Discovering Sheet Music by Era (Time Period Playlists)

Tissimo's Time Period Playlists are curated collections of sheet music organized by musical era. Whether you're exploring the ornate counterpoint of the Baroque period or the bold rhythms of 20th-century music, these playlists make it easy to dive into a specific period of music history.

What Are Time Period Playlists?

Time Period Playlists group sheet music into historically meaningful categories. Each playlist is curated to include representative works from that era across a range of instruments. They're designed to help students explore different musical styles and help teachers build lesson plans around historical context.

Available Eras

• Baroque (c. 1600–1750): Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Scarlatti — contrapuntal writing, ornamentation, basso continuo
• Classical (c. 1750–1820): Haydn, Mozart, early Beethoven — clarity, balance, sonata form
• Romantic (c. 1820–1900): Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Tchaikovsky — expressive depth, virtuosity, extended harmonies
• Impressionistic (c. 1875–1925): Debussy, Ravel, Satie — atmosphere, tone color, fluid harmonies
• 20th Century (c. 1900–2000): Bartók, Stravinsky, Shostakovich — diverse styles from Serialism to Jazz-influenced works
• Contemporary (2000–present): Living composers, modern idioms, cross-genre writing

Additional playlists may also be available for specific sub-genres or regional styles.

How to Browse by Era

1. Go to the Sheet Music section from the main navigation.
2. Look for the Browse by era section on the library homepage.
3. Click on an era to open its playlist.
4. Browse the pieces within the playlist — you can use the search box at the top to find a specific piece.

What's Included in Each Playlist

Each Time Period Playlist includes:

• Featured works across multiple instruments
• Pieces by multiple composers representative of the period
• A search box to quickly find a specific piece within the playlist

Using Playlists for Lesson Planning and Practice

For students: Use Time Period Playlists to explore music beyond your current repertoire. Trying pieces from different eras helps you develop versatility and musical vocabulary. You can preview and listen to sheet music before adding them to your library.

For teachers: Time Period Playlists are a useful starting point when building a historically-informed curriculum. You can browse an era playlist, select appropriate pieces for your student's level, and add them to your lesson plan. Pieces in your library load directly into the Tissimo classroom. Use the sheet music search to find specific composers or titles across all eras.

• Pair a Baroque piece with discussions of ornamentation and figured bass
• Use a Romantic étude to introduce expressive phrasing and pedaling
• Explore 20th-century rhythmic complexity alongside listening examples