What's the oldest music you've listened to?
 

In my first review for the Psychedelia Album Club I noted that an album from the sixties was one of my earliest reviews, but then I thought no, I've listened to music older than that. After all, Mozart, Vivaldi, much classical music goes back to the fifteenth/sixteenth century. And who hasn't heard that classic from the Stone Age, Ugh and the Cavemen's "Finger painting", with such gems as "You my woman", "You my woman II: Draggin' her back" and of course who could forget "Me hunt you cook"?

But what's the earliest music you've listened to? How far back can you go?

1600s. Vivaldi, Handel, and Bach.

I listen to Carlo Gesualdo of the late 1500s regularly. He was way ahead of his time. I've listened to one piece supposedly from 1000 CE but it wasn't very memorable.

Pretty old stuff here. ;)

I'd say the furthest ive gone is 1940 or 1920 with Django's stuff, i may have have listened to older stuff but i didn't really keep track when it was recorded.

Musical Instructions For "Lipit-Istar, King Of Justice", approximateöy 1950 B.C., performed by Ensemble De Organographia.

(It's boring.)

What would you recommend by Gesualdo? There are surprisingly many albums.

I've listened to Wagner before and some Bach. Haven't explored older music too much though.

Nothing I've heard was recorded in the 16th century, so probably '20s.

Carlo Gesualdo: Integral Madrigals for Five Voices: Libros 1-6 performed by Noel Akchote is my favourite.

Wow! I guess you win. Not death metal then? ;)

"Zerbon the Galaxy Smasher"—Nblerkelmek Xixood (8,000,000,000 BCE)

We're all naming classical music, which was likely recorded in the past century, so we're obviously going by the date of composition. Some folk tune is probably the oldest thing I've listened to, as it was written before the classical pieces I've heard.

Obviously I've heard older classical pieces, but I did go through a period of about a month where I was obsessed with old calliope and band organ music from the late 1800s-1910s. It's some of the wildest music I've ever heard, and so square that it becomes hip again.

That said, my sister said it was the sort of music you listen to right before you start stacking bodies in your backyard. So your mileage may vary on how great it is.

I took a music history class back in college, and the teacher started us off by playing some very old vocal pieces from the Middle ages I believe(my history knowledge leaves alot to be desired). The recordings themselves weren't from that time obviously, but were some very early recordings(about the 1920s I believe).

I mean you could literally feel the age on this recording.

Anyway it was an interesting listen, especially when you're used to music today or even in the recent past with more of a direct structure, as this piece just seemed to go on in a similar way while adding one or two vocal parts. Overall I really wish that I saved the copybook from that class, as there were many interesting parts of music history and artist names that escape me now but I know I would really enjoy if I checked them out.

1920s (Great Gatsby) Swing.

1940s Big Band era, Swing/Jazz.

Various Delta Blues artist from the 1930s.
Robert Johnson in particular.

medieval music ftw

That may have actually been one of the songs he showed us! Thanks for the find!

Late 1950's. Yeah, I've never really digged any deeper. And even so, people keep saying I listen to too much ''old'' music. Most of my music is from the 80 or above though.

Do I get a hipster trophy?

You might have confused me with someone who likes metal. Or did I misunderstand you?

Earliest is late 80s thrash, death, and black metal.

On a regular basis, I'd say early 2000s.

Wow. So you've never heard any music from the 70s? Not a single song?

:confused:

Earliest written music I've heard must be some Gregorian chants that probably date back to the 900s or something. The earliest recorded music I've heard may be Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago" or something by Django Reinhardt, not sure.

Oh, I actually have this one.
Never bothered to find out which era the composer was from.

I listen mostly to music that's about 30-40 years behind my time, but the oldest stuff I listen to on a very regular basis would be Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters. Although I really do have a thing about 50s RocknRoll, I think my alter ego maybe a teddy boy.

Can't say I'm a fan of classical or opera, I don't listen to anything really from before the 30s.

The oldest music I have ever listened to was by the likes of Jimi Hendrix or Led Zeppelin. Also, here is the oldest song in the world.

Sounds very midi.

Maybe it's the oldest known midi file? :confused:

Hear Thomas Edison's earliest known recording from 1878 for the first time (audio) | 89.3 KPCC

Turn! Turn! Turn! - Pete Seeger; The Byrds -The lyrics were taken from the book of Ecclesiastes.

Didgeridoo music goes back hundreds if not thousands of years.

Well, I think that everyone has listened to classical at least once. Beside that stuff, I think the oldest things I've listened to and really loved are the african-american work songs, negro spirituals and early vocal blues. They were all a cappella and the sound quality was terrible, but that's why I find them so melancholic and beautiful.. I think they dated back to early 1870's

I bet someone could give that tune a modern arrangement, some catchy lyrics and turn it into a big hit. :baseball: