Classical music

Classical music can be defined in two ways depending on the historical and artistic precision required by the reader: either as music that encompasses all secular, sacred, and academic music created between the 11th and 21st centuries in European culture, characterized by symmetry, balance, and regular formal structure, or as only a part of classical music created between the Baroque (17th–18th centuries) and Romanticism (19th century).

The term “Classical music,” whether referring to the first definition (Art music) or the second (Classicism), which is stricter and covers only one of the periods of cultured music (from 1750 to 1820), can discourage the listener as it associates it with excessive refinement, splendor, or solemnity, which over time has led to the belief that it’s boring. However, the most significant aspect of this limitation is that it was during this period that the Viennese classics emerged, namely Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, some of the most famous and widely reproduced composers today.

Well, in this tag, as you can imagine after this explanation, you will find all the articles and playlists dedicated to the broader first definition of classical music. From composers to movie soundtracks, without forgetting historical masterpieces from all the mentioned centuries, although composers from the second definition may stand out in number due to their fame. Nevertheless, given the interest in this topic, in the blog, we consider it relevant to dedicate a little more time to discuss it in depth and from the beginning.

The Most Famous Classical Music Composers

The most popular classical music composers include, among others:

• Johann Sebastian Bach.
• Antonio Vivaldi.
• Ludwig van Beethoven.
• Frédéric Chopin.
• Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
• Johann Strauss.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• George Frideric Handel.
• Robert Schumann.
• Richard Wagner.

Most Common Classical Music Instruments

To create classical music, many different types of instruments are used, including primarily:

• Piano. It is usually the main instrument of classical music, hence the separation from the rest.
• String instruments, including harp, violin, viola, cello, and double bass.
• Wind instruments, including flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, or bassoon.
• Percussion instruments, including xylophone, snare drum, vibraphone, and timpani.

Genres of Classical Music According to Periods

In the case of classical music, we talk more about periods than genres per se. In each of the periods, slightly different works were created, which had common characteristics typical of a specific period.

• Renaissance Period: introduced harmony in classical music. Works created in this period are definitely more pleasant to the ear than raw medieval music.
• Baroque Period: music created in this period is characterized by expressiveness and a penchant for contrasts. Its purpose was to express and evoke emotions in the listeners.
• Classical Period: this era is characterized by great diversity, however, balance and symmetry were sought.
• Romantic Period: during this period, the music created had the main objective of expressing feelings and harmonizing with other forms of art, such as dance, poetry, theater, or painting.

List of Most Famous Classical Music Compositions

Classical music is characterized by incredible variety. For this reason, every listener will find something special for themselves. Favorite composers don’t necessarily have to be among the most recognizable. However, it’s worth getting to know the songs that are considered classics of the genre. Here are a few:

• The Four Seasons, by A. Vivaldi.
• A Little Night Music, by W. A. ​​​​Mozart.
• Symphony No. 40, by W. A. ​​​​Mozart.
• For Elise, by L. V. Beethoven.
• Fifth Symphony in C Minor, by L. V. Beethoven.
• The Swan Lake, by P. Tchaikovsky.
• Study Op. 10, No. 12, by F. Chopin.
• Funeral March, by F. Chopin.
• Bolero, by M. Ravel.
• Hallelujah from The Messiah Oratorio, by J. F. Handel.
• Ride of the Valkyries, by R. Wagner.
• The Blue Danube, by J. Strauss.
• Flight of the Bumblebee, by Rimsky-Korsakov.
• The Dream, by Schumann.

This is just a brief list of songs that can be categorized as classics of the genre. However, it shows how diverse the world of classical music is. Therefore, it’s worth exploring it, as the more we can gain from it, the more it benefits our health and mindset.

Classical Music Today: Cinema as the Primary Artistic Source of Cultivated Music

Since the inception of cinema, but especially since the late 1970s, film music has been inspired by the classics. Just remember Hans Zimmer’s music composed for Inception or John Williams’ soundtrack for Star Wars. The work of artists like Alexandre Desplat, Max Richter, Jo Yeong-wook, or Georges Delerue is appreciated worldwide, and one proof of this is the Oscar statuettes awarded to the best original soundtracks, as well as their presence in television commercials, through which classical music continues to be part of popular culture.

On the other hand, this use is reciprocal, as films also feature compositions by great classical music composers. Combined with imagery and a compelling story, they make the viewer feel incredible emotions. For example, the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey is a film where perfectly coordinated imagery and music send shivers down the spines of many viewers. Stanley Kubrick paid attention to every detail and used Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Richard Strauss for one of the most famous films in history, highlighting both arts for what they are: wonders.