Originally, chamber music referred to a type of classical music that was performed in a small space such as a house or a palace room. The number of instruments used was few and without a conductor to guide the mu...

An oratorio is an extended composition for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra; the narrative text is usually based on scripture or biblical stories but is non-li...

It is a form of medieval church music that involves chanting; it emerged around 100 C.E. 

Plainchant does not use any instrumental accompaniment. Instead, it uses words that are sung. It was the only type of music allowed in Christian churches early on.

Polyphony is a characteristic of Western music.

It began when singers started improvising with parallel melodies, with emphasis on fourth (ex. C to F) and fifth (ex. C to G) intervals. This marked the start of polyphony wher...

Motet emerged in Paris around the year 1200. It is a type of polyphonic vocal music which uses rhythm patterns. 

Early motets were both sacred and secular; ...

Cantata comes from the Italian word cantare, which means "to sing." It originated in the early 17th-century, but, as with any musical form, it has evolved through the years.

At the very beginning, cantatas referred to a music piece that is meant to be sung....

Choral music refers to music which is sung by a choir. Each musical part is sung by two or more voices. 

The size of a choir varies; it can be as few as a dozen singers or as large as to be able to sing Gustav Mahler's

Also known as church music, it is music performed during worship or a religious rite. It evolved from the music performed in Jewish synagogues.

 In its early form, singers were accompanied by an organ, then by the 12th-century liturgical music adapted a polyphonic style.

An opera is generally referred to as a stage presentation or work that combines music, costumes, and scenery to tell a story. Most operas are sung, with few or no spoken lines. 

The word "opera" is actually a shortened word for the term "opera in musica".

A symphony often has 3 to 4 movements. The beginning is moderately fast, the next section is slow followed by a minuet, and then a very fast conclusion.

Symphonies had its ro...

The suite is a type of instrumental dance music that emerged during the Renaissance and was further developed during the