What is secular music?

Secular music is simply music that is not associated with any religious practice or tradition. The vast majority of music in the modern world is secular. The intention and lyrical content are usually more important than the musical style in determining whether music is or is not secular. Historically, the balance between religious and secular music tends to lean in the opposite direction, especially during the Middle Ages.

The ancient world represented secular and religious music. The Greeks, the Romans and the Egyptians used music for religious purposes. But everyone also had a tradition of using music for pure entertainment and celebration. In some cases, such as music associated with the Greek theater, these traditions have mixed ways that mixed secular and religious elements.

After the rise of Christianity with secular music in the European world, it has become a somewhat less common, but the exact ratio between secular and religious music is to determine Impossible. The first modern western systems of strict musical notation were invented by monks. These monks createThey have shown written copies of religious music, but generally not from medieval secular music, which means that modern scientists have only excerpts about secular music in the earlier part of the Middle Ages.

secular music has gradually become more important. Troubadours used lutes, a tool imported into Europe during the crusades to compose and make many popular secular songs and copies of some of them. During the Renaissance, the focus of Europe moved further from religion and secular music was composed and kept in writing for offspring.

Reformation has seen a decline in the popularity of secular music across Europe. Over time, however, secular cultural currents reappeared and operas, symphonies and other pieces of famous classical music were composed on secular themes. Religious music was still composed using the same techniques, but dominated by music production during the Baroque era.

Secular music is common throughout the modern world. From jazz to opera, rock to disco, Soviet propaganda to Bollywood music, the most modern forms of popular music are secular in nature. However, this division does not necessarily have a product of the structure of modern musical forms. Music can be composed and performed in a predominantly secular style, but designed to mediate religious message. For example, Christian Rock Music draws on the musical traditions of Rock and Roll, but mixes them with themes and lyrics drawn from Christian script and doctrine.