The whole history of western music can be roughly divided into six periods: ancient and medieval period, Renaissance period, Baroque period, classicism period, The Romantic Period and 2th century modern music.

1. The first period is called ancient times and the Middle Ages. The so-called ancient times refer to the music of ancient Greece and Rome in the history of western music. It is an important source of western music, and the Middle Ages is also an important period for the formation of western culture. But it is a long time, nearly a thousand years or so.

2. The second period is called the Renaissance, mainly in the 15th and 16th centuries. Since the Renaissance, western music has developed faster and faster.

3. The third period is called Baroque period, which is the period in which Bach lived. From this period, the western society gradually transited from feudal society to capitalist society, and the whole music gradually transited from ancient times to modern times.

4. The fourth period is called the classicism period, which is represented by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, and this period is a peak in the whole western music history.

5. The fifth period, called The Romantic Period, refers to the music of the 19th century, which also developed greatly. The whole western music produced many composers and excellent works in the 19th century. Chopin, Liszt, Mahler, Schumann and Mendelssohn are all romantic composers.

6. The sixth period is modern music in the 2th century. This period continues until now, because there are many new and varied schools of western music in this period, which is very colorful.