98.7 WFMT Musical History Map

Mapping the history of music, courtesy of Chicago’s Fine Arts Station.

This informative guide to the history of music was designed by Robert L. Williams and published in 1992. According to the text on the left-hand side, the image “serves as a simple graphic guide to a representative number of classical composers with typical works indicated.”

The bottom of the sheet provides a summary of the various ideas and events from around the globe that most impacted the development of music. Beethoven (pictured), Bach, Kant, Brahms, Wagner, and Strauss are all shown in bold, emphasizing their exaggerated contributions. The map provides a useful foundation for anyone new to the genre of classical music, or a handy guide to veteran listeners.