• The evolution of music journalism
• The role of music in cultural diplomacy
• The impact of music videos on artist visibility
• The relationship between music and memory
• The role of music in shaping cultural identity
• The influence of popular music on social media trends
• The portrayal of mental health in popular music
• The impact of music festivals on local communities
• The evolution of music distribution platforms
• The role of music in shaping political ideologies
• The influence of popular music on social justice movements
• The impact of music streaming on artist discovery
• The relationship between music and technology
• The role of music in healing and therapy
• The influence of popular music on consumer trends
• The portrayal of race and ethnicity in music videos
• The impact of music festivals on artist careers
• The evolution of music criticism
• The role of music in cultural assimilation
• The influence of popular music on social norms
• The impact of music education on creativity
• The relationship between music and spirituality
• The role of music in storytelling
• The influence of popular music on political discourse
• The portrayal of gender identity in popular music
• The role of music in cultural preservation
• The portrayal of love and relationships in music videos
• The impact of music streaming on artist exposure
• The role of music in shaping social movements
• The influence of popular music on body positivity
• The evolution of music journalism in the digital age
• The role of music in shaping cultural identities
• The portrayal of mental health in music lyrics

These popular music essay topic ideas and examples should help you get started on your essay and explore the diverse and fascinating world of popular music. Whether you are interested in the impact of technology on the music industry, the portrayal of social issues in music, or the role of music in shaping cultural identities, there is a topic for everyone in the world of popular music. Happy writing!

Want to create a presentation now?

Instantly Create A Deck

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Hassle Free

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service

© 2023 Pitchgrade

• How It Works
• All Projects
• Top-Rated Pages
• Admission essay writing
• Book report writing
• Cheap essay writing
• Coursework writing
• Dissertation writing
• Essay editing
• MBA essay writing
• Scholarship essay writing
• Term paper writing
• Write my essay
• Free sample essays
• Writing blog

141 Inspiring Music Essay Topics: Unleashing Your Inner Musician!

Are you looking for a couple of captivating music essay topics? We realize you want something original; something that none of your classmates have thought about. You are in luck; we have some of the best essay topics about music right here on this page. They are all free, so you don’t even have to give us any credit.

Did you know that our list of 141 inspiring topics has just been updated? Now all of the topics are 100% original, so you can’t go wrong if you choose one of them for your next paper. Our thought-provoking ideas are also exactly what your professors love to see. We even have some of the best controversial topics. Don’t waste hours scouring the Internet for unique topics. Choose one of ours and start writing in minutes!

Writing An Excellent Music Essay

Truth be told, finding some excellent topics in music is not enough to get a top grade on your paper. Even though this article is about topic ideas for essays and research papers, we will give you a short guide that should help you write the paper quickly and get a good grade on it:

Choose a topic: Decide on a specific aspect of music that you want to write about. You can find 141 original topics right here on this page! Research: Gather information about your topic from various sources such as books, articles, and online resources. You can also buy articles online to get high quality content. Outline: Create an outline of your essay by dividing it into different sections such as introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Introduction: Start your essay with an engaging introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the essay. Body Paragraphs: In each body paragraph, present a different aspect of your topic and support it with evidence from your research. Conclusion: Sum up the key points you have made in the essay and restate your thesis statement. Revisions: Once you have finished writing, revise your essay for grammar, clarity, and coherence.

Argumentative Essay Topics About Music

Looking for the best argumentative essay topics about music? Take a look at this comprehensive list of original ideas:

• The impact of music on emotions
• Music as a universal language
• The future of live music performances
• The ethics of music sampling
• Importance of music in film soundtracks
• The influence of music on society
• Music as a political tool
• The value of music education in schools
• The pros and cons of music streaming services
• Music and its effect on memory retention

Easy Music Topics For Essays

We have some pretty straightforward topics right here, in case you want to write the paper as fast as possible. Check out these easy music topics for essays:

• The influence of blues music on other genres
• The role of music in therapy and mental health
• Blues music and the development of other genres
• The history of rock and roll
• Impact of technology on the music industry
• The significance of music in religious ceremonies
• How has the history of rock and roll shaped the music industry?
• The cultural impact of pop music
• How has hip hop changed over the years?

Persuasive Essay Topics About Music

Do you want to write a persuasive paper on a topic in music? No problem, we’ve got your back. Here are some original persuasive essay topics about music:

• The role of music in promoting cultural diversity
• Importance of live music performances over recorded music
• The impact of music piracy on artists and the industry
• The influence of music on fashion and style
• The economic benefits of hosting music festivals
• Impact of music on political and social movements
• Role of music in advertising and commercials
• The influence of music on our mood and behavior
• Benefits of listening to different types of music
• The importance of preserving musical heritage

Insightful Music Essay Topics

Our team of writers and editors has just added this brand new list of insightful music essay topics. Choose one and start writing your essay in minutes:

• What is the cultural significance of musical icons?
• The role of music in storytelling and narrative
• The influence of world music on modern pop
• How has music been used as a form of dissent?
• The impact of music on human emotions and behavior
• The history and evolution of musical theater
• What is the role of musical improvisation in jazz?

Music Topics For College Students

If you are in college and need a relatively complex topic for your paper, don’t hesitate to pick one of these unique music topics for college students:

• The role of music in shaping cultural identity and society
• The impact of music on memory and learning
• An analysis of the lyrics of protest songs throughout history
• The history and evolution of electronic dance music (EDM)
• An exploration of the relationship between music and spirituality
• The role of music in advertising and commercials
• Impact of technology on the music industry and distribution
• An examination of the economics of the music industry

Hip-Hop Music Essay Topic Ideas

Interested in writing about hip-hop music? Great! We have a list of 9 excellent hip-hop music essay topic ideas just for you, including some controversial music topics:

• A history and evolution of hip-hop music
• The role of hip-hop in promoting social and political activism
• An examination of the lyrical content of hip-hop songs
• The influence of hip-hop on global popular culture
• An in-depth look at the impact of hip-hop on fashion and style
• The role of hip-hop in shaping urban identity and communities
• The relationship between hip-hop music and spoken-word poetry
• An exploration of the role of hip-hop in promoting representation
• A critical analysis of the commercialization of hip-hop music

Definition Essay Topics About Music

A definition essay is a paper that aims to explain and describe a specific object, event or feeling. Why don’t you take a look at our excellent music essay definition topics:

• The definition of harmony in music
• Talk about the meaning of rhythmic syncopation
• Discuss the significance of musical dynamics
• The role of chords in music
• Discuss the concept of musical form
• The definition of a creative improvisation
• The definition of counterpoint in music
• Talk about the meaning of orchestration in music
• The role of a conductor in a musical performance
• Discuss the significance of music theory

Latest Music Topics To Write About

Of course you want to write your paper on a topic that’s still of interest. This is precisely why we have a list of the latest music topics to write about right here:

• Discuss the impact that streaming has had on record sales
• The increasing popularity of hip hop and rap music
• Talk about the revival of vinyl records in recent years
• The pervasive influence of EDM on mainstream music
• Discuss the emergence of new and innovative genres
• Music’s role in various social movements
• Music as a form of protest and expression
• Social media’s effect on music discovery and promotion

Interesting Music Topics

This is a selection of the topic ideas we think are most interesting. They should impress your professor, that’s for sure. Check out our latest interesting music topics:

• How does gender and race impact the music industry?
• To what extent does music shape politics?
• What are the effects of technology on the music industry?
• How has streaming changed music consumption?
• Influence of celebrity culture on music
• Role of music in culture and identity
• Intersection of music and fashion
• Music as form of protest and social activism

Music Topics For Research Papers

Writing a research paper is never easy, we know. However, if you choose one of our music topics for research papers, you should be able to write your paper in record time:

• Talk about the role of music festivals in developing countries
• A comparison of music streaming services and their effects
• Analyzing the influence of music on consumer behavior
• The use of virtual reality in the music industry
• Discuss the implications of copyright laws on music production
• Talk about the effects of live music on local economies
• Discuss the cultural significance of music awards shows
• The impact of music videos on artist popularity

Topics About Music History

The history of music is rich and diverse. And the good news is that we’ve managed to compile some of the most exciting topics about music history for you below:

• Talk about the evolution of jazz music in the U.S.
• Exploring the roots of hip hop music
• An exploration of the birth of rock and roll
• How classical music influenced modern genres
• The origin of country music in America
• Talk about the history of the blues
• An in-depth look at the impact of the British Invasion on music

Music Topics For High School

High school students should choose topics that are a bit easier to write about. For example, here are some perfect music topics for high school students:

• How does music reflect societal attitudes?
• What is the impact of censorship on music?
• The influence of illegal downloading on the music industry
• An in-depth look at the commercialization of music
• Exploring the relationship between music and art
• Examining the influence of technology on the sound of music
• How has music evolved over the years?
• Talk about the influence of social media on music

Evaluation Essay Topics Related To Music

Are you required by your professor to write an evaluation essay? Don’t worry about it! Here are the most captivating evaluation essay topics related to music:

• Talk about the influence of music on consumer behavior
• Evaluating the impact of virtual reality on the music industry
• Assessing the influence of technology on music composition
• An in-depth look at the effects of live music on local economies
• Evaluating the power of music to influence politics
• An in-depth look at the intersection of music and fashion
• Analyzing the relationship between music and mental health
• Talk about the implications of copyright laws on music production

Hot Music Ideas To Write About

We’ve got some pretty hot music ideas to write about, if you’re interested. Just take a look at the list below and choose the topic you like the most:

• Evaluate the changing role of music in politics
• Investigate the impact of digital media on music consumption
• Explore the power of music to unite people
• Talk about the effects of censorship on the music industry
• Investigate the implications of copyright laws on music production
• Discuss the intersection of music and fashion
• Analyze the effects of AI on music composition
• Investigate social media and music promotion
• Analyze the effects of technology on the sound of music
• Discuss the influence of record labels on music
• Examine the role of music in education

Research Questions For A Music Paper

Research questions are a great way to help you come up with a great topic on your own. Here are some intriguing research questions for a music paper:

• How does listening to music impact the brain?
• What role does music play in the expression of personal identity?
• Is music therapy an effective treatment for mental health conditions?
• How much does cultural background influence musical preference?
• What is the impact of lyrics on society?
• How does music contribute to the formation of social bonds?
• Does musical training in childhood affect academic performance?
• Can music be used as a tool for social activism?
• How can we use music for the interpretation of historical events?

Our Latest Musical Topics

This is the list where we’ve added our latest musical topics. Don’t worry, the rest of the topics are also 100% original, so you can choose any of those as well.

• Talk about the evolution of musical styles and genres over time
• Music as a tool for therapy and healing
• The influence of musical education on cognitive development
• Discuss the effect of music on athletic performance
• The historical significance of music in different societies
• Music as a tool for emotional regulation
• An in-depth look at the cultural significance of musical instruments
• Music as a form of cultural diplomacy
• Talk about the impact of globalization on the spread of musical genres
• The role of music in spiritual and religious practices
• Discuss the influence of music on behavior and decision-making

Get Music Essay Writing Help Today

If you need high quality music essay writing help, you can rely on our experts and writers. Our company has years of experience writing outstanding essays and research papers for high school, college and university students from all around the world. Your professor will greatly appreciate our custom written papers. If you need an essay about music fast and cheap, or are searching for “ someone edit my essay ,” our reliable writers and editors are your best choice online.

So, how fast can you guys write my essay? We can help you with any class, any course and any assignment very quickly. Did you know that our native English speaking experts can write you a unique paper (written from scratch) in as little as 3 hours? Or that you can place an order at 3 in the morning and have the paper in your inbox at 8 AM? We offer the best homework and assignment assistance to every student who needs our help.

So, if you need some more music argumentative essay topics or need a good essay/research paper in record time, reach out to our company. And don’t forget to ask our customer support specialist about our latest offers and discounts!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Have a team of vetted experts take you to the top, with professionally written papers in every area of study.

Find anything you save across the site in your account

The Sounds of Music in the Twenty-first Century

When the hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, in April, reactions in the classical-music world ranged from panic to glee. Composers in the classical tradition have effectively monopolized the prize since its inception, in 1943. Not until 1997 did a nominal outsider—the jazz trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis—receive a nod. Lamar’s victory , for his moodily propulsive album “ damn .,” elicited some reactionary fuming—one irate commenter said that his tracks were “ neurologically divergent from music” —as well as enthusiastic assent from younger generations. The thirty-one-year-old composer Michael Gilbertson, who was a finalist this year, told Slate, “I never thought my string quartet and an album by Kendrick Lamar would be in the same category. This is no longer a narrow honor.”

Lamar’s win made me think about the changing nature of “distinguished musical composition,” to use the Pulitzer’s crusty term. Circa 1950, this was understood to mean writing a score for others to perform, whether in the guise of the dissonant hymns of Charles Ives or the spacious Americana of Aaron Copland. But that definition was always suspect: it excluded jazz composers, whose tradition combines notation and improvisation. In 1965, a jury tried to give a Pulitzer to Duke Ellington, but the board refused. Within classical composition, meanwhile, activity on the outer edges had further blurred the job description. By the early fifties, Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry were creating collages that incorporated recordings of train engines and other urban sounds; Karlheinz Stockhausen was assisting in the invention of synthesized sound; John Cage was convening ensembles of radios. By century’s end, a composer could be a performance artist, a sound artist, a laptop conceptualist, or an avant-garde d.j. Du Yun , Kate Soper , and Ashley Fure , the Pulitzer finalists in 2017—I served on the jury—make use, variously, of punk-rock vocals, instrumentally embroidered philosophical lectures, and architectural soundscapes. Such artists may lack the popular currency of Lamar, but they are not cloistered souls.

Writing overnight history is a perilous task, but the British critic Tim Rutherford-Johnson manages the feat in “ Music After the Fall: Modern Composition and Culture Since 1989 ” (University of California). In fewer than three hundred pages of cogent prose, Rutherford-Johnson catalogues the bewildering diversity of twenty-first-century composed music, and, more important, makes interpretative sense of a corpus that ranges from symphonies and string quartets to improvisations on smashed-up pianos found in the Australian outback (Ross Bolleter’s “ Secret Sandhills ”). By the end of the book, definitions seem more elusive than ever: to compose is to work with sound, or with silence, in a premeditated way, or not. What, then, isn’t composition? Conversations around the term often focus on either erasing or redrawing the boundary between the classical and the popular. Rutherford-Johnson makes us think about other borders: between genres, between ideologies, between art and the world. “Music After the Fall” is the best extant map of our sonic shadowlands, and it has changed how I listen.

I first encountered Rutherford-Johnson as the author of a new-music blog called the Rambler, which he started in 2003, when starting a blog was still a novel thing to do. I became a devoted reader after he compared the work of Harrison Birtwistle to “granite in November rain”—a fine phrase for that rugged, monumental music. “Music After the Fall,” like the blog, addresses a vast range of music, from the gnarliest experimentalism to the mellowest minimalism, and Rutherford-Johnson applies a critical intelligence that is at once rigorous and generous. He has the faculty of “omniaudience”: he seems to have heard and comprehended everything.

Rutherford-Johnson, who is forty-one, is wise to commence his account in 1989, rather than in 2000. Just as the cultural twentieth century began late, with the modernist convulsions of 1907-13 (Picasso, Matisse, Stein, Pound, Schoenberg, Stravinsky), so it ended early, its verities collapsing under the pressure of political and economic tumult. The “fall” in the title points most obviously to the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, but it has wider resonances. The rapid spread of globalization, the triumph of unregulated free-market economics, the invasive power of the Internet, and the decline of liberal democracy have eroded institutions that defined cultural activity throughout the twentieth century. I was a college student in 1989, and the world of that year now seems ancient. Like my parents and grandparents, I grew up reading print newspapers and magazines, writing longhand or on a typewriter, listening to records, mailing letters, driving with maps. I have far less in common with people twenty years younger than I am. Virginia Woolf’s famous birth date for modernity—“On or about December 1910 human character changed”—probably has a latter-day counterpart, sometime in the nineties.

In composed music, the big news was the retreat, and possible demise, of modernism. After the Second World War, prodigiously complex systems of organizing music spread to all corners of the globe: twelve-tone composition, its serialist variants, chance operations, and so on. The archetypal modern piece was knotty and abstract, with angular gestures and abrupt transitions. Traditional musical forms fell from fashion, and direct emotional expression was considered vulgar. The high priest of the epoch was the late Pierre Boulez, who declared that any composer who had not absorbed Schoenberg’s twelve-tone method was “ useless .”

One of the sharpest critiques of the modernist ethos came from the musicologist Susan McClary, who, in a 1988 paper, “Terminal Prestige,” dissected the “mystique of difficulty,” seeing modernism as a “reductio ad absurdum of the nineteenth-century notion that music ought to be an autonomous activity, insulated from the contamination of the outside social world.” Behind the defiant modernist façade she detected a macho pose, an aversion to “soft, sentimental, ‘feminine’ qualities.” The modernist disdain for popularity and commercial values masked an alternative marketplace in which élite artists competed for grants and professorships. All this could be seen as an offshoot of a Cold War mentality in which abstruse pursuits were propped up with scientific-sounding language.

The seventies and eighties saw the gradual return of tonally based composition, in the form of minimalism, the New Simplicity, and the New Romanticism. These developments aligned with postmodern trends in other art forms: the return of ornament in architecture, of figuration in painting, of episodic narrative in fiction. The first work that Rutherford-Johnson discusses in his book is Steve Reich’s “ Different Trains ,” from 1988, which incorporates a live string quartet and a digital soundtrack of speaking voices, prerecorded string tracks, and ambient sounds. Its chugging motion and repetitive gestures present an invitingly smooth surface, even as the recorded material pivots toward stories of the Holocaust. The piece typifies the late-twentieth-century return to fundamentals—what McClary describes as “composing for people.”

Yet Rutherford-Johnson follows his analysis of “Different Trains” with discussions of very different works from the late eighties: Galina Ustvolskaya’s Sixth Piano Sonata , in which the performer bashes out hyper-dissonant cluster chords; Hildegard Westerkamp’s “ Kits Beach Soundwalk ,” a montage of sounds recorded near Vancouver, Canada; Merzbow’s “ Brain Forest—For Acoustic Metal Concrete ,” an onslaught of electronic noise; and Bright Sheng’s “ H’un ,” a brooding orchestral memorial to victims of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The point is clear: Reich’s reaction to modernist complexity is merely one strand of an intricate musical fabric.

Indeed, Rutherford-Johnson takes a cool view of mainstream minimalism, saying that it “speaks of and to America in the 1990s: it is redeemed, technologically ascendant, media friendly, culturally dehierarchized, and postmodernistically optimistic.” Such music appeals to classical and pop-trained listeners in equal measure—a characteristic that gave Reich, Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt, and other minimalist-leaning composers an audience far larger than the industry average. The most unexpected Billboard hit of the early nineties was Nonesuch’s recording of Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 , a hypnotically doleful immersion in slow-moving tonal harmony, which sold more than a million copies. By the early years of the twenty-first century, pop-inflected post-minimalism was the dominant style among younger Americans. At a certain point, composers like Nico Muhly and Caroline Shaw and indie-pop groups like the National and Arcade Fire often seemed to be speaking the same half-bright, half-bittersweet language.

Tonality had its comeback, to the extent that it ever went away. At the same time, modernism failed to expire, despite the many obituaries that were written for it. McClary acknowledged as much in a 2015 essay, “The Lure of the Sublime,” published in the anthology “ Transformations of Musical Modernism ” (Cambridge University). In it, she describes the emergence of a “twenty-first-century version of modernism” that adopts a more openly sensuous language. McClary singles out three operas on topics of doomed passion: Salvatore Sciarrino’s “ Luci Mie Traditrici ” (1998), Kaija Saariaho’s “ L’Amour de Loin ” (2000), and George Benjamin’s “ Written on Skin ” (2012). All three works have mesmerized large audiences, even though they avoid obvious tonal reference points. The arrival of Saariaho’s opera at the Met, in 2016, was a particularly bracing sign of modernist longevity. The piece begins with low tendrils of sound, which gather into immense, shuddering dissonances. But the gradualness of the process—the methodical accumulation of shimmering patterns over organ-like bass tones—saturates the ears instead of battering them. The music breathes and moves like a living organism. As McClary suggests, it imparts a human dimension to the modernist sublime.

Other heirs of the modernist legacy have refused to compromise, hunkering down in dissonance and difficulty. In the nineteen-eighties, the British-born, American-based composer Brian Ferneyhough was named the avatar of a New Complexity, and although Ferneyhough never adopted the term himself, it reflects the extreme density of his music—a meticulous chaos of piled-up rhythms, conflicting melodic lines, and disintegrating forms. Rutherford-Johnson captures the effect: “The way Ferneyhough deliberately overpacks his music with information, starting and restarting it every few seconds to create a perceptual overload, thwarts the memory’s ability to create a meaningful structure. . . . Time after time, what we have just heard is pushed into the background by what follows next.” This is a very contemporary experience, matching the from-all-sides tempo of video games and social-media threads. Small wonder that Ferneyhough has been hugely influential among composers who have come of age since 1989.

Much twentieth-century modernist music sounded like—and actually was—the outcome of a preordained process, the working out of a utopian or a mathematical idea. Modernists of today, whether of the sensuous or the spastic type, are less concerned with method: their music tends to have a tactile immediacy. One compelling figure is the Israeli-born composer Chaya Czernowin, who studied with Ferneyhough and has become a formidable teacher herself. Rutherford-Johnson says of her 1999 opera, “Pnima,” that listeners can feel the notes being played “as different forms of abrasion and pressure”: “air pushing against dilating lips, bow hairs sliding against strings, fingertips plucking and sliding.” Although her music is dark and unyielding, and is written in the shadow of trauma—“Pnima” is about younger generations coming to terms with the Holocaust—there is nothing dry or cerebral about it. Czernowin composes the negative beauty of disaster; it is the musical equivalent of Picasso’s “Guernica” or Anselm Kiefer’s “Margarethe.”

Link copied

Modern classical music is bedevilled by what might be called the Kandinsky Problem. Modernist painters, writers, and filmmakers had a far easier time finding a wide audience than composers did. Kandinsky creates mob scenes in museums; the mere appearance of Schoenberg’s name on a concert program can depress attendance. Although composers do not deserve blame for this state of affairs—conservative institutions are fundamentally at fault, having created a hostile atmosphere for new music as far back as the mid-nineteenth century—inscrutable program notes and imperious attitudes did not ease the standoff between artist and audience. Millennial modernists tend to take a different tack. Trevor Bača, one of Czernowin’s American students, says of his grittily evocative scores, “I write because I feel an emotional compulsion to write—to give form to fantastic or impossible colors and shapes as sound and as pleasure—and, yet, when I write, I am intensely aware of the fact that I am setting up and taking apart a code. . . . I reject any dichotomy that pits the analytic against the emotional.”

Rutherford-Johnson has no interest in constructing a new canon of Great Men, or of Great Women, who are carrying on the saga of heroic musical innovation. (The suffocating maleness of music history is at an end, even if the news has yet to reach most big-league orchestras and opera houses.) Instead, he presents a decentered, democratized scene, in which famous names collide with figures who may be obscure even to plugged-in fanatics. Reading his book took me months, as I stopped to search out Internet evidence of the likes of Cynthia Zaven’s “ Untuned Piano Concerto with Delhi Traffic Orchestra ” (2006), in which the composer improvised raucously on the back of a truck being driven around New Delhi.

In Rutherford-Johnson’s telling, composers are not sequestered monks but attuned social beings who react to cultural pressures. The book is organized around an array of such forces: late-capitalist economics, the breakdown of genres, sexual liberation, globalization, the Internet, environmentalism, the traumas of war and terror. Moving from nation to nation and continent to continent—the book includes not only British, American, French, and German composers but also Lebanese, Filipino, and Asian-Australian ones—Rutherford-Johnson hosts a musical version of the Venice Biennale. For a theoretical frame, he adopts the curator and critic Nicolas Bourriaud’s notion of “radicant” aesthetics—radicant being the botanical term for organisms with no single root, like ivy.

Attracted to conceptual extremes, Rutherford-Johnson devotes many pages to works that extend the radical experiments of John Cage. A lot of the pieces he describes consist mainly of verbal instructions, and verge on being exercises in meditation. Peter Ablinger has written an assortment of compositions that involve photographs hanging on a gallery wall or chairs arranged in various locations, such as a parking lot or a beach. The music becomes, as in Cage’s “4'33",” whatever one happens to hear in the space. The score for Jennifer Walshe’s “ THIS IS WHY PEOPLE O.D. ON PILLS / AND JUMP FROM THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE ” begins with the instruction “Learn to skateboard, however primitively.” Performers are asked to acquire the rudiments of the sport and then to re-create the experience while playing whatever instrument comes to hand.

What does any of this have to do with distinguished musical composition? With that inevitable question, the Kandinsky Problem resurfaces. In the art world, instinctive antagonism to the new, the weird, and the absurd is less common. People think nothing of queueing for hours in order to sit in a chair opposite Marina Abramović or to grope their way through a foggy tunnel designed by Olafur Eliasson. Indeed, composers can often find a more appreciative audience if they reclassify their music as an installation or as performance art. Walshe is a fascinating in-between case: her catalogue includes a delightfully bewildering group of manifestos, scores, art works, and recordings that purport to document an Irish Dadaist collective called GRÚPAT . The collective is entirely Walshe’s invention. GRÚPAT works have been presented mainly at museums and galleries.

Outré tinkering can yield new kinds of beauty. Such is the story of the international composing collective known as Wandelweiser , many of whose creations are so austere that they try the patience of even hardcore vanguardists. Manfred Werder’s “2003 (1)” asks a trio of performers to make only two sounds during a performance of indeterminate length; the one extant recording lasts seventy minutes. As Rutherford-Johnson has written on his blog, such a score is a “utopian extravagance,” but it clears a space for a piece like Jürg Frey’s Third String Quartet , a whispery procession of frail, gorgeous chords. The music of Wandelweiser seems to embody a philosophy of passive resistance. In an information-overload culture, the most revolutionary act might be to say as little as possible, as quietly as possible, as slowly as possible. (John Cage’s “ As Slow As Possible ” is currently receiving a performance at a church in Germany; it began in 2001 and is scheduled to end in 2640.)

The twenty-first-century aesthetic of quietude often overlaps with site-specific and installation-like works, which escape the concert hall and merge with the environment. Rutherford-Johnson explores the genre of the “soundwalk,” in which a composer curates a journey through a particular soundscape. Field recordings are a popular way to evoke places, especially those endangered by environmental change. Annea Lockwood has produced “sound maps” of the Hudson, Danube, and Housatonic rivers; Francisco López’s “ La Selva ” is a transfixing seventy-minute fabric of sounds from the Costa Rican rain forest. A related genre is what Rutherford-Johnson calls the “journey form.” In 2016, the percussionist Payton MacDonald performed thirty works while taking a twenty-five-hundred-mile bike trip from Mexico to Canada, along the Continental Divide. Such projects often have a political undertow. When we stop using music as a noise-cancelling shield—when we listen sensitively to the natural world—we register how much damage we are doing.

“Music After the Fall” would be a dull book if it satisfied everyone, and not all of it persuaded me. Rutherford-Johnson is inconsistent in how he handles composers who have reverted to some form of tonality. Some, such as John Adams, are depicted as market-oriented artists peddling nostalgic neo-Romanticism. Others are praised for undertaking “personal explorations of the expressive and formal limits of musical materials.” It’s not clear how one can decide from a distance what inner urges motivate any given composer. Nor is it necessarily the case that pure or impure motives lead to better or worse music. And Adams hardly fits the profile of a pandering nostalgist; otherwise, he would not have written “ The Death of Klinghoffer ,” the most politically divisive opera of recent decades. Rutherford-Johnson is on firmer ground when he observes that few artists fall into the binary positions of “resisting or embracing the market.” On either side of the enduring tonal-atonal divide, most composers are, at best, eking out a living.

Rutherford-Johnson is correct in asserting that market forces have led to an upsurge of euphonious, audience-friendly scores. Still, there should be a space for principled populism—works that enter the arenas of opera, symphonic music, film scores, and musical theatre not to appease but to provoke. An avant-garde piece that addresses misogyny and rape culture is unlikely to cause much dissent in an audience of metropolitan connoisseurs. But when Missy Mazzoli’s 2016 opera, “ Breaking the Waves ,” a brutally expressive adaptation of the Lars von Trier film, places such issues in front of a broader crowd, the tension is palpable. The atmosphere becomes all the more charged when Mazzoli uses gestures out of Puccini, Janáček, and Britten, in which women have limited agency or hardly exist.

Another blurry area of Rutherford-Johnson’s map—one that might require another book—is the terrain where experimental composers cross paths with the less popular denizens of popular music. In his opening discussion of 1989-era figures, one stands apart: Masami Akita, who records under the name Merzbow. Unlike the others, Akita never received formal classical training, and his enormous output takes the form not of scores but of studio and live recordings. Still, the decision to include him makes intuitive sense. What Akita shares with the notational composers who dominate “Music After the Fall” is his distance from the center: noise music is, by its nature, an underground culture. To many ears, Merzbow and Chaya Czernowin may sound much the same, despite the obvious differences in the composers’ backgrounds and methods. They are Other Music—to borrow the name of the beloved, now departed East Village store that stocked the kinds of releases you couldn’t find at Tower Records.

But, if noise musicians belong in Rutherford-Johnson’s narrative, so do countless other contrary-minded artists. The lineage of free jazz and “great black music” that descends from Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, and Anthony Braxton should have a prominent place. The composer and multi-instrumentalist Tyshawn Sorey , a deserving recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship last year, shows the vitality of that strand in the younger generation. He writes in the interstices of classical and jazz; his music is both composed and improvised. Such artists also refuse to play the problematic role that white America tends to assign black musicians: that of the redemptive mass entertainer. The composer-scholar George E. Lewis has noted that the idea of a black avant-garde—or, for that matter, of a black classical composer—is often considered a contradiction in terms. The awarding of the Pulitzer to Lamar was widely hailed, but the choice of the avant-garde-leaning Henry Threadgill, two years earlier, was largely ignored.

The veneration of the musical canon leads all too easily to a kind of highbrow theme park that trades on nostalgia for a half-mythical past. Yet tradition can also foster a revolt against a quasi-totalitarian popular culture that subjects everyone to the same bundle of products. Rutherford-Johnson mentions “something indefinable” in the Western classical tradition that attracts creative musicians from across the globe, even if they end up rebelling against that tradition. The more they reject the past, the more they pay tribute to it. This September, the New York Philharmonic will give the première of Ashley Fure’s “Filament,” for orchestra, instrumental soloists, and singers. Some members of the gala audience may squirm at Fure’s fiercely bright chords and distorted, staticky instrumental textures. When, at the end of the program, they rise to cheer “The Rite of Spring,” they should remember that they are applauding yesterday’s unlistenable noise. ♦

Books & Fiction

By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Think you can get into a top-10 school? Take our chance-me calculator... if you dare. 🔥

Last updated March 22, 2024

Every piece we write is researched and vetted by a former admissions officer. Read about our mission to pull back the admissions curtain.

Blog > Essay Advice , Personal Statement > How to Write a Great College Essay About Music (with examples)

How to Write a Great College Essay About Music (with examples)

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Alex McNeil, MA Admissions Consultant

Key Takeaway

Ask any admissions officer if they’ve read a college essay about music, and they’ll definitely say yes. Between music extracurriculars and academic interests in music, it’s is one of the most common college essay topics.

So does that mean that you shouldn’t write your college essay about music?

Not necessarily. But as with any common college essay topic, some approaches are better than others.

Let’s get into it.

Why you should (and shouldn’t) write your Common App essay about music

As we explained in our Stanford Items exercise , writing your college essay on a common topic isn’t off-limits. In fact, most college essays share common topics and themes. Trying to find a completely unique, never-been-done-before topic is almost impossible. And writing about a quirky topic in hopes of coming across as unique usually backfires.

In other words, it’s likely that you’ll write about the same topic as someone else.

The problem arises, however, when you write about a common topic in a cliche way . Cliches are always a danger in college essays, but in especially college essay topics that tend to surface again and again.

To avoid cliches, your college essay about music needs to be deeply personal, specific, and meaningful. You’ll want to let go of any over-generalizations or truisms and focus on the details of your own story.

Because you’ll need to write meaningfully and vulnerably, you should only write your college essay about music if you have something genuine and significant to say.

The Best Ways to Approach Your College Essay about Music

College essays about music aren’t off the table, but you should be thoughtful in how you write about them. The following two approaches will help you avoid cliches and find an authentic, meaningful story that fulfills all the requirements of a personal statement .

Writing about music as an academic interest

If you’re interested in studying music in college, then you can consider writing your college essay about music as an academic interest. A college essay about your academic interest in music can show fantastic intellectual fit with a school.

Let’s say you want to study music theory or composition. You might write about a topic you find compelling, a problem you’ve solved, or even a recounting of your journey becoming interested in the subject.

Or maybe you’re an aspiring performer planning on studying music performance. As an admissions officer, I read outstanding essays about students performing their favorite pieces, creating emotional music projects, and teaching lessons to young children.

No matter your topic, your goal with this approach is to show an intellectual spark, a curiosity and passion that will demonstrate to your admissions officers that you’ll be a great addition to the music community on their campuses.

Writing poignantly about a deeply meaningful extracurricular

The previous approach is great if you want to study music, but what if music is just an extracurricular passion of yours? Don’t worry—you can still write about it.

In that case, the best way is to focus on meaning. Remember: personal statements should be deeply-meaningful reflections on your personal strengths.

To start, reflect on your music extracurricular. Is it playing guitar in a band? Playing trombone in your school’s symphony? Learning piano from your grandma? How your love of poetry turned into a love of songwriting?

Next, think about what strengths you have to showcase. If you play guitar in a band, maybe you want to highlight your collaborative spirit. If you love poetry and songwriting, perhaps you focus on your creativity.

Writing about your love of music in a way that draws upon your strengths will make sure that your Common App essay avoids the following two approaches and gives admissions officers a reason to admit you.

Approaches to Avoid

While the following two approaches aren’t necessarily bad, they are the most cliche ways of approaching a college essay about music. You might want to consider avoiding them.

An inauthentic tale of triumph

Let me tell you a cliche story.

When I was in fourth grade, I decided to join the school orchestra. I found it exceedingly difficult at first. No matter how hard I tried, I never could seem to place my fingers correctly on the fingerboard. Every sound I made mimicked a screeching cat. But I decided not to give up. I practiced every day after school and on the weekends. By the time I was in ninth grade, I had made it into my high school’s top orchestra.

Is that a lovely story? Yes, absolutely. Is it hearty enough for a college essay? No. While it tells a good narrative of growth and progress, it remains on the surface of the writer’s life. It comes across as a convenient way to brag about your strengths instead of exploring them in a genuine way. In this example, the story also focuses on events that happened way too far in the past.

A song that changed your life

This approach is by far the most common cliche in college essays about music. We’ve all been there: a favorite song that transports you to a moment in your life whenever you hear it. It makes sense that you’d want to write about yours.

But there’s a problem with this approach. Too often, it reads as trite or unoriginal, and the end result usually doesn’t say much about the writer. And when it does, the message an admissions officer gets doesn’t typically give them any more reason to admit you. Since you want your college essay to be meaningful, even vulnerable, and strengths-based, you’re better off choosing another topic that better speaks to who you are.

Key Takeaways + Examples

College essays about music aren’t for everyone. But when you get it right, you can strike the perfect chord with admissions officers (you’re welcome for the pun).

As you go, dig deep, find something genuinely personal, and try to avoid the most common and cliche ways of approaching the topic.

Want to see some examples of college essays about music before you get started? Check out our examples, The Time Machine and The Band .

Liked that? Try this next.

The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application

How to Write a College Essay (Exercises + Examples)

21 College Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

How A Selective Admissions Office Reads 50k Applications In A Season

"the only actually useful chance calculator i’ve seen—plus a crash course on the application review process.".

Irena Smith, Former Stanford Admissions Officer

We built the best admissions chancer in the world . How is it the best? It draws from our experience in top-10 admissions offices to show you how selective admissions actually works.

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• Music Essay

Essay on Music

Music is like a universal language of life. It is basically the sound that is brought together through the harmony of various instruments. Our life would have been totally empty and different without music. It is something that every human being enjoys. It is a very powerful thing. Music helps to destress, heal, and motivate.

If you are looking for a short essay on music, then take a look at the short essay given in the following. This is created by the in-house exports of Vedantu keeping the understanding ability of the students. Those who are looking for references can look up to this following essay. It will be easy to figure out the pattern of how to write an essay on music. One can also download the Vedantu app to get access to the same file.

Music Essay for Students

“Without music, life will be a mistake” the statement of Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher, simplified the importance of music in one’s life so easily. Music has a magical impact on humans. It's the best form of magic. 

The origin of the word ‘music’ is the Greek word ‘mousike’ which means ‘art of muses’. Music is a form of art and artists decorate it. The music consists of lesser words with deeper meanings. Frequently people use music as a painkiller to escape from the pain of life.  ‘Musical Notations’ is the leading form to write music. This provides a reference to an artist so he can share with others if necessary. Music is a mood freshener and accompanies us in our pocket devices, on televisions, movies, and the most effective in live concerts.

Different forms of music have different effects on human nature. Music is the greatest creation of mankind in the course of history. A combination of deem lights and calm music encourages the listener to eat less and enjoy the food more. Listening to music positively in a car influences one’s mood leads to safer behaviour and fewer road rages ultimately minimising accidental destructions.

If the students love the music, it helps them in recalling the information more significantly along with improvement in verbal intelligence. The studies have found that listening to favourite songs helps fibromyalgia patients to experience less chronic pain. Music has a direct effect on our hormonal levels. Listening to music decreases the level of the hormone cortisol in our body and counteracts the effect of chronic stress.

The heart-touching music is nothing but creativity with the purest and undiluted form. The combination of vocal or instrumental sounds in such a way that it produces beauty and expresses emotions. Anyone can make their day by enjoying music by listening or by composting or by playing. The global facts say parents intensively use music to soothe children even to interact.

Music touches the heart through the ears. It has divine power to act as an energy booster. Some music assists in motivation while some play the best role in sympathy. Music helps us to fight insomnia. Listening to classical or relaxing music, just before going to bed, improves one’s sleep.

Though music helps to counteract depression and loneliness, people underestimate the impact of music on the human mindset in the age of irony age. On the other side of the coin, there are some types of music that can result in deleterious effects on the human mind and body. Listening to music with high decibels can damage neurons. The effect on the brain subjected to continuous exposure to electronic amplification of rhythmic music is similar to that of drugs.

Genres of Music

While talking about a wide variety of music that ranges from ages belonging to different places, cultures, and types, the list of genres is endless. However, some of the major genres of music are stated as below:

Folk & Traditional Music

Traditional music holds an impression of the culture that it represents. It is usually illustrated and sung with folk music. Folk music is taught by one generation to another vocally through singing it and by listening to it. Various dance performances are in order to make it stay intact through ages. In India, the state of Rajasthan is well known for its Traditional-folk music with its dance. Several other regions are also popular.

Art music describes the characteristics of both classical and contemporary art forms. It is usually sung by just one person and demands a high level of attention from its listeners. It is quite well known in Europe.

Religious Music

The type of music that is affiliated to the worshipping of God by singing it, is known as Religious Music. Every religion has its own style and way of singing it. Christian music is one of the most famous religious music known all over the world.

Popular Music

As the name suggests, the type of music that is popular and accessible to everyone and everywhere is known as Popular Music. Such music is composed mostly by the entertainment industry for the purpose of monetary income. As compared to other types of music, Popular Music attracts a notable audience through different concerts or Live shows.

It has gained immense popularity over a period of time and varies from country to country and from culture to culture. One can listen to it on public platforms, digital platforms, television commercials, radio, and even at shopping centres.

Popular music can be subcategorized into numerous types such as Hip Hop Music, Rock Music, Polka Music Music, Jazz Music, Pop Music Latin Music, Electronic Music, Punk Music, and many more. Among different types of Popular Music, Hip Hop Music is vividly famous, especially among the youth population. The culture of Hip Hop music originally started in New York City and now has taken over its place everywhere. The culture of Hip Hop dance has also emerged because of the same. With passing time, a lot of changes are happening in the field of Music but it will never go out of style.

Music is a healer to all human emotions from sadness to depression. It is a cause of happiness. Music content has many genres to play. Emotional expressions have been regarded as the most important criteria for the aesthetic value of music. Sometimes, some crises of life are impossible to express in proper sentences and their music plays its best part. Log on to Vedantu to find exciting essays on other topics and learn how to frame one perfectly from experts.

FAQs on Music Essay

1. What Role Does Music Play in Our Life?

Music is a very important part of our life as it is a way to express our feelings as well as emotions. For some people, music is a way to escape from all the pain. It gives you relief and allows you to destress yourself. Music plays a crucial role in our life rather than just being a source of entertainment. More importantly, music is something that can be enjoyed by everyone irrespective of their caste, creed, age, or gender.

2. Why is Music So Powerful?

Music is a language of emotion in that it can represent different feelings of a soul without any boundaries or limitations. When people feel really low and think that no one understands them, they listen to music. It is a good weapon to imitate emotions and reduce them. Music is something that can be felt from within our soul. Music is connected with Nature. There are numerous incidents of various singers where singing had led towards the showering of rains. 

3. How Can I Write an Essay on Music?

Get to know the topic. You can't start writing about music until you've familiarised yourself with the concept. Do research thoroughly. Understand the important points and jot them down. Then draw a structure and start writing an essay. A student needs to realise the importance of music and the belonging of its culture for a better understanding and ease of writing. Talking to different artists from this field may also help in writing the essay. Refer to this essay framed by the experts of Vedantu and compile on your own.

4. Is Music a Means of Therapy?

In this modern era where everyone is busy living their hectic life, music plays an important role in soothing one’s mental health. Over a course of time, it has been scientifically proven that music acts as a therapy for a person suffering from depression or anxiety. Even the sound of waves in the ocean helps to heal a person mentally. Thus, psychologists suggest hearing calm and soothing to gain relief from worldly distress.

Guide on How to Write a Music Essay: Topics and Examples

Let's Understand What is Music Essay

You know how some school assignments are fun to write by default, right? When students see them on the course syllabus, they feel less like a burden and more like a guaranteed pleasure. They are about our interests and hobbies and therefore feel innate and intuitive to write. They are easy to navigate, and interesting topic ideas just pop into your head without much trouble.

Music essays belong to the category of fun essay writing. What is music essay? Anything from in-depth analysis to personal thoughts put into words and then to paper can fall into a music essay category. An essay about music can cover a wide range of topics, including music history, theory, social impact, significance, and musical review. It can be an analytical essay about any music genre, musical instruments, or today's music industry.

Don't get us wrong, you will still need to do extensive research to connect your opinions to a broader context, and you can't step out of academic writing standards, but the essay writing process will be fun.

In this article, our custom essay writing service is going to guide you through every step of writing an excellent music essay. You can draw inspiration from the list of music essay topics that our team prepared, and later on, you will learn what an outstanding essay on music is by an example of a music review essay.

What are Some Music Topics to Write About

There are so many exciting music topics to write about. We would have trouble choosing one. You can write about various music genres, be it country music or classical music; you can research music therapy or how music production happens.

Okay, forgive us for getting carried away; music makes us enthusiastic. Below you will find a list of various music essay topics prepared from our thesis writing service . Choose one and write a memorable essay about everyone's favorite art form.

Music Argumentative Essay Topics

Music essays can be written about an infinite number of themes. You can even write about performance or media comparison.

Here is a list of music argumentative essay topics. These edge-cutting topics will challenge your readers and get you an easy A+.

• Exploring the evolution of modern music styles of the 21st century
• Is it ethical to own and play rare musical instruments?
• Is music therapy an effective mental health treatment?
• Exploring the Intersection of Technology and Creativity in electronic music
• The Relevance of traditional music theory in modern music production
• The Role of musical pieces in the Transmission of cultural identity
• The value of historical analysis in understanding the significance of music in society
• How does exposing listeners to different genres of music break down barriers
• Exploring the cognitive effects of music on human brain development
• The therapeutic potential of music in treating mental disorders

Why is Music Important Essay Topics

Do you know which essay thrills our team the most? The importance of music in life essay. We put our minds together and came up with a list of topics about why music is so central to human life. Start writing why is music important essay, and we guarantee you that you will be surprised by how much fun you had crafting it.  

• Popular Music and its Role in shaping cultural trends
• Music as a metaphorical language for expressing emotions and thoughts
• How music changes and influences social and political movements
• How the music of different countries translates their history to outsiders
• The innate connection between music and human beings
• How music helps us understand feelings we have never experienced
• Does music affect our everyday life and the way we think?
• Examining the cross-cultural significance of music in society
• How rock music influenced 70's political ideologies
• How rap music closes gaps between different racial groups in the US

Consider delegating your ' write my essay ' request to our expert writers for crafting a perfect paper on any music topic!

Why I Love Music Essay Topics

We want to know what is music to you, and the best way to tell us is to write a why I love music essay. Below you will find a list of music essay topics that will help you express your love for music.

• I love how certain songs and artists evoke Memories and Emotions
• I love the diversity of music genres and how different styles enrich my love for music
• I love how music connects me with people of different backgrounds
• How the music of Linkin Park helped me through life's toughest challenges
• What does my love for popular music say about me?
• How the unique sounds of string instruments fuel my love for music
• How music provides a temporary Release from the stresses of daily life
• How music motivates me to chase my dreams
• How the raw energy of rock music gets me through my daily life
• Why my favorite song is more than just music to me

Need a Music Essay ASAP?

Our expert team is quick to get you an A+ on all your assignments!

Music Therapy Essay Topics

One of the most interesting topics about music for an essay is music therapy. We are sure you have heard all the stories of how music cures not only mental but also physical pains. Below you can find a list of topics that will help you craft a compelling music therapy essay. And don't forget that you can always rely on our assistance for fulfilling your ' write my paper ' requests!

• The effectiveness of music therapy in reducing stress and pain for cancer patients
• Does pop music have the same effects on music therapy as classical music?
• Exploring the benefits of music therapy with other genres beyond classical music
• The potential of music therapy in aiding substance abuse treatment and recovery
• The Role of music therapy in Addressing PTSD and Trauma in military veterans
• The impact of music therapy on enhancing social interaction and emotional expression in individuals with developmental disabilities
• The use of music therapy in managing chronic pain
• Does musical therapy help depression?
• Does music reduce anxiety levels?
• Is music therapy better than traditional medicine?

History of Music Essay Topics

If you love analytical essays and prefer to see the bigger picture, you can always write a music description essay. Below you can find some of the most interesting topics for the history of music essay.

• The Significance of natural instruments in music production and performance
• Tracing the historical development of Western music theory
• How electronic music traces its roots back to classical music
• How the music industry evolved from sheet music to streaming services
• How modern producers relate to classical composers
• The Origins and Influence of Jazz Music
• How folk music saved the Stories of unnamed heroes
• Do we know what the music of ancient civilizations sounded like?
• Where does your favorite bandstand in the line of music evolve?
• The Influence of African American Music on modern pop culture

Benefits of Music Essay Topics

If you are someone who wonders what are some of the values that music brings to our daily life, you should write the benefits of music essay. The music essay titles below can inspire you to write a captivating essay:

• How music can be used to promote cultural awareness and understanding
• The benefits of music education in promoting creativity and innovation
• The social benefits of participating in music groups
• The Impact of Music on Memory and Learning
• The cognitive benefits of music education in early childhood development
• The effects of music on mood and behavior
• How learning to play an instrument improves cognitive functions.
• How music connects people distanced by thousands of miles
• The benefits of listening to music while exercising
• How music can express the feelings words fail to do so 

Music Analysis Essay Example

Reading other people's papers is a great way to scale yours. There are many music essay examples, but the one crafted by our expert writers stands out in every possible way. You can learn what a great thesis statement looks like, how to write an engaging introduction, and what comprehensive body paragraphs should look like. 

Click on the sample below to see the music analysis essay example. 

How to Write a Music Essay with Steps

Writing music essays is definitely not rocket science, so don't be afraid. It's just like writing any other paper, and a music essay outline looks like any other essay structure.

• Start by choosing a music essay topic. You can use our list above to get inspired. Choose a topic about music that feels more relevant and less researched so you can add brand-new insights. As we discussed, your music essay can be just about anything; it can be a concert report or an analytical paper about the evolution of music.
• Continue by researching the topic. Gather all the relevant materials and information for your essay on music and start taking notes. You can use these notes as building blocks for the paper. Be prepared; even for short essays, you may need to read books and long articles.
• Once you have all the necessary information, the ideas in your head will start to take shape. The next step is to develop a thesis statement out of all the ideas you have in your head. A thesis statement is a must as it informs readers what the entire music essay is about. Don't be afraid to be bold in your statement; new outlooks are always appreciated.
• Next, you'll need a music essay introduction. Here you introduce the readers to the context and background information about the research topic. It should be clear, brief, and engaging. You should set the tone of your essay from the very beginning. Don't forget the introduction is where the thesis statement goes.
• One of the most important parts of essay writing is crafting a central body paragraph about music. This is where you elaborate on your thesis, make main points, and support them with the evidence you gathered beforehand. Remember, your music essay should be well structured and depict a clear picture of your ideas.
• Next, you will need to come up with an ideal closing paragraph. Here you will need to once again revisit the main points in your music essay, restate them in a logical manner and give the readers your final thoughts.
• Don't forget to proofread your college essay. Whether you write a long or short essay on music, there will be grammatical and factual errors. Revise and look through your writing with a critical mind. You may find that some parts need rewriting.

Key Takeaways

Music essays are a pleasure to write and read. There are so many topics and themes to choose from, and if you follow our How to Write a Music Essay guide, you are guaranteed to craft a top-notch essay every time.

Be bold when selecting a subject even when unsure what is research essay topic on music, take the writing process easy, follow the academic standards, and you are good to go. Use our music essay sample to challenge yourself and write a professional paper. 

If you feel stuck and have no time our team of expert writers is always ready to give you help from all subject ( medical school personal statement school help ). Visit our website, submit your ' write my research paper ' request and a guaranteed A+ essay will be on your way in just one click.

Need Help in Writing an Impressive Paper?

Our expert writers are here to write a quality paper that will make you the star of your class!

FAQs on Writing a Music Essay

Though music essay writing is not the hardest job on the planet, there are still some questions that often pop up. Now that you have a writing guide and a list of essay topics about music, it's time to address the remaining inquiries. Keep reading to find the answers to the frequently asked questions. 

Should Artists' Music be Used in Advertising?

What type of music is best for writing an essay, why do people love music.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

110 Music Essay Topics

Whether it’s for a fine arts course, a music appreciation class, or just a general assignment to build writing skills, music essays are an integral part of the musical education world.

Students are often assigned to write a music essay on a specific topic or one based on their interests. While it may seem overwhelming at first, writing music essays can actually be fun and rewarding.

The Fundamentals of Writing a Music Essay

Before a student can begin writing a music essay, there are a few key fundamentals to be aware of. These fundamentals will ensure that a paper is written to the student’s potential and will benefit them in their future musical studies.

Understand the Music

Listening to a piece of music and understanding a piece of music are two different things. While listening to music lets a student know what the piece is like, it does not necessarily allow them to understand the music’s more profound meaning.

This means that before writing a music essay, students must study their selected piece of music in depth. This might entail listening repeatedly or reading an analysis on the piece to gain a thorough comprehension. It could also mean researching the composer and their life to understand what effect their life might have had on the music.

Another option is to research the genre that the piece belongs to or even its historical context. Full knowledge of all these elements will ensure a deeper understanding of what is being listened to so that the writing is more profound.

Enhance Your Vocabulary

In music, there are specific words to describe sounds, aspects of the sound, and even emotions. Without an understanding of these words, a student will not be able to write a music essay to the highest degree possible.

Instead of saying the music is good or bad, students will need to expand their vocabulary to include more descriptive words such as :

These words allow a student to describe the music in much more depth than just ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ They provide readers with an idea of what is felt when listening and can better explain how the piece makes the writer feel.

Note that not only should you include these types of adjectives in your music essay, but also try to limit “big” or overused adjectives such as beautiful, stunning, amazing.

Know How to Cite

Often, to back up claims or provide context to musical analysis, it is essential to cite in the proper format so that a paper is academic and can be taken seriously. In a music essay, students will need to include proper citations that show where they got their information from after writing a quote or paraphrasing something said by someone else.

Citations are essential for another reason: they allow other people to investigate the source of your work for themselves to check its validity. Failure to cite sources and examples may diminish the credibility of the writing in the reader’s eyes.

When citing a lyric, be sure to include the songwriter’s name and the name of the piece. It is also important to remember to place a line break before and after the quote and use quotation marks for lyrics.

When citing a critique, be sure to include the author’s name and relevant background information such as their profession, where they got their degree from, and when their piece was published. It is then necessary to place a line break before and after the quote, italicize the author’s name, and include a page number if applicable to your citation.

The Different Types of Music Essay

A music essay can be written in a variety of formats or styles. Most commonly, a music essay will fall into one of three categories:

Musical Analysis

Musical analysis is a description of a piece of music. This usually includes describing the song’s mood, tempo, and melody as well as its historical context, genre, composer, and so forth.

Students may examine and critique the composition of a piece, or they might discuss the feelings that the music conveys. In short, a musical analysis should describe what is heard and explain to the reader how it made them feel.

Informative Essay

Students use their research skills to provide others with information about a certain topic in an informative essay. This can include an explanation of something musical such as the history of a genre, how it developed over time, and so forth.

Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is one in which students argue for or against something. For example, for music essays, students argue whether they believe that one piece of music is better than another or whether they prefer a specific style or genre.

This is an opportunity for students to make their voice heard by giving personal reasons for why something is good or bad and can be used to compare two distinct pieces of work through direct comparison or contrast.

With the fundamentals of writing a music essay above, students may still have trouble coming up with the right topic for their writing assignment. Fortunately, this list of 110 music essay topics is perfect for any writer level and is guaranteed to spark at least one idea for a music essay.

Music Essay Topics About Genre

• Which music genre has had the most impact in modern times?
• How have musical genres changed or developed over the past 100 years?
• Which is musical genre is best for teaching an instrument?
• Which is musical genre do you think has the most talent involved?
• How has technology influenced musical genres over the past 50 years?
• What musical genres are no longer seen in modern times?
• Are there musical genres that shouldn’t be used in today’s society?
• Are musical genres really all the same?
• Compare and contrast two different musical genres?
• How do musical genres influence each other?
• What is the best way to discover the type of musical genre you like?
• Which platforms are best for a particular type of musical genre?
• Are music genres meant for certain audiences?
• Which musical genres are the least biased by modern culture?
• What makes a song belong to a particular genre?
• Can a musical genre be broken down further than it already is?
• How have technology and fashion influenced popular genres of music over time?
• How has globalization impacted different musical genres?
• Which style of music is the most popular in your country?
• Which musical genres typically get the least respect from society?
• What is the history of a particular musical genre?
• Are there any specific songs that belong to a certain genre?
• How have political issues influenced musical genres over time?
• Is it harder to write a song in one musical genre or another?
• Why do some people prefer one style or genre over another?
• In what circumstances do you listen to particular types of music?
• Which type of genre would be best for specific occasions?
• What are the differences between modern and classical genres?

Music Essay Topics About Classical Music

• What is the most significant piece of classical music?
• How did certain pieces of classical music change over time?
• Does one specific style better illustrate a particular piece of classical music?
• How is musical structure important in modern-day classical pieces of work?
• Why are certain classical pieces of work good to listen to when stressed out?
• How does one piece of classical music compare to another?
• What is the history behind a particular piece of classical work?
• Which musical instruments are typically used in classical music?
• Why is classical music better for different types of people?
• Compare and contrast how two classical composers created their work?
• What influenced a piece of significant classical music?
• How do the notes in classical music differ from modern-day pop music?
• What makes a piece of music classical?
• Should classical music be learned before other types of music?
• What developmental benefits does classical music have on newborns?
• Who was Mozart, and why is he considered one of the most significant composers in history?
• How does Western classical music differ from that in other countries?
• Why was Beethoven’s work superior within its time period?
• What makes Mozart different than other composers?
• How can people improve their understanding of classical music?
• How does the style and context influence the choice of musical instruments for specific pieces of classical music?
• Why should children learn about classical music as part of their education?

Music Essay Topics About Music Theory

• Which is more important to music: theory or practice?
• How have new musical instruments influenced the theory behind music?
• Are there any specific rules for using melodies and harmonies in music?
• What are examples of non-traditional music theory?
• Why do some people want to expand the boundaries of traditional music theory?
• Are there any movements currently challenging traditional music theory?
• Why is music theory important in modern-day music?
• What are some types of modern-day musical compositions that ignore traditional music theory?
• How have technological advances influenced traditional and non-traditional forms of music theory?
• Which type of theory do you prefer: traditional or non-traditional?
• What makes a piece of music sound like jazz?
• What is the difference between musical form and music theory?
• Which types of pieces best illustrate different theories in music?
• What can non-traditional forms of music teach students about classical forms of music?
• In what circumstances is music theory advanced?
• What are some similarities between classical and modern-day musical compositions?
• How has the Internet influenced traditional and non-traditional forms of music theory today?
• Who was Leonard Bernstein, and how did he influence American society through his music theory contributions?
• How do different cultures use a similar or different form of music theory?
• Which is more difficult: playing music by ear or reading sheet music?
• Which musical theory from the past is still valid in today’s society?
• What are examples of outdated musical theories?

Music Essay Topics About Instruments

• What instruments sound the best in music?
• How do the instruments used in jazz differ from those used in rock and roll?
• Is there a best way to play a specific instrument?
• Why do orchestras typically use certain instruments?
• Which instrument is most beneficial to the beginner musician learning to play music?
• What are some types of non-traditional instruments used in musical compositions today?
• Who were the first modern musicians to impact society through their use of new and different instruments?
• What benefits do different types of instruments have on a musical composition?
• What are some traditions followed when playing certain instruments in music?
• What is the history behind unique musical instruments?
• Who were the first people to experiment with new sounds on instruments with different tones and chords?
• What’s the difference between playing with sound effects and using natural sounds?
• How has technology influenced the use and creation of musical instruments today?
• Which instruments should people learn to play first: traditional or non-traditional ones?
• Compare and contrast the sounds of woodwind instruments to brass instruments.
• Should percussion instruments be considered a type of classical music instrument or a type of pop music instrument?
• What types of musical instruments are used in different types of foreign musical compositions?
• How do people learn to play new instruments today?
• How have old and modern musical instruments been combined to create unique sounds in songs?
• What is the history behind musical instruments?
• What are some traditional musical instruments still used today?
• How can people make their own musical instruments at home with household items?
• What was the first instrument ever invented?

Music Essay Topics About Singing

• What is the difference between singing and vocalizing?
• What is autotune, and how has it affected the music industry?
• Is music with autotune better or worse than music without?
• Should singers be allowed to use autotune in their performances?
• What are the best types of vocal ranges for singers?
• Who is famous for singing songs with wide vocal ranges?
• Is it better to sing high or low notes in music today?
• How do male and female singers compare with each other regarding their voices?
• What are the different types of musical compositions that use vocals?
• How do popular artists use vocalization in their songs?
• Who was Kurt Cobain, and what did he do to change the face of music and singing?
• Are there any negatives associated with using autotune in a song today?
• Do all singers need to use autotune to sound better in their songs?
• What are the five main parts that make up the human voice, and how do they work together to create singing?
• How does pitch play a role in different types of music genres?

Using any of the 110 music essay topics listed above should provide the inspiration needed to write a great music essay.

Related Posts

• 120 Expository Essay Topics
• 120 Literary Essay Topics
• 220 Psychology Essay Topics
• 170 Comparative Essay Topics
• 125 Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Categories:

• Essay Samples
• Essay Topics
• Essay Writing Guides

Recent posts:

• 170 Ethics Essay Topics
• 160 Satire Essay Topics
• 160 Rhetorical Essay Topics
• 155 Criminal Justice Essay Topics
• 150 Political Essay Topics
• 145 Classification Essay Topics
• 140 Sociology Essay Topics
• 140 Opinion Essay Topics
• 140 Environmental Essay Topics
• 135 Controversial Essay Topics
• 125 Classification and Division Essay Topics
• 100 Profile Essay Topics
• 90 Heart of Darkness Essay Topics
• 80 Holocaust Essay Topics

Testimonials

Essay Papers Writing Online

The power of melodic tunes to enhance focus and creativity during the essay writing process.

When it comes to the realm of crafty penmanship, the significance of tune harmonizing with writing is often underestimated. However, by unlocking the potential of a melodious backdrop, authors can tap into a wholly different level of creativity. The amalgamation of mind-wandering melodies and thought-provoking words provides an unparalleled medium for unleashing one’s inner writer.

By marrying the artistry of music with the finesse of essay composition, a symphony of inspiration is born. As the rhythm flows from ear to mind, it ignites a fire within, setting ablaze the dormant embers of imagination. The harmonious duet of music and writing has the uncanny ability to transport us to seemingly distant realms, where ideas unfurl like unfathomable constellations, waiting to be explored.

Music has the incredible capability to influence our mood, thoughts, and emotions. With every beat, a gateway to new possibilities is unveiled. A propelling anthem can uplift the spirits and propel the writer forward on a wave of determination. Conversely, a gentle melody can provide solace and serenity, setting the stage for introspection and bringing forth the depths of one’s introspective musings.

The Science Behind the Connection: How Music Affects the Brain

Understanding how music affects the brain is a fascinating area of study that delves into the intricate workings of our minds. The connection between music and the brain has been explored by scientists for decades, revealing the profound impact that music can have on our emotions, cognitive abilities, and overall well-being.

When we listen to music, our brains are activated in various ways. Neurologists have discovered that different regions of the brain are engaged, depending on the type of music being listened to. For instance, upbeat and fast-paced music stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. This explains why listening to energetic music can make us feel more invigorated and motivated to take action.

Moreover, studies have shown that music has the power to evoke strong emotions and memories. Certain melodies or lyrics can trigger a flood of emotions, reminding us of past experiences or even transporting us to a different time and place. This emotional connection to music is facilitated by the limbic system, a part of the brain that controls emotions and memory. By activating this system, music has the ability to evoke powerful feelings and create lasting memories.

Additionally, music has a profound impact on our cognitive abilities. Research has demonstrated that listening to certain types of music can enhance our focus, concentration, and creativity. Classical music, in particular, has been found to stimulate brain activity and improve cognitive performance. This phenomenon, known as the “Mozart effect,” suggests that music can enhance our cognitive abilities, making us more alert and receptive to information.

Furthermore, the therapeutic benefits of music cannot be overlooked. Studies have shown that music therapy can be beneficial for individuals suffering from various mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Listening to calming and soothing music has been found to reduce stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and promote relaxation. The rhythmic and melodic elements of music have a profound effect on our physiological state, helping to regulate our emotions and promote overall well-being.

In conclusion, the science behind the connection between music and the brain is a captivating field of research that highlights the profound impact of music on our emotions, cognitive abilities, and overall well-being. By understanding how music affects the brain, we can harness its power to boost productivity and enhance our essay writing experience.

Finding the Right Genre for Focus and Creativity

Exploring different genres of music can be a powerful way to enhance focus and creativity while writing. By selecting the right genre, you can create an atmosphere that nurtures concentration and stimulates your cognitive processes. The right choice of genre can inspire imagination, boost productivity, and help you tap into your creative potential.

Genre for Focus:

When it comes to finding a genre that promotes focus, instrumental music often takes the lead. With its absence of lyrics, instrumental genres such as classical, ambient, or electronic music can provide a background that minimizes distractions. The soothing melodies and repetitive patterns can help you maintain concentration for extended periods, allowing you to immerse yourself in the writing process.

Alternatively, you might find that low-tempo genres, like downtempo or chill-hop, can also facilitate a focus-oriented mindset. The relaxed beats and atmospheric textures often associated with these genres can create a tranquil ambiance, fostering a sense of calmness and enabling you to concentrate on the task at hand.

Genre for Creativity:

If your goal is to enhance your creative thinking and encourage inspiration, exploring diverse genres can be beneficial. Upbeat and energetic music, like pop, rock, or hip-hop, can elicit strong emotions and make you feel more motivated and enthusiastic. This genre choice can help break through writer’s block and generate fresh ideas.

On the other hand, genres that focus on introspection and introspection, like folk, indie, or singer-songwriter, can evoke a sense of introspection and deep thought. The raw emotions and personal narratives found in these genres can lead to a reflective and introspective state of mind, allowing you to explore and express your thoughts and emotions in a more profound and meaningful way.

Experimenting with Different Genres:

Everyone’s preferences and writing processes are unique, so it’s essential to experiment with different genres to find what works best for you. Depending on the task at hand, you may find that a combination of genres or even genre-specific playlists can be more effective in enhancing your focus and creativity.

Remember, the aim is to find the right balance that helps you stay engaged, motivated, and inspired. By exploring a variety of genres, you can create a personalized soundtrack that harnesses the power of music to enhance your essay writing and boost productivity.

Using Music as a Motivational Tool: Creating a Playlist that Energizes

When it comes to finding the perfect playlist to boost motivation and productivity, music can be a powerful tool. The right selection of songs can energize and inspire, helping you to stay focused and motivated while writing your essay. However, creating a playlist that truly energizes and motivates is not as simple as adding a few upbeat tracks. It requires careful consideration of the tempo, lyrics, and overall mood of the music.

To start off, consider the tempo of the songs you choose for your playlist. Upbeat and fast-paced songs with a high tempo can help increase your energy levels and keep you engaged. Look for tracks with a strong rhythm and lively beat that will get your heart rate up and your feet tapping. These types of songs can help you maintain a steady pace while writing, preventing any potential lulls in your productivity.

Lyrics also play an important role in creating a motivational playlist. Look for songs with inspiring and positive lyrics that resonate with you personally. The right lyrics can help instill a sense of confidence and determination as you tackle your essay. Whether it’s motivational anthems or personal empowerment songs, find tracks that make you feel uplifted and ready to conquer any challenges that come your way.

In addition to the tempo and lyrics, consider the overall mood of the music. While fast-paced and upbeat songs can be beneficial for maintaining energy levels, it’s also important to include moments of relaxation and calm. Including a variety of musical genres and styles in your playlist can help create a balanced atmosphere that keeps you engaged without overwhelming your senses. From uplifting pop songs to soothing instrumental tracks, a mix of different moods can help you stay focused and motivated throughout your writing process.

Remember that creating a motivational playlist is a personal endeavor. Experiment with different songs and genres to find what works best for you. Pay attention to how certain songs make you feel and make adjustments as needed. The power of music lies in its ability to evoke emotions and enhance your mood, so choose songs that align with your personal preferences and goals.

In conclusion, music can serve as a powerful motivator when it comes to essay writing. By creating a playlist that energizes and inspires, you can boost your productivity and stay focused throughout the writing process. Consider the tempo, lyrics, and overall mood of the music to create a playlist that resonates with you personally. Harness the power of music and let it fuel your essay writing journey!

The Impact of Lyrics on Writing: Choosing Songs with Inspiring Words

When it comes to the influence of music on our writing, we often think about melodies, rhythms, and harmonies. However, the impact of lyrics should not be underestimated. The words in a song can have a profound effect on our creative output and productivity. By carefully selecting songs with inspiring and meaningful lyrics, we can enhance our writing experience and tap into new ideas and perspectives.

Words have the power to evoke emotions, stimulate our imagination, and convey complex thoughts and ideas. When we listen to songs with lyrics that resonate with us, it can trigger a range of emotions that can fuel our writing process. Whether it’s a heartfelt ballad that touches our soul or an empowering anthem that fills us with motivation, the right lyrics can provide the emotional backdrop we need to dive deep into our writing and express ourselves fully.

In addition to emotional impact, lyrics can also influence the way we think and inspire us to explore different topics and themes in our writing. Songs with thought-provoking lyrics can challenge our perspectives and push us beyond our comfort zones. They can introduce us to new ideas and expand our horizons, allowing us to approach our writing from fresh and unique angles. By actively seeking out songs with inspiring words, we can invite a broader range of thoughts and concepts into our writing and enrich our overall message.

It’s important to note that the impact of lyrics on writing is a highly personal experience. What resonates with one writer may not have the same effect on another. It’s essential to be in tune with our own preferences and emotions when choosing the songs we write to. Some writers may find solace in introspective and introspective lyrics, while others may thrive on uplifting and motivational messages. By curating a personalized playlist of songs with lyrics that align with our writing intentions, we can create an atmosphere of inspiration and creativity that supports our unique style and voice.

In conclusion, lyrics play a significant role in the impact of music on our writing. By selecting songs with inspiring words, we can tap into the emotional, intellectual, and creative aspects of our writing process. The right lyrics have the power to fuel our imagination, challenge our thinking, and elevate our writing to new heights.

Creating a Distraction-Free Environment: Tips for Using Music Effectively

When it comes to essay writing, having a distraction-free environment is essential for focusing and improving productivity. Music can be a powerful tool in creating such an environment, helping to boost concentration and inspire creativity. By carefully selecting the right music and following a few key tips, you can maximize the benefits of using music while minimizing potential distractions.

• Choose instrumental music: Instead of lyrics that may compete for your attention, opt for instrumental music. This type of music provides a soothing ambiance and eliminates the potential distraction of following along with lyrics.
• Experiment with different genres: Various genres of music can evoke different emotions and moods. By exploring different genres, you can find the right music that complements your writing style and helps you get into the flow.
• Create a playlist: Curating a playlist specifically for writing purposes can help set the tone and provide a consistent background noise. Start by selecting a few essential tracks that promote focus, and gradually expand your playlist based on what works best for you.
• Use ambient sounds: In addition to music, ambient sounds can also be effective in creating a distraction-free environment. Rainfall, nature sounds, or white noise can help block out external noises and increase your concentration.
• Adjust the volume: Finding the right volume is crucial for using music effectively. Too loud, and it can become distracting; too low, and it may not be effective in creating a productive environment. Experiment with different volumes to find the perfect balance.
• Minimize interruptions: Ensure that your music setup doesn’t interrupt your writing process. Choose a music streaming platform or app that allows for seamless playback without ads or interruptions. This way, you can maintain focus without being interrupted by unrelated content.
• Match the music to the task: Different writing tasks may require varying levels of focus and energy. Consider selecting music that aligns with the specific task at hand. For brainstorming or creative writing, choose upbeat or uplifting music, while for editing or proofreading, opt for more relaxed and calming tunes.

By following these tips, you can create a distraction-free environment that harnesses the power of music to enhance your essay writing experience. Experiment, adapt, and find the perfect music that helps you stay focused, motivated, and creative throughout the writing process.

Related Post

How to master the art of writing expository essays and captivate your audience, convenient and reliable source to purchase college essays online, step-by-step guide to crafting a powerful literary analysis essay, unlock success with a comprehensive business research paper example guide, unlock your writing potential with writers college – transform your passion into profession, “unlocking the secrets of academic success – navigating the world of research papers in college”, master the art of sociological expression – elevate your writing skills in sociology.

• Essay On Music

Music Essay

500+ words music essay.

Music plays a crucial role in everyone’s lives. Music is present in nature in different forms. The songs of nature can be found in the sound of air, the gurgling sound of rivers, the thundering sound of sea waves, and the lighting sound of clouds. The sweet tones of nightingale, skylark & cuckoo are similar songs of nature. Music is in everything around us and can be found everywhere in the world. Music is the universal language of humanity and is used as a source of entertainment. It transforms our moods and rejuvenates us with good feelings. This “Music Essay” will improve students’ writing skills and help them score high marks on the exam.

Students should practise essays on other topics similar to Music Essays by going through the CBSE Essay page. It will help them in improving their essay-writing skills. In starting, students can choose the easy topic initially, then slowly move to the topics which they find difficult.

Music is the art of combining tones. The rhythmic sequence of pleasing sounds forms expressive compositions. People like different kinds of music for many reasons, even depending on their mood. But it brings people together, whether through the same taste in music or the willingness to try something new or even perform music with others. Being a part of concerts, orchestra bands, or any kind of group, brings people closer to one another. Music is the fountain of sentiments, energy & love. The philosophy of human life, the eternal prayers of the soul, and the singing in praise of the human spirit are merged in music. From saints down to people of the modern age, all great sages took the help of music to captivate the general public or to release the pent-up feeling in their own minds.

Benefits of Music

We all love music without any resistance. It is the answer to every question & solution to every problem. If we have a bad day, then we listen to music to make us feel better. At the end of the day, music makes everything better, and no day is complete without it. It helps people through hard times in their lives. Music helps us to express ourselves and inside feelings that we don’t usually let people know. Music affects our emotions. When we listen to happy songs, we feel happier. The upbeat songs and fast-paced rhythms fill us with energy, and we become active.

In all human beings, there is an artist’s mind & natural attraction for art. Music lends sound to the string of life and generates sentiment dormant in the mind of the listener. That’s why music has been regarded as the best carrier medium of emotion or sentiment. It is impossible for anyone to keep themselves away from this overwhelming power of music. Rabindranath once said that music is life; there is the manifestation of life in it. Music is a way to escape the boredom of the busy schedules of life. It gives relief from pain and reduces stress levels. It helps us to calm down so we can enjoy the small moments of life. Moreover, it enriches the mind and gives us self-confidence.

Music as a Powerful Medicine

Music has a powerful therapeutic effect on the human psyche. In the modern world, music is used as a therapy for the treatment of various diseases. Because of this power, music is said to have a healing capacity without the intake of any medicines. Doctors have also confirmed that music therapy is helpful in treating people with diseases like dementia, depression, dyslexia and trauma. Many children with learning disabilities and poor coordination have been able to learn and respond to set pieces of music. Many people who have a genetic disability have found a new light in the form of music. Music is a powerful aid to meditation and creating positive energies and vibrations around us. In many meditation workshops, music is used to make people more aware of their moods & feelings. People are made to lie down and empty their minds & then listen to music. In this way, they experience different emotions and states of consciousness. Thus, music works as a powerful medicine to heal our pain.

Music inhales our minds and soul. Pain, tension, stress and worries everything is washed away with the gentle stream of music. Music is a global language, and it has no barriers. Music teaches us peace and harmony.

Students must have found this “Music Essay” helpful for improving their writing skills. They can get more study material on different subjects related to CBSE/ICSE/State Board/Competitive exams at BYJU’S.

Frequently Asked Questions on Music Essay

How was music born.

Earlier, music was first created by clapping hands or by making foot-tapping noises.

What is sound healing?

It is a practice which uses vocal or instrumental vibrations to relax our stressed mind/body.

Which is the top music genre in the world?

Pop music is known to be the most popular music genre, with the maximum number of consumers around the world.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

Essay on Music for Students and Children

500+ words essay on music.

Music is a vital part of different moments of human life. It spreads happiness and joy in a person’s life. Music is the soul of life and gives immense peace to us. In the words of William Shakespeare, “If music is the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it; that surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die.” Thus, Music helps us in connecting with our souls or real self.

What is Music?

Music is a pleasant sound which is a combination of melodies and harmony and which soothes you. Music may also refer to the art of composing such pleasant sounds with the help of the various musical instruments. A person who knows music is a Musician.

The music consists of Sargam, Ragas, Taals, etc. Music is not only what is composed of men but also which exists in nature. Have you ever heard the sound of a waterfall or a flowing river ? Could you hear music there? Thus, everything in harmony has music. Here, I would like to quote a line by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the greatest musicians, “The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.”

Importance of Music:

Music has great qualities of healing a person emotionally and mentally. Music is a form of meditation. While composing or listening music ones tends to forget all his worries, sorrows and pains. But, in order to appreciate good music, we need to cultivate our musical taste. It can be cited that in the Dwapar Yug, the Gopis would get mesmerized with the music that flowed from Lord Krishna’s flute. They would surrender themselves to Him. Also, the research has proved that the plants which hear the Music grow at a faster rate in comparison to the others.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Magical Powers of Music:

It has the power to cure diseases such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. The power of Music can be testified by the legends about Tansen of his bringing the rains by singing Raag Megh Malhar and lighting lamps by Raga Deepak. It also helps in improving the concentration and is thus of great help to the students.

Conclusion:

Music is the essence of life. Everything that has rhythm has music. Our breathing also has a rhythm. Thus, we can say that there is music in every human being or a living creature. Music has the ability to convey all sorts of emotions to people. Music is also a very powerful means to connect with God. We can conclude that Music is the purest form of worship of God and to connect with our soul.

FAQs on Essay on Music:

Q.1. Why is Music known as the Universal Language?

Ans.1. Music is known as the Universal language because it knows no boundaries. It flows freely beyond the barriers of language, religion, country, etc. Anybody can enjoy music irrespective of his age.

Q.2. What are the various styles of Music in India?

Ans.2. India is a country of diversities. Thus, it has numerous styles of music. Some of them are Classical, Pop, Ghazals, Bhajans, Carnatic, Folk, Khyal, Thumri, Qawwali, Bhangra, Drupad, Dadra, Dhamar, Bandish, Baithak Gana, Sufi, Indo Jazz, Odissi, Tarana, Sugama Sangeet, Bhavageet, etc.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Music Industry — The Influence of Music on Me and My Life

Music in My Life: How Music Has Shaped Me

• Categories: Music Industry Personal Life

About this sample

Words: 757 |

Published: Jun 17, 2020

Words: 757 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Essay about music in my life

Works cited:.

• Baker, L. (2005, January 29). Richmond Rebound/High school basketball players hit books, coach lifts his lockout. San Francisco Chronicle. https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/RICHMOND-REBOUND-High-school-basketball-players-2736478.php
• Coach Carter. (2005). Paramount Pictures.
• Just Call Him “Sir”. (2005, January 12). The Root. https://www.theroot.com/just-call-him-sir-1790861888
• Klein, G. (2005, January 10). Q&A with Coach Carter. Time. https://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1014704,00.html
• McDermott, B. (2019). The coach’s guide to teaching. Routledge.
• Parker, S. (2013). Positive psychology coaching: Putting the science of happiness to work for your clients. John Wiley & Sons.
• Raglin, J. (2016). Psychological factors in competitive sport. Human Kinetics.
• Ryska, T. A., & Yin, Z. (2007). Coaching and learning in schools: A practical guide. Guilford Press.
• Snyder, E. E. (2018). Handbook of positive psychology in schools. Routledge.
• Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. Human Kinetics.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof Ernest (PhD)

Verified writer

• Expert in: Entertainment Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

5 pages / 2152 words

1 pages / 507 words

5 pages / 2422 words

5 pages / 2113 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Music Industry

Michael Jackson's life and career were marked by immense talent, groundbreaking achievements, and controversies. From his early days with the Jackson 5 to his solo success, he continuously pushed the boundaries of popular music [...]

The Neighbourhood is an American alternative rock band formed in 2011. The band consists of lead vocalist Jesse Rutherford, guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels, bassist Mikey Margott, and drummer Brandon Alexander Fried. [...]

Music is an integral part of human life. It has the power to evoke emotions, bring people together, and provide a sense of identity and belonging. From ancient civilizations to modern societies, music has played a significant [...]

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and bandleader who was one of the most influential figures in jazz music history. Born in 1899 in Washington, D.C., Ellington's career spanned over 50 years and [...]

Gender roles are what society believes are acceptable actions or beliefs for a person to have based on their gender. There are gender roles in every community everywhere in the world. For example, it is socially acceptable for [...]

The Ill Mind of Hopsin 7 is a thought-provoking and introspective rap song by American rapper Hopsin. Released in 2014, the song addresses various social and personal issues, including the state of the music industry, the [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Visiting Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion?

You must join the virtual exhibition queue when you arrive. If capacity has been reached for the day, the queue will close early.

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Essays

Music in the renaissance.

ex "Kurtz" Violin

Andrea Amati

Double Virginal

Hans Ruckers the Elder

Cornetto in A

possibly Georg Voll

Sixtus Rauchwolff

Claviorganum

Lorenz Hauslaib

Tenor Recorder

Rectangular Octave Virginal

Rebecca Arkenberg Department of Education, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

October 2002

Music was an essential part of civic, religious, and courtly life in the Renaissance. The rich interchange of ideas in Europe, as well as political, economic, and religious events in the period 1400–1600 led to major changes in styles of composing, methods of disseminating music, new musical genres, and the development of musical instruments. The most important music of the early Renaissance was composed for use by the church—polyphonic (made up of several simultaneous melodies) masses and motets in Latin for important churches and court chapels. By the end of the sixteenth century, however, patronage had broadened to include the Catholic Church, Protestant churches and courts, wealthy amateurs, and music printing—all were sources of income for composers.

The early fifteenth century was dominated initially by English and then Northern European composers. The Burgundian court was especially influential, and it attracted composers and musicians from all over Europe. The most important of these was Guillaume Du Fay (1397–1474), whose varied musical offerings included motets and masses for church and chapel services, many of whose large musical structures were based on existing Gregorian chant. His many small settings of French poetry display a sweet melodic lyricism unknown until his era. With his command of large-scale musical form, as well as his attention to secular text-setting, Du Fay set the stage for the next generations of Renaissance composers.

By about 1500, European art music was dominated by Franco-Flemish composers, the most prominent of whom was Josquin des Prez (ca. 1450–1521). Like many leading composers of his era, Josquin traveled widely throughout Europe, working for patrons in Aix-en-Provence, Paris, Milan, Rome, Ferrara, and Condé-sur-L’Escaut. The exchange of musical ideas among the Low Countries, France, and Italy led to what could be considered an international European style. On the one hand, polyphony or multivoiced music, with its horizontal contrapuntal style, continued to develop in complexity. At the same time, harmony based on a vertical arrangement of intervals, including thirds and sixths, was explored for its full textures and suitability for accompanying a vocal line. Josquin’s music epitomized these trends, with Northern-style intricate polyphony using canons, preexisting melodies, and other compositional structures smoothly amalgamated with the Italian bent for artfully setting words with melodies that highlight the poetry rather than masking it with complexity. Josquin, like Du Fay, composed primarily Latin masses and motets, but in a seemingly endless variety of styles. His secular output included settings of courtly French poetry, like Du Fay, but also arrangements of French popular songs, instrumental music, and Italian frottole.

With the beginning of the sixteenth century, European music saw a number of momentous changes. In 1501, a Venetian printer named Ottaviano Petrucci published the first significant collection of polyphonic music, the Harmonice Musices Odhecaton A . Petrucci’s success led eventually to music printing in France, Germany, England, and elsewhere. Prior to 1501, all music had to be copied by hand or learned by ear; music books were owned exclusively by religious establishments or extremely wealthy courts and households. After Petrucci, while these books were not inexpensive, it became possible for far greater numbers of people to own them and to learn to read music.

At about the same period, musical instrument technology led to the development of the viola da gamba , a fretted, bowed string instrument. Amateur European musicians of means eagerly took up the viol, as well as the lute , the recorder , the harpsichord (in various guises, including the spinet and virginal), the organ , and other instruments. The viola da gamba and recorder were played together in consorts or ensembles and often were produced in families or sets, with different sizes playing the different lines. Publications by Petrucci and others supplied these players for the first time with notated music (as opposed to the improvised music performed by professional instrumentalists). The sixteenth century saw the development of instrumental music such as the canzona, ricercare, fantasia, variations, and contrapuntal dance-inspired compositions, for both soloists and ensembles, as a truly distinct and independent genre with its own idioms separate from vocal forms and practical dance accompaniment.

The musical instruments depicted in the studiolo of Duke Federigo da Montefeltro of Urbino (ca. 1479–82; 39.153 ) represent both his personal interest in music and the role of music in the intellectual life of an educated Renaissance man. The musical instruments are placed alongside various scientific instruments, books, and weapons, and they include a portative organ, lutes, fiddle, and cornetti; a hunting horn; a pipe and tabor; a harp and jingle ring; a rebec; and a cittern .

From about 1520 through the end of the sixteenth century, composers throughout Europe employed the polyphonic language of Josquin’s generation in exploring musical expression through the French chanson, the Italian madrigal, the German tenorlieder, the Spanish villancico, and the English song, as well as in sacred music. The Reformation and Counter-Reformation directly affected the sacred polyphony of these countries. The Protestant revolutions (mainly in Northern Europe) varied in their attitudes toward sacred music, bringing such musical changes as the introduction of relatively simple German-language hymns (or chorales) sung by the congregation in Lutheran services. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525/26–1594), maestro di cappella at the Cappella Giulia at Saint Peter’s in Rome, is seen by many as the iconic High Renaissance composer of Counter-Reformation sacred music, which features clear lines, a variety of textures, and a musically expressive reverence for its sacred texts. The English (and Catholic) composer William Byrd (1540–1623) straddled both worlds, composing Latin-texted works for the Catholic Church, as well as English-texted service music for use at Elizabeth I ‘s Chapel Royal.

Sixteenth-century humanists studied ancient Greek treatises on music , which discussed the close relationship between music and poetry and how music could stir the listener’s emotions. Inspired by the classical world, Renaissance composers fit words and music together in an increasingly dramatic fashion, as seen in the development of the Italian madrigal and later the operatic works of Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643). The Renaissance adaptation of a musician singing and accompanying himself on a stringed instrument, a variation on the theme of Orpheus, appears in Renaissance artworks like Caravaggio’s Musicians ( 52.81 ) and Titian ‘s Venus and the Lute Player ( 36.29 ).

Arkenberg, Rebecca. “Music in the Renaissance.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/renm/hd_renm.htm (October 2002)

Additional Essays by Rebecca Arkenberg

• Arkenberg, Rebecca. “ Renaissance Violins .” (October 2002)
• Arkenberg, Rebecca. “ Renaissance Keyboards .” (October 2002)
• Arkenberg, Rebecca. “ Renaissance Organs .” (October 2002)

Related Essays

• Painting in Italian Choir Books, 1300–1500
• Renaissance Keyboards
• Renaissance Organs
• Art and Love in the Italian Renaissance
• Burgundian Netherlands: Court Life and Patronage
• Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi) (1571–1610) and His Followers
• Courtship and Betrothal in the Italian Renaissance
• The Development of the Recorder
• Elizabethan England
• Flemish Harpsichords and Virginals
• Food and Drink in European Painting, 1400–1800
• Gardens in the French Renaissance
• Joachim Tielke (1641–1719)
• Music in Ancient Greece
• Northern Italian Renaissance Painting
• The Printed Image in the West: History and Techniques
• The Reformation
• Renaissance Violins
• Sixteenth-Century Painting in Venice and the Veneto
• The Spanish Guitar
• Titian (ca. 1485/90?–1576)
• Violin Makers: Nicolò Amati (1596–1684) and Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737)
• Woodcut Book Illustration in Renaissance Italy: Venice in the Sixteenth Century

List of Rulers

• List of Rulers of Europe
• Central Europe (including Germany), 1400–1600 A.D.
• Florence and Central Italy, 1400–1600 A.D.
• France, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Great Britain and Ireland, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Iberian Peninsula, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Low Countries, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Rome and Southern Italy, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Venice and Northern Italy, 1400–1600 A.D.
• 15th Century A.D.
• European Decorative Arts
• High Renaissance
• Musical Instrument
• Northern Renaissance
• Percussion Instrument
• Plucked String Instrument
• Renaissance Art
• String Instrument
• Wind Instrument

Artist or Maker

• Amati, Andrea
• Amati, Nicolò
• Beham, Hans Sebald
• Cuntz, Steffan
• Hauslaib, Lorenz
• Rauchwolff, Sixtus
• Ruckers, Hans, the Elder
• Vell, Georg

Online Features

• The Artist Project: “Cory Arcangel on the harpischord”
• MetMedia: “Double” from the Sarabande of Partita no. 1 in B minor by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and Gigue from Partita No. 2 in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

The Impact of Happi Williams on Contemporary Music and Cultural Identity

This essay is about Happi Williams a prominent figure in community development and social innovation. It highlights her early life marked by empathy and community service and her academic and professional achievements. Williams’ work with underserved communities advocacy for policy changes and grassroots activism are detailed showcasing her profound impact on society. Her legacy as a writer speaker and relentless advocate for social justice continues to inspire future generations to build stronger more resilient communities.

How it works

Happi Williams name synonymous with community development and social innovation distinguished how the marine lantern of hope and inspiration in modern social work. Her trip marked resilient passion and imperturbable obligation before raising of data second-rate societies offers the valuable penetrating in power of grassroots activity what yields to transformation. Then bottoms of essay are in life of Williams’ distinguishing her contributions to community development and her patient action of work on society.

Happi Williams was born in modest family where values of sympathy and public welfare were interpenetrating.

From early age she showed sharp business to the social problems often offering in local refuges and community centres. Her academic pursuits led to her to study social work where she was marked through her dedication and innovative approaches to the acceptance for social problems. An early career of Williams’ was marked her bringing in to the different public projects where she showed extraordinary ability to be reported with people and appeal to their necessities actually.

One of Williams’ the known additions was her work with underserved by municipal fence surrounding villages. She admitted that viable community development required integral approach applying not only economic disparity but and social educational and the calls related to health. Williams opened a few programs directed in the improvement of access to education and curative business encouraging economic feasibilities and moving forward social solidarity. Her initiatives often included a collaboration with local governments unprofits and by public members guaranteeing that decisions were tailor-made to the specific necessities and forces of every society.

Going of Williams’ near community development characterized the deep understanding of systemic flows out then immortalizes poverty and inequality. She was a vocal defender for political changes often participating with higher officials to push for reforms that would create more just societies what concludes. Her efforts assisted implementation a few key politics that the extended access to the suitable placing improved a public health infrastructure and increased educational possibilities for unprofitable groups.

After her professional achievements history of personnel of Williams’ – one of obstinacy and imperturbable obligation before her ideals. She ran into numerous calls by the way limited financing and resistance from the entered businesses but her determination hesitated never. Williams believed in power of grassroots activity and often did an accent on importance of plenary powers of societies to take their burden of own development. Her work inspired numerous individuals to happen more active brought over to their societies encouraging the culture of principle of voluntarily and civil obligation.

Williams’ legacy is perhaps best encapsulated by the numerous testimonials from those whose lives she touched. Many community members credit her with providing them with the tools and support needed to overcome significant obstacles and improve their quality of life. Her impact is evident in the thriving community centers improved living conditions and the sense of hope and possibility that now permeates many of the neighborhoods she worked with.

In addition to her direct contributions to community development Williams was also a prolific writer and speaker. She authored several books and articles that explored the complexities of social work and community activism offering practical advice and inspiring stories from her experiences. Her writings continue to serve as valuable resources for students practitioners and anyone interested in making a positive impact in their communities.

Happi Williams’ story is a powerful reminder of the profound difference one person can make. Her life’s work underscores the importance of compassion resilience and the belief that sustainable change is possible when communities are empowered and supported. As society continues to grapple with issues of inequality and social justice Williams’ legacy serves as a guiding light inspiring current and future generations to pursue a more equitable and inclusive world.

In conclusion Happi Williams’ contributions to community development are both profound and far-reaching. Her innovative approaches tireless advocacy and personal dedication have left an indelible mark on the field of social work and the communities she served. Williams’ life and legacy continue to inspire and guide efforts toward building stronger more resilient communities highlighting the enduring impact of her work on society.

Cite this page

The Impact of Happi Williams on Contemporary Music and Cultural Identity. (2024, Jul 06). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-happi-williams-on-contemporary-music-and-cultural-identity/

"The Impact of Happi Williams on Contemporary Music and Cultural Identity." PapersOwl.com , 6 Jul 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-happi-williams-on-contemporary-music-and-cultural-identity/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Impact of Happi Williams on Contemporary Music and Cultural Identity . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-happi-williams-on-contemporary-music-and-cultural-identity/ [Accessed: 9 Jul. 2024]

"The Impact of Happi Williams on Contemporary Music and Cultural Identity." PapersOwl.com, Jul 06, 2024. Accessed July 9, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-happi-williams-on-contemporary-music-and-cultural-identity/

"The Impact of Happi Williams on Contemporary Music and Cultural Identity," PapersOwl.com , 06-Jul-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-happi-williams-on-contemporary-music-and-cultural-identity/. [Accessed: 9-Jul-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Impact of Happi Williams on Contemporary Music and Cultural Identity . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-happi-williams-on-contemporary-music-and-cultural-identity/ [Accessed: 9-Jul-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Life, Music, & Influences Essay (Biography)

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

The life and work of beethoven, bonn’s influence on beethoven, influencers of beethoven beyond bonn, difficulties in beethoven’s mature career.

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer of the transitional period (Solomon, 1998). Beethoven was born on 17 December 1770 in Cologne, Germany and died on 26 March 1827 in Vienna, Austria (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011). History judges Beethoven as the greatest composer to have ever lived. This unmatched praise comes out of the fact that Beethoven dominated the musical history of his time in an extraordinary manner.

Beethoven conveyed the philosophy of life through his music compositions. Historically, Beethoven’s composition borrows attributes from the Classical era composers like Haydn and Mozart. Moreover, Beethoven’s art extends a spirit of humanism and incipient nationalism that had just surfaced at the end of the Classical period (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

The humanism and incipient nationalism theme is visible in the works of other composers like Goethe and Friedrich von Schiller both from Germany (Mai, 2007). Other than extending the theme of humanism and incipient nationalism, Beethoven also radically changed morality as portrayed by Kant (Mai, 2007). Furthermore, he also changed the ideals of the French revolution, extending an emphasis on the importance of a passionate concern for the observance of individual freedom and dignity (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

Some of Beethoven’s compositions strongly assert the human will. Beethoven was not a Romantic composer; however, there are characteristics in his works that indicate his influential role on how the works of the Romantics turned out. According to Beethoven, music embodied more emotions than a painting would do. Therefore, he explored all the available scopes of compositions that he could.

The result of this endeavor was an overall expansion of the various scopes such as sonata, symphony, quartet and concerto (Ludwig van Beethoven’s biography, n.d). His attempts were the first for any composer and therefore Beethoven is arguably the innovator. Another important innovation credited to his name was the first combination of vocal and instrumental music (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

Another first for Beethoven was his struggle against life’s disadvantages and the fact that he literally lived from the proceeds of his music without having to do composition when he did not feel like doing them. In this regard, it is worthwhile to observe that Beethoven suffered from an encroaching deafness condition, and most of his notable compositions occurred during his last 10 years of living when he could practically not hear.

Beethoven sold his works and offered them commercially for publication. Other than that, he received regular payments pegged only on his compositions. Thus, Beethoven saw no need to engage in other economic activities to sustain him.

Beethoven comes from a family of singers. Notably, his grandfather settled in Bonn and sung at the choir of the archbishop-elector of Cologne (Ludwig van Beethoven’s biography, n.d). Moreover, Beethoven’s father also followed the example of his grandfather and sung at the electoral choir. The tale of Beethoven is not unique; it is common for children to pursue similar professions with their parents.

However, even though Beethoven seemingly had an easy start in music having his family’s approval, material support did not come easily. He was born in a well to do family that later become gradually poor. Poverty of the family started with the death of Beethoven’s grandfather and was accelerated by his father plunge into alcoholism (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

This poverty consequence must have had the harshest effect on Beethoven. He was forced to leave formal schooling at the age of 11 and assumed the responsibilities of feeding his family soon afterwards when he became 18 years old (Mai, 2007).

Much of the success of Beethoven musically came after he reached his adolescence. Before reaching puberty, his father really wanted him to turn into a child prodigy like Mozart without success. This came after Johann, his father, noted that Beethoven was quickly grasping his way around the piano (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

Another contributor to Beethoven’s development of his music career came from the political decisions of the ruler of Bonn. As Beethoven grew up, Bonn, his hometown, was transformed into a cultural capital city by Maximilian Francis who was a brother to Joseph II the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1780 (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

It was not as a surprise to anyone that the new ruler transformed the once sleepy town into a culturally vibrant city. Most notable is the ruler’s decision to limit the power of the clergy and the creation of a new university in Bonn. These two developments attracted notable literature contributors of the time because of its suitable conditions for literary works (Mai, 2007).

During this transformational Bonn city, the Christian Gottlob named Neefe, a protestant, as its organist. Neefe later interacted with Beethoven and became his teacher. Neefe was not a renowned musician; in fact, he was most influential to Beethoven in the shaping up of his ideals rather than in his music compositions. Nevertheless, Beethoven communicated his emotions through his music. Neefe become instrumental in assisting Beethoven to publish his first surviving composition.

Neefe was a man of high ideals and wide culture, coupled with immense experience in letter writing, composition of songs and light theoretical pieces. This capacity enabled him to assist in the publication of Beethoven’s first work in 1793. During this time, Beethoven had worked for Neefe for almost a year, serving in the capacity of an assistant court organist.

A major break for Beethoven, which would be much celebrated by Johann, his father, given the amount of attention he had offered in coaching him as a child, came in 1787. After the publication of his first composition, Beethoven became relatively known and was appointed the continuo player to the Bonn opera (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011). Later on in 1787, the archbishop-elector, Maximilian Francis decided to reward the extraordinary talent of Beethoven for the benefit of the whole city’s cultural progress.

He sent Beethoven to the same university as Mozart in Vienna. Unfortunately, Beethoven could not complete his studies after the death of his mother. However, for the brief moment that he was in Vienna, he managed to convince Mozart that his ability to improvise would make him a great name in the world of music (Morris, 2005).

While back at Bonn for five years that followed his leave from Vienna, Beethoven assumed more duties playing at the theatre orchestra and started making worthy acquaintances. At first, he became a teacher of four children of a former Bonn chancellor (Solomon, 1998). Out of this arrangement, the new job presented him with a friendlier home than his own.

In addition, from the association with the chancellor’s four children, Beethoven was able to get more wealthy pupils for his class. Furthermore, out of favorable circumstances, Beethoven happened to play at the Breuning circle. During his performance, part of the audience was Waldstein, a member of the highest Viennese aristocracy (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011). Waldstein was a music lover (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

Walden’s admiration for Beethoven’s work led him to extend exclusive invitations to Beethoven to perform at high society functions such as the funeral of Joseph II, the Holy Roman Empire’s ruler. However, his compositions were not performed at the funeral as players found some sections too complicated to grasp under a short practice time (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

Later in the 19 th century, discovery of the manuscripts by Beethoven led to their first even known performance (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011). Before that, a renowned composer, Haydn, was impressed by the composition and took Beethoven as his pupil (Solomon, 1998). In 1792, Beethoven left Bonn during the French Revolution and never went back.

Genuine students of Beethoven hold great value to his works composed while he still lived in Bonn than those he composed while in Vienna. A major contributing fact to this observance is that at Bonn, Beethoven had a more severe clash with life’s experiences that made his emotions so deep thus making his compositions quite rich and attractive to the students of his music. His compositions done while he was in Bonn embody his struggles to get used to his inadequate training and natural difficulties (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

Out of Bonn, Beethoven most notable influence was in his use of sudden pianos; unexpected outbursts and wide leaping arpeggio, having concluding explosive impact that later become known as the Mannheim rockets. After his departure from Bonn, the general style of Bonn changed into a preoccupation with extremes of soft and loud played in contradiction to the musical phrasing (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

Most notable influences for Beethoven musically were the popular music and folk music of his time. An examination of Beethoven’s mature music reveals instances of major influences from heavy Rhineland dance rhythms. Other than that, Beethoven assimilated idioms from Italian, French, Slavic and Celtic.

Beethoven’s work shows a mild disregard for the harmonic procedure of folk melody. Beethoven also had an impingement from French music through his strong links with its capital Paris. From the Bonn national theatre, Beethoven also found French inspirations because it relied on repertories translated from French. Beethoven’s work shows a favor for the forward march of the French Revolution because of the sympathy that Bonn had for the French Revolution (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

Beethoven grew with the piano teachings of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach who was the head of the expression music during its period as a major influence. The intellectual climate that raised Beethoven contributed to his ready acceptance and improvisation of the piano teaching more than other notable composers, such as Mozart and Haydn, did (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

During this period, music was viewed as an assortment of feelings. While Neefe, Beethoven’s master, valued feelings in theory, Beethoven saw feelings in their practicality of everyday life. Perhaps that is the reason why some scholars identify his music as Romantic (Morris, 2005).

It would be expected that Beethoven would compose a lot of music based on solo performance because of the fact that his father and grandfathers were singers. However, Beethoven moves radically from this notion instead, favoring plural voice. Beethoven varied major themes of his time and presented them in a plural voice such that this feature became a recognizable attribute of his piano technique. His radically approach came from the view of compositions as the works of an artist rather than a musician (Solomon, 1998).

While in Bonn, Beethoven had become a piano dazzling. He was a prodigy at extemporization surpassing Mozart. Beethoven moved audiences to their tears with so much ease comparable to other great pianists of his time. The aristocracies of Vienna were moved by this power and readily took him immediately when he moved to Vienna. The acceptance by the aristocracy made his music a favorite pastime for the whole of Vienna (Ludwig van Beethoven, 2011).

While in Vienna, Beethoven had another secret teacher in Vienna because he had more difficulties to deal with than Haydn could handle. Antonio Salieri was one of the secret teachers of Beethoven, he taught him vocal compositions (Morris, 2005). In 1795, Beethoven had his first public performance in Vienna. During this time, he also participated in a benefit concert for Haydn who had since moved to London. As the century ended so did Beethoven’s first part of his life, marked by his unfortunate problem of deafness (Mai, 2007).

Many people wonder how Beethoven who was already known as a great a musician and composer would function musically without a hearing ability. During this period, Bonn appears as having a huge importance allocation by Beethoven because the first persons he confides in, about his condition, are from Bonn (Ludwig van Beethoven’s biography, n.d.).

When the deafness became acute, Beethoven started using notebooks to interact with his visitors and most notable were his responses in written form. Beethoven resolved to rise above the difficulties presented by his deafness. However, he was very bitter of the loss of hearing. According to Beethoven’s accounts of his deafness, the cause was his treatment for a stomach condition (Ludwig van Beethoven’s biography, n.d).

Doctors advised him to have cold baths, which greatly improved his wretched belly condition; however, the treatment came at the expense of his ear problem, which got worse with every additional cold bath. Beethoven noted that winter baths had the most horrible effect such that he had to seek additional medication to address the problem of his ear. Notable, he wrote that his ears sung and buzzed constantly (Ludwig van Beethoven’s biography, n.d.).

As a mature composer, Beethoven was very anxious of monetary compensation attributable to the fact that he had no other income source other than his music (Mai, 2007). The instance of going deaf and having little money to live on pushed Beethoven into depression.

What pushed him beyond his struggle were his personality and the fact that he considered himself as an artist more than a composer (Solomon, 1998). Thus, his outlook of life and music came from an intellectual engagement in his mind. Even the expression of emotions in his music had to be channeled through carefully crafted thoughts (Solomon, 1998).

This essay has demonstrated beyond doubt why Ludwig van Beethoven is a respected and renowned composer. Moreover, it presents a deeper look at the major influencing factors of his career such as his health condition. The reader would appreciate Beethoven as a genius by looking at his struggles, how he used his limited but critical opportunities to further his career. Lastly, this essay presents a critical link to understanding Beethoven; that of an artist and a musician.

Johann Georg Albrechtsberger . (2011). Web.

Ludwig van Beethoven . (2011). Web.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s biography . (n.d.). Web.

Mai, F. M. (2007). Diagnosing Genius: The Life and Death of Beethoven. Montreal: McGill-McQueen’s University Press.

Morris, E. (2005). Beethoven, the universal composer. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Solomon, M. (1998). Beethoven (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Prentice Hall International .

• Beethoven’s and Mozart’s Music Experience
• Beethoven Symphonies Analysis
• Comparison and Contrast of Beethoven's First Movement of Symphonies 5 & 7
• Stephen Sondheim, a Renowned Composer and Lyricist
• B.B. King: Life, Musical Background & Career
• Johann Sebastian Bach
• Johann Strauss II, the Waltz King
• Jazz Bio on Jazz musician Miles Davis
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, October 3). Ludwig Van Beethoven: Life, Music, & Influences. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ludwig-van-beethoven/

"Ludwig Van Beethoven: Life, Music, & Influences." IvyPanda , 3 Oct. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/ludwig-van-beethoven/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Ludwig Van Beethoven: Life, Music, & Influences'. 3 October.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Ludwig Van Beethoven: Life, Music, & Influences." October 3, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ludwig-van-beethoven/.

1. IvyPanda . "Ludwig Van Beethoven: Life, Music, & Influences." October 3, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ludwig-van-beethoven/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Ludwig Van Beethoven: Life, Music, & Influences." October 3, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ludwig-van-beethoven/.