2000 years of Popular Music, Dance and Drama
How much do you know about the history of music, dance and drama?
Try this True/False quiz. There's an entry for each complete AD century. In each case, you need to say whether or not the statement is true and (if so) who or what it refers to and (as near as possible) when. If it's false, it would be useful to know why (or why people might be misled into believing that it's true).
0-100 - A Roman writer describes sword dancing among the Germanic tribes.
100-200 - The Guitar is introduced to Polish folk singing, from where it will be taken to Rome during the next century.
200-300 - The son of an Alexandrian barber invents the organ for use in Christian services.
300-400 - An Arabic text, containing several chapters on music, is the first to clearly describe the octave.
400-500 - An eastern visitor attempts to introduce an early version of punk rock to Rome, but dies on his wedding night.
500-600 - The Pope introduced planchant into the Christian service.
600-700 - An untutored shepherd who could not sing becomes the first singer-songwriter in the English language.
700-800 - Harps, of a triangular design, are depicted on stones in Wales.
800-900 - Bishop Asser describes the Christmas Mummers Play as seen by King Alfred at Chippenham.
900-1000 - Both church bells and hand bells were in use in England, the latter for tune playing.
1000-1100 - The original "Tonic Sol-Fa" system was invented, with notes Ut-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La.
1100-1200 - The first "Morality Play". All parts, except The Devil, were performed in plainchant.
1200-1300 - A licentious Thames Valley monk owned a copy of an idyllic song in 4 part harmony, still frequently recorded.
1300-1400 - Bagpipers were accused of introducing the Black Death into England and piping was banned.
1400-1500 - Dance steps and music for "The Beginning of The World" were published.
1500-1600 - A well known jester danced from Norwich to London in 23 days.
1600-1700 - One of the oldest dances enjoyed in the New World by the colonists was first published in England by Sir Roger De Coverley.
1700-1800 - One of the first English "Musicals" runs for 62 days to create a record. Its successor is banned.
1800-1900 - A helix invented by an American revolutionises popular music. Things improve still further when the helix becomes a spiral.
1900-2000 - Tap dancing evolves from European and American clog and step dancing.
Answers, as usual, on the forum. Collaboration strongly encouraged.
Good luck.
Ian