Classical music over the centuries
Read Classical music over the centuries and check the IELTS Reading answers. The production of any great art form, and classical music is no exception, does not usually occur in a society dominated by the basic material demands of food and shelter. Art and music have flourished in those periods of…
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The production of any great art form, and classical music is no exception, does not usually occur in a society dominated by the basic material demands of food and shelter. Art and music have flourished in those periods of history, and those parts of society, in which the luxury of free time and material wealth has allowed such a culture to take precedence over more material matters. In the medieval European world, it was thus primarily in the closed communities of the church and monastery, and royal courts that music, literature and learning were able to flourish.
Vocabulary from this passage
11 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- definitive adjective
Serving as a final or conclusive example; providing a firm and trusted basis for a field of study
A definitive aspect of the classical music tradition is its reliance on precise musical notation.
- displace verb
To take the place of something; to cause something to be moved from its proper or usual place
Digital audio files rapidly began to displace physical formats like CDs in the early twenty-first century.
- dissemination noun
The action or fact of spreading something, especially information or technology, widely among a large group of people
The dissemination of recording technology revolutionised the way diverse musical genres reached a global audience.
- flourish verb
To grow or develop in a healthy and vigorous way, especially because the environment is particularly favourable
Classical music was able to flourish in societies where the ruling class had significant material wealth and leisure.
- inherently adverb
In a permanent, essential, or characteristic way; existing as a natural part of something that cannot be removed
Attending a live concert was viewed as an inherently significant social experience for the 19th-century middle class.
- musical notation noun
A system used to visually represent aurally perceived music through the use of written symbols
The development of musical notation allowed composers to share their works across different generations and geographic locations.
- refine verb
To improve something by making small changes, in particular to make an idea or theory more subtle and accurate
Advanced systems of notation allowed later composers to rework and refine their complex symphonic ideas.
- repertory noun
The collection of plays, dances, or musical items that a company or performer knows or is prepared to perform
Before notation existed, monastic singers had to memorize a massive repertory of chants for daily religious services.
- take precedence verb
To be considered more important than something else and therefore be dealt with first or given more priority
In periods of economic instability, basic material demands like food and shelter often take precedence over artistic endeavours.
- ubiquity noun
The state of being everywhere at once or appearing to be present in all places simultaneously
The ubiquity of recorded sound has made it difficult for modern listeners to appreciate the rarity of live performances.
- viable adjective
Capable of working successfully; feasible or able to survive and remain relevant over a long period
The tradition of classical music has remained viable for centuries due to the preservation of written scores.
Answers with explanations
- 14. iii
Paragraph A says great art, and classical music in particular, **does not usually occur** in a society dominated by **the basic material demands of food and shelter**. Art flourished only where **free time** and wealth allowed it. This central idea matches the heading about **a focus on survival** limiting the practice of classical music, because 'basic material demands' paraphrases survival needs. The paragraph does not discuss recordings or notation, so those headings do not fit. Answer: iii.
- 15. ii
Paragraph B explains that in the 18th century **an economically independent middle class** appeared, so that **concert going became a public activity** for anyone who could **buy a ticket**. This widening of the audience matches the heading about **more people gaining access** to live music. 'Anyone who cared to buy a ticket' paraphrases 'more people', and 'live' matches concert venues. The heading about music being limited to live performances describes the earlier situation in paragraph D. Answer: ii.
- 16. v
Paragraph C is about technology: it moves from the phonograph and wax cylinders to the CD, the MP3 file and music stored on phones or computers. The opening claim that **nothing has changed music more radically** than **recording technologies** gives the main idea. This supports the heading about **a range of scientific advances** bringing music to a **wider audience**, since 'dissemination' means spreading to more people. Answer: v.
- 17. vi
Paragraph D describes **before recording**: music was a **social event** that lasted only as long as the musicians played, and even professional music meant going to a **specific venue** at a specific time. Hearing music was therefore limited to **live performances**, which is the heading about **listening to music being limited to live performances**. The heading about more people gaining access to live music is a trap, because the paragraph stresses restriction, not growth. Answer: vi.
- 18. i
Paragraph E says technology makes music **instantly and constantly available**, so it floats free of any **specific occasion or venue** and can be a **soundtrack** for commuting, exercising or shopping. These are many different situations, which matches the heading about music being **enjoyed in a large variety of situations**. The heading about scientific advances fits paragraph C, which describes the technologies themselves, whereas this paragraph describes where music is now heard. Answer: i.
- 19. vii
Paragraph F argues that the most **definitive aspect** of classical music is that it is **written or notated**, and that it has **remained viable over the years** because it was written down. The paragraph then traces notation from the ninth century through a thousand years of development. This matches the heading about **how classical music has managed to survive for centuries**, since 'remained viable' paraphrases 'survive'. Answer: vii.
- 20-21: CE
- 22-23: BD
- 24. audience
The gap follows 'a specific' and sits beside 'a particular location or occasion' and 'a group of musicians', so it needs a **singular noun**. Paragraph E says music is **no longer restricted** to a particular **audience** or group of musicians, which the summary paraphrases as 'nor is it associated with'. The word is copied from the passage and respects the one-word limit. 'Occasion' and 'venue' appear in the passage too, but they match the summary's earlier words 'occasion' and 'location', not the pairing with 'group of musicians'. Answer: audience.
- 25. halls
The gap follows 'opera houses or' and needs a **plural noun** naming a place where concerts are performed. The summary paraphrases the sentence saying that a performance defined by **concert halls** and opera houses is **dissolved** by digital recording formats, which matches 'the need for venues ... has vanished'. The answer is lifted from the passage as a single word. 'Concert halls' would break the **ONE WORD ONLY** limit, so only 'halls' is accepted. Answer: halls.
- 26. soundtrack
The gap follows 'treat music as a' and needs a **singular noun** that completes 'to their daily activities'. Paragraph E says all music, classical music included, can become any person's **soundtrack** for activities such as **commuting, exercising or shopping**, which the summary calls 'daily activities'. The article 'a' and the singular noun fit 'soundtrack' exactly. The word is copied from the passage and respects the one-word limit. Answer: soundtrack.