Classical music what is it

Yes, no, maybe? Everyday enjoyment of classical music doesn't require you to strain your brain with such fine distinctions, but it definitely helps to understand that classical music is a living tradition that's being defined and redefined every day.

Though Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and their contemporaries will always have pride of place in the world of classical music, the long history of what we now consider classical music didn't begin with them and certainly didn't end with them. The classical music tradition lives on in composers writing scores for performance by orchestras, for chamber ensembles, for solo performers — and also in unexpected places.

Even if you never listen to "classical music," you're constantly hearing music that's been influenced by the classical tradition, from precisely composed video-game scores to Beatles songs influenced by avant-garde composers to heavy-metal guitarists stealing chords maybe without even knowing it from Richard Wagner. I've just joined Classical MPR as a digital producer; you'll be seeing my byline here, and soon you'll be seeing the bylines of writers I'll be recruiting to contribute to our coverage.

My goal is to expand our coverage of the wide world of classical music in a manner that will surprise you — in a good way. Every day, we want to give you something new to think about, talk about and share. I'll be looking for fresh writers' voices and new perspectives from classical musicians, composers and listeners. If you're a writer and you'd be interested in contributing, please let us know!

Many of you are lifelong classical music enthusiasts, and some of you are new listeners or casual fans. Composition Title. Disc Title. Catalogue No.

Introduction to Classical Music. Music Categories. Musical Instruments. History of Classical Music. Discover the Classics. Glossary of Musical Terms. Synopses of Opera. Index of Operas by Composer. Opera Libretti. A Note from the Author. The Listener's Job Description. Part 1: Before the Concert. Choosing a Concert. Kinds of Concerts. Styles of Presentation: Formal, Informal, and Beyond. Buying a Ticket.

Sections of the Theater. Getting Ready. Indeed, the lineage of the forms and tonality established in the Classical era can be seen to thread from the works of composers of earlier eras Baroque , Renaissance , Medieval and before , to the works of Romantic, 20th Century and contemporary artists, as well as popular Western music genres like jazz, pop, rock and beyond.

Classicism was desirable, heralded and promoted widely following the preceding period of opulent, ornate Baroque styles in arts and architecture. Music was among the areas unable to escape this trend. We like this idea very much. See more Latest quizzes.