The word “music” comes from the Greek mousike and adapted by Latin into Musick.

The history of human music is very complex. Over millenniums, the human voice has been musically used to express different feelings and ideas. After my research I have come to understand that singing is probably the oldest musical form. Originally, music from the voice was most likely influenced by birdsong and by the sounds of other animals communicating. Music has transcended history -- the fall of Rome, the baths of England, wars, kings and queens, and ever-evolving cultural societies.

Pope Gregory the Great is credited with standarizing musical notation.

Although evidence of music first appeared in the West at the beginning of the Christian era, there is some proof that music had already reached an advanced form in the East, thirty-five centuries B.C. The people of Mesopotamia (currently in Iraq) played on a variety of instruments which were later found in excavations.

In Egyptian tombs, as far back as 2700 B.C, paintings on the walls depicted groups of musical performers including singers. As Eastern civilizations evolved, they always included human music. Although there is plenty of documentation about this music, there is no record of what the Egyptians may have sung. The very best that historians have been able to accomplish is to reconstitute a few of their melodic scales. There were also ancient Hebrew choirs, although very little specific information exists about these. There is more information about early Greek choral music, handed down by philosophers who believed in their aesthetic and ethical value. I found that the overwhelming abundance of information surrounding the origins of choral music seems to be taken from the European Middle ages.

The origins of early Christian music are relatively unclear until the fourth century at which point church records define the earliest systems of choir notation. This was an exciting time of growth in the musical world. Although Barbarian invasions swept through Europe for centuries, destroying much of the Roman influence, the Catholic Church remained as a stable authority. Choir music continued to evolve through this rough period during which the Gregorian chant was developed, named for Pope Gregory I. Pope Gregory decreed that music be standardized and that musicians and composers use the same rules when writing and performing their music. This Gregorian chant can still be heard today as a monotone chant sung in a free rhythm. Prior to this time, all music notations for choir voices were written as a set of odd, small notes drawn above the words. These notes could only indicate the rise or fall of a voice without specifying the duration or the exact pitch of the note.

Soon after the arrival of the Gregorian chant, a new system was developed to keep voices singing in harmony and under control, and to define the duration of the notes. The system is called mensural music. This system was most likely developed by church priests who had the job of copying the choir music.

The history of boy choirs is strongly connected with the Catholic Church. After the fall of Rome, some of the oldest-known European schools were associated with Monasteries and Cathedrals. These schools were designed to train boys for choirs. Among these earliest schools are the “Ratisbonne Choir”, established at the end of the 10th century in Germany, and the famous “Kings College Choir” in England. To put this point in time into perspective, this was occurring just prior to the construction of Edward the Confessor’s beautiful Westminster Abbey in London, where boy choristers were an integral part of coronation rituals for future kings and queens.

Boy singers, or choristers, have always been an important part of the church. During the Middle Ages, all cathedrals and churches of any importance possessed trained boy choristers. It was common for boys to find themselves pushed out of their family’s homes and into the church choirs to ease the financial burden for their families. Sometimes, poor parents would have their son castrated if he had a particularly good voice -- which would secure their financial futures. A “castrati” (a boy castrated between the ages of 6 and 12) could further the range of his voice, improve his voice quality and sing the female parts. This was particularly desirable, as females were not allowed on stage at this time in history. After castration, the boy chorister would receive additional musical training, potentially improving his family’s financial situation. 

The life of a boy chorister was not very pleasant. Music schools for the young castrati were often considered orphanages for young children. The schools did not have proper funding, so life for boys in these schools resembled the life of a priest -- with strict rules, curfews, poor-quality food and little clothing. The choristers would be required to study long hours and even though the boys would receive the best musical training from the best teachers, only about ten percent of them ever made it to the top and could ever hope to make a decent living from their voices. If they were not in the top one percent of the class reaching international popularity, such as Caffarelli, they were resigned to sing in the church choirs for which they had been trained. It is in these schools that sacred choir music found its beginnings. Also, at this point in history the invention of printing helped spread music throughout Europe and helped create an international style of choral music.

Even though it all sounds modern, Western choirs are founded primarily on an early church influence; a secular musical element also existed. But because religion was so overpowering, its influence overshadowed any secular music practiced at the time. Music development remained like this until the fourteenth century when wealthy patrons of the Renaissance period began to sponsor artists and musicians. It was then that secular choirs began to flourish.

No story about the history of choirs would be complete without mentioning Maria Hackett, "The Choristers' Friend". She was born at the end of the Eighteenth century and when she was about 28 years old, took into her care a fatherless boy. Wanting to give him a good education she placed him in the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Unfortunately at St Paul’s she found very low standards of care for the choristers. Conditions included physical abuse and overworked and underfed boys. Discipline and general care of the boys was of a very low standard -- almost non-existent. Maria wrote many letters to many high- level authorities explaining the neglectful situation, always receiving evasive replies and with no improvements made to the conditions for the boys. There were more letters and more evasive replies, and legal action cost too much for her to undertake. After her huge efforts and persistence, standards for better treatment of boy choristers were eventually improved.

Maria Hackett visited each cathedral in England once per year, checking the welfare of the choristers and making suggestions for improvements. This was an enormous undertaking for a single female at this male-dominated point in history. Today, she is remembered on her tombstone as "The Choristers' Friend" for her revolutionizing effect on the world of chorister boys.

In ancient history, music was one of the seven educational curriculum subjects. Early Christians inherited ancient vocal styles and helped them evolve into modern day choral traditions. Today, choir music is universally enjoyed by the young, old, educated, uneducated, rich and poor. Some of the modern forms of choirs include: Professional choirs like the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and children's choirs like the Los Robles Children's Choir, church choirs, national choirs, community choirs, male choirs, and mixed choirs which usually consist of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices. Some choirs are categorized by the type of music they perform, for instance a jazz choir. No matter what form, throughout history choirs have been marked by the ability of their members to sing precisely in tune.

I believe that being involved in singing and music is an extraordinary experience. To be a part of something that has the power to move and touch people’s lives is such a great feeling there are not words to describe it. E.D.