Learning about classical music

My normal occupation has to do with stock market investing advice but I thought that, for a change, I would share some reflections with you about learning and appreciating classical music. Many people are put off by the apparent complexity of this process but, if you stay away, you are staying away from some of the greatest music that you can listen to. If you are equipped with a little basic knowledge, learning to appreciate classical music is a pretty straightforward process.

To start with, you may wonder what exactly classical music is. It is a term that is applied to a particular genre of music but it encompasses many different styles that have emerged in its 700 years of existence. Today, the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of classical is “of, relating to, or being music…that includes such forms as art song, chamber music, opera, and symphony.”

It is generally accepted that there are six different periods of classical music according to differences in style and these are as follows:

• Pre-1400 – Medieval music that is characterized by chunks that are religious in nature such as the Gregorian chant
• 1400 to 1600 – Renaissance music where the features were at an increasing secular content in place of religious content as well as songs as an art form
• 1600 to 1750 – Baroque music which is famous for its complex and ornamental style
• 1750 to 1820 – Classical music with a balanced and structured style
• 1820 to 1900 – Romantic music performed on a large-scale and full of emotion
• Beyond 1900 – Twentieth Century music with no defined characteristics or limits.

Even though you may not realize it, you are already familiar with classical music which you may have heard while watching TV or the movies. The best way to start is to listen to the popular composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach. Just forget about the technical stuff and concentrate on the beauty of the music. Like all great music, you don’t have to know anything about music to appreciate the beauty.