There are two important kinds of music in the world --one is written down and the other is not. Many people earn their living by writing music. They write songs for popstars and music for films and TV plays. They usually write exact instructions how the music is to be played.
Folk music has been passed down from one goneration to another. At first it was never written down. Pe ple learnt the songs from their families, relatives, neighbours and friends in the same village. These songs were about country life, the seasons, animals and plants, and about love and sadness in people's lives.
Early performers of music were popular and respected.They used to learn hundreds of songs by heart. On festivals they used to act and sing in praise of heroes who lived long ago. This was at a time when there was no radio, TV or cinema. Many of the country people could neither read nor write. In this way stories were passed on from one person to another. This continues in some countries even today.
In some parts of the world nowadays, you often see musicians performing in the streets to passers-by. They put a cap on the ground in front of them, so that people who like the music can drop coins into it.
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