What is classical Music?

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What is Classical Music?

A workable definition of classical music.

"People always make music. They just can't help it. Wherever they are, whoever they are with, and with whatever tools are available they will try and communicate movement, feelings, thoughts, ideas and memories through music.

At certain points in time, in certain social conditions, forms of music were developed which reflected the sophistication, wit and refinement that the patrons wished others to see in them. A lot of the time, these forms are what people are talking about when they say "classical music".

Outside that, it's so diverse in form and content that it's pretty hard to pin down! "

Commonly accepted forms of classical music include concerto, sonata, symphony, opera, and in these forms musicians have developed incredibly effective vehicles for the transmission of cultural intelligence.

The variety of expression is bewildering and presents an extraodinary catalogue of human creativity and endeavour. There are lots of ways to express yourself in music and you can choose your own flavour.

Here are some examples of classical music - Classical

"Music is the birthright of the people.

The great composers whose music is timeless have a message for all who will hear it. Music is not the property of a small group of inititates or a priveleged few to whom its secrets are alone vouchsafed. It exists for our enjoyment, physically, mentally and spiritually..."

- Eugene Goossens -

Former director of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
This bust is in the foyer of the Sydney Opera House.

Warning - SATIRE ALERT

DO NOT READ ON if you are easily offended. !

Follwoing are some observations about the way I have seen people behave. People who are engaged in some aspects of Western art Music. Some of these people are very humourless. They don't see anything funny in Western art Music.

I do. Music is an expression of life to me. It says things about the human condition that cannot be expressed in words. Humour is part of that as well as pathos, satire, melancholy, silly old fun, and transcendental feelings too. There are other ideas you will see about though, and it's good to be aware of them.

Another Definition :
Often it refers to music performed by people, and often recreating pieces written by deceased, often long deceased persons.

Note: There are exceptions to every definition. And exceptions to every exception! Classical music is also sometimes performed by machines, for example Taito - the ROBO - Guitar - and the music may be written by people who are in fact still very much alive.

Common Questions

Q : "How do I know when I am hearing classical music?"

A : You won't know for sure. "Classical music" is a definition, it is not the thing that people do. What you can learn to recognise is certain accepted styles.

For example if you hear a string quartet playing Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (A Little Night Music), you could quite reasonably proclaim "Aha .... now that... is classical music."

And nobody would argue that. Where they will argue is on precisely how that piece should be played. Some will argue about how Mozart played it. Some will argue about how he meant to play it, but never did, exactly.

As you are gathering, there is vast scope for disputation here, and there are many careers built on trying to clarify these issues, which is a commendable thing, or to try and create a dogma about how the music must be played, which is not such a commendable thing.

Q : "Can I play classical music. Should I? It sounds really difficult... and apparently you are not allowed to make mistakes. It just doesn't sound like any darned fun."

A : Well to some people, it's not meant to be fun. It is a very serious, serious, s e r i o u s business.
To these people it's a lot like old fashioned religion really.

In this particular version, a long long time ago great men appeared on the earth, the likes of which are not seen today. These great ones received wisdom from on high, and chiselled the truth into heavy stone tablets, that it be forever immortalised and not fooled around with by dummies like you.. yes.. you ..!!

(Later, the story goes, novice monks painstakingly transferred the music by candelight to paper, or parchment, because of the appallingly high casualty rate inflicted on orchestral musicians during fumbled page (tablet) turns.)

Now, having set up this idea of a religion there was a need for priests, higher priests, and acolytes. In short a great career path was created for people who loved authority and the associated prestige, as well as having a job description that let them push other people around, which is authority really.

And, let there be no mistake, there were some plum jobs created! If you worked the system really well you could get almost tenure. Nobody would ever sack you, nobody could sack you, because you defined the "success" parameters of the job. This sounds incredible I know, but it happens. I know of one example where one of these priest-types sat in his office for a year doing, apparently, nothing. Nothing at all.

At a faculty meeting he was asked... "Why did you do nothing last year?" The answer given was "Because there is nobody, nobody at all in this country that meets the standards required to learn from me!"

Now a reasonable person might think well... maybe if that were my job, I'd get involved with some of these slackers and see if I couldn't raise the standard a little. Or... and this is really off the wall.. but maybe I could lower the entrance standard a little and at least let some folks in. Maybe they could take an extra year to get the result I expect." Didn't happen.

Sometimes these gatekeepers would use other tricks. They could say, "No, I'm sorry, you are just too old to learn anymore". Or "You don't have talent".

Tribute Bands

Oh, but on a lighter note, classical music has a lot of "Tribute Bands". You know, like Elvis impersonators. They even name the group after the composer, like

Amadeus Quartet
Britten's Bersaglers
Chopin's Serenaders
Wagner's Wunderkids

OK, I got a little creative. Actually they usually just settle for the xyz Quartet. Or they'll name the whole band after a city. Sydney Symphony for example. Presumably the one they gig in.

Find a definition that works to make your life and that of people around you better through sharing music.

Call it whatever you like!

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