Although this may not be relating to something in the modern day with the art we are studying, I think it is interesting to show people the music, and particularly the music notation of the middle ages. As we have seen in liturgical writings, illuminated manuscripts were all the rage back then, and the same is true for music. during the middle ages, music began to become more organized in terms of notation, and well, general organization of sound. As in everything else from that time period, most music was religious, and the manuscripts of the music reflect that religious aspect. With regards to music organization, a man by the name of Guido created what is known as the "
Guidonian Hand." In this, he assigned names and syllables to musical notes, and so was the beginning of music in the way we know it. Also, even the actual music notation looks very artistic, and was understood in shapes and general contour of the melody rather than actual notes. Here's a link to some examples of sacred music manuscripts:
http://scholarship.rice.edu/handle/1911/13014. All the little black squares are the "notes." Another interesting thing is that music also started taking on another shape, literally, where the music staff, or music itsefl was being written in
shapes.
