What is "Classical Music" to you?

[pmsummer]

I play a lot of what some think of as Classical Music. Some of it is, some of it isn't, from a narrow interpretation.

I have a friend who defines "Classical" music as music of the patronages, from the Renaissance through the Romantic period. I know others (very rigid individuals) who limit the term to music composed during the "Classical" period. He may be correct, technically.

Here's what Wikipedia says:

Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 9th century to present times. The central norms of this tradition became codified between 1550 and 1900, which is known as the common practice period.

European music is largely distinguished from many other non-European and popular musical forms by its system of staff notation, in use since about the 16th century. Western staff notation is used by composers to prescribe to the performer the pitch, speed, meter, individual rhythms and exact execution of a piece of music. This leaves less room for practices, such as improvisation and ad libitum ornamentation, that are frequently heard in non-European art music (compare Indian classical music and Japanese traditional music) and popular music.

The term "classical music" did not appear until the early 19th century, in an attempt to "canonize" the period from Johann Sebastian Bach to Beethoven as a golden age. The earliest reference to "classical music" recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary is from about 1836.

I tend to lump secular and liturgical music from the 9th-Century with works by Terry Riley and Steve Reich, and all high-art (academic) music in-between as being "Classical" (or rather, posted on the "Today's Classical Playlist" here).

Sometimes I post things on the "Classical Playlist" only because of the record label the music appears on (i.e., Columbia Masterworks, RCA Red Seal, DGG/Archive, Telefunken/Das Alte Werk), but that will often include both ECM New Series and even some older ECM releases.

 

[reggaenaut]

To me any music which is not improvised, and reflects a studied approach, regardless of the region of its origin.

 

[clydeselsor]

"Classical" I guess has become the umbrella term that I have started using for music that I listen to from the Baroque period through the Romantic-Modern period. For one thing, it is easier to organize my records that way.
Renaissance music gets lumped in with Folk music, because in my opinion, it is...

 

[spideyjack]

Being a post modern type of hillbilly, I tend to use the term Classical as a catch all for music that is written down. Jazz, folk, soul, pop, rock and country are performances of mostly improvised music captured on replayable media. Classical music is performed off of a page.

The correct answer is, "stuff my Aunt and Uncle played" and thus my vote was cast.

 

[slow_jazz]

I went with Beethoven and Mozart...

 

[guiller]

I dub some of the definitions here: any three-party kind of music (composer-interpreter-listener) composed with some aesthetics intention in it (this leaves out most two party situations -interpreter and composer are the same- of pop music and also emphasizes the idea of playing by the score). In most cases thoughout history (due to the different social condition and origins) , the profit part was not considered with the same priority by the composer that the desire of sharing with others his or her needs of communicating something through music, of being recognized and valued by the musician's community and to please listeners with his or her composition talents. (i.e, less a business and more an art). Another characteristic is the predominat use of acoustic instruments, rather than amplified ones (of course, there are many exceptions to this, Messiaen Ondes Martenot come to mind).

I agree on the fact that a practical criterion would be to say that classic music is what is contained in the catalogs of classical music labels (nor exclusive, of course).Just my two cents on this

 

[pmsummer]

I agree on the fact that a practical criterion would be to say that classic music is what is contained in the catalogs of classical music lables, but not all.Just my two cents on this

I was inspired to post this question partly in honor of your return from Italy with a trunk-full of great music!

 

[guiller]

I was inspired to post this question partly in honor of your return from Italy with a trunk-full of great music!

Thanks! I'll try to post some pictures of the stuff that traveled 12.000 Km during the weekend.

 

[similost]

hhhmmm..

You forgot an option. "Any music played with more than 15 people and antiquated instruments in the band.. "

 

[DonQuixote99]

Classical is a matter of degree. Things can be more classical or less classical. The most classical music in existence is Bach. The further you get from him (in time, as a rule of thumb), the less classical.

But the definition "Classical means you do it precisely as it is supposed to be done, with no iimprovising" has some merit, with a cappella doo-wop groups thus definately qualifying as classical.

 

[cool9]

Haydn was the father of true classical music. Before him music was Baroque. He established the String Trio, String Quartet and Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert followed. It's hard to believe that all of those Composers just wrote for Kings and Queens or the Church wrt Baroque Composers. How would you categorize 20th Century "classical" music like Prokofiev, Shostakovich?

 

[RT Fan]

"Classical" is the only genre that is lumped together in my collection, just easier to find it all that way. All the biggies Bach, Brahms, Ludwig, etc are mixed in with Chopin, Operas, Bizet & even Copland. Easier to find on Sunday mornings, which is when I like to listen to this style. The funny thing is, I tend to listen to this type of music louder than my rock, folk or jazz selections.

 

[DonQuixote99]

How would you categorize 20th Century "classical" music like Prokofiev, Shostakovich?

The thing to remember about categories is that they are things people invent. Everybody invents them for themselves, and no one can do it just identically to anyone else, try as people may.

Prokofiev and Shostakovich were working in a tradition that flowed through Bach and Haydn, and they retained some similarities, though the turnings and evolutions of over 200 years, and their own innovative talents, certainly are very evident.

One can call them classical, or not, as suits one's purposes. But ordinarily I think the category broad enough to include them.

 

[DonQuixote99]

Classical music often employes a wider dynamic range than other forms. You need it loud to appreciate the soft passages, and enjoy the impact of transitions to loudness.

 

[SA-708]

To me any music which is not improvised, and reflects a studied approach, regardless of the region of its origin.

There's a good number of improvised cadenzas in classical music.

 

[vinyldavid]

I picked "Anything on Masterworks, DGG, Archiv, Das Alte Werk, Red Seal, HMV, Angel, etc." because, to me, that's the most relevant description to my experiences with classical music...

 

[marqueemoon]

A written score (even if it is a non-noted graphical one) would be an important element for me. That's not to say that there can be no deviation from the score. Some classical forms (even very old ones) allow for improvisation by the performers.

There are some definite gray areas. In general, "classical" music is not artist-centric, but what about Philip Glass? Big band music is normally scored, but obviously to most people that is not "classical". What about "classical" sounding film scores?

I think the patronage definition comes the closest, but really it's a "know it when I hear it" kind of thing.

So where does that leave John Cage's 4′33″ :scratch2:

 

[RichPA]

I didn't really like any of the choices, but I picked the "Anything on ..." because that encompasses more of what I personally think of as classical. I don't often find myself in doubt about whether a particular piece of music is "classical" or not, but I don't have a better definition to offer. Interesting topic.

 

[spideyjack]

So where does that leave John Cage's 4′33″ :scratch2:

It has a score. It's copyrighted also I believe.

 

[marqueemoon]

It has a score. It's copyrighted also I believe.

Yeah. I was just thinking just in terms of the know-it-when-I-hear-it definition.