The following is a very short introductiory guide to classical music appreciation which is
recommended reading for those new to classical music. It was written in response to received queries
such as "I don't know a thing about classical music and your site is so large that I need some
guidance to get started."
To begin, I would recommend visiting our Special Destinations pages - featured on our Home Page, namely:
- The Masterworks - a group of eight seminal classical works, displayed chronologically from Bach (d. 1750) to Debussy (d. 1918) - presented both as Audio (live performances) and MIDI (synthesized performances).
- CMA Recital Hall - a collection of eight works, by both seminal and lesser composers, displayed chronologically from Henry Purcell (d. 1695) to the contemporary Russian composer Efrem Podgaits - presented as Audio only
- MIDI Auditorium - a collection of eight works, all by well-known composers from Bach to Holst (d. 1934) - presented as MIDI only
As you listen to the works in these destinations, I would recommend trying to hear the differences
between works, as a reflection of the differing periods during which their composers lived.
Try to get a sense of what distinguishes the music of the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, in terms of the following categories
- which are the basic building blocks of music:
- Sound: instruments, fluctuations of dynamics (volume), mood, etc.
- Harmony (chords): simple vs. complex, sweet vs. harsh, etc.
- Melody: short vs. long, single vs. multiple, singable vs. non-singable, etc.
- Rhythm: regular vs. irregular, light vs. aggressive, etc.
- Form: repetition or symmetry, short vs. long, predicable vs. unpredictable, etc.
Getting your ear to recognize the things that distinguish one musical period from another
will take you a long way toward feeling comfortable with classical music -
as you'll know to some degree what to expect when you hear a piece from 1680, 1770, 1850 or 1920.
These periods, of course, have been codified by music historians, as the Baroque (c.1600-1750),
Classical (c.1750-1800), Romantic (c.1800-1900), and Modern eras (c.1900-present).
Prior to the Baroque, historians generally speak of the Medieval (900-1450)
and Renaissance (1450-1600) periods. Each period, then, is marked by emphasis on a number
of specific genres, some of which span several periods. A simplified guide is as follows:
- Medieval: Organum, Motet, Chanson
- Renaissance: Motet, Mass, Chanson, Madrigal
- Baroque: Concerto grosso, Cantata, Fugue, Opera, Oratorio
- Classical: Symphony, Concerto, Sonata, Variations, Opera
- Romantic: Symphony, Tone Poem, Nocturne, Rhapsody, Opera
You may want to look at our timeline. As an additional aid,
the CMA has provided a selection of key musical terms from the
Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music, including many of those listed above, namely:
Harmony, Melody, Rhythm,
Form, Baroque, Classical,
and Romantic, Concerto grosso,
Cantata, Fugue, Opera,
Oratorio, Symphony,
Concerto, Sonata,
Variations, Nocturne,
and Rhapsody.
Reading the definitions of these and other terms from our list will reinforce and clarify some of the qualities you hear in the works.
Next, you might want to browse through our biographies of "leading" composers,
either from our 18 "Illustrated Biographies," or from the list of 120 bios taken from
the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music - or both.
You would do well to make of it a kind of exercise, as follows:
- Choose a composer from one of the bio lists - e.g. J.S. Bach
- Read the biography - e.g., www.classicalarchives.com/bios/bach_bio.html
- While reading the biography, make a separate note of the works and genres given special emphasis in the article - generally a sign of their significance within the composer's output.
- After reading the biography, go to the CMA page of that composer - e.g. www.classicalarchives.com/bach.html.
- Patiently go through the index of works, looking for those "key" works and genres identified in the biography
- Click on the titles to listen to as many works as you'd like
- As you listen, continue to make a mental note of the musical categories listed above (Sound, Harmony, etc.)
- After working with one composer for a while, switch to another - perhaps in a completely different period
By undertaking a methodical exercise like this, you will gradually become aware of key developments of music history, seminal composers and compositions, key genres and their characteristics, commonly used musical terms, etc.
Naturally, a topic as vast and technical as classical music is a lifetime pursuit, and the
above-described exercise is just one step toward greater understanding.
In addition, we would recommend purchasing one or more of the many Music Appreciation
books that are featured in our Archives Bookstore; each of these books
will discuss musical works featured on the CMA site. Finally, your local college probably offers
a continuing education course on music history - it's all part of a process that is never-ending,
but well worth the effort.
Good luck,
Nolan
Suggested Reading:
 How To Listen To Music On The Internet.
Take the Classical Archives Music History Tour while listening to great concerts!
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