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Classical music is a vast tradition rooted in centuries of Western music, blending formal structures with expressive depth.

Classical music broadly refers to Western art music spanning from medieval chants to modern experimental works. It emphasizes formal composition, technical skill, and expressive depth.

Key terms in classical music include its genre, represented by categories like symphony, opera, and concerto; its form, with structural designs such as sonata, rondo, or fugue; and style, with the distinctive traits of eras (Baroque, Romantic) or composers.

There are, however, conflicting (or at least confusing) understandings of what "classical" can mean. For some, the term refers to the Classical era, from 1750 to 1820, and composers such as Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. Others, perhaps the majority, will insist that classical music is not static but a genre encompassing the entire Western art tradition, from medieval to contemporary, which does not imply that all Western music is classical.

The strict historical definition refers specifically to the Classical era in Western music, with Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven representing the early period. The characteristics of classical music, by this definition, include clarity, balance, symmetry, and formal structures like the sonata form. In this sense, "classical" is just one period among others (Baroque, Romantic, Modern).

A broader cultural definition is used to describe the entire tradition of Western art music, from medieval chant to contemporary avant-garde, as classical. This would include Bach (Baroque), Wagner (Romantic), Stravinsky (Modern), and even living composers like Caroline Shaw. This definition treats "classical" as the opposite of "popular" or "folk" music, emphasizing formality and tradition.

In everyday speech, "classical music" often means any orchestral or instrumental music that sounds refined or old-fashioned. For example, film scores by John Williams or even crossover works by Andrea Bocelli are sometimes called "classical," even though they belong to different traditions.

Scholars prefer the precise historical definition that includes only the Classical era, while the general public leans toward the umbrella definition (all Western art music). This can lead to tension because calling Bach "classical" is technically incorrect in academic terms, yet widely accepted in widespread usage.

In academia, students may be misled when "classical" is used interchangeably with "Baroque" or "Romantic." Yet, classical music, as a broad tradition, carries prestige, but narrowing it to one era risks excluding centuries of repertoire. At the same time, the term blurs when applied to crossover works, such as film scores, minimalist music, or orchestral pop arrangements.

Using the central understanding of the term, classical music can be divided into eras: Medieval (500-1400), which would include Gregorian chant and early polyphony; Renaissance (1400-1600), with madrigals and sacred masses; Baroque (1600-1750), with ornate counterpoint and opera from composers like Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi; Classical (1750-1820), when Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven provided clarity, balance, and symmetry; Romantic (1815-1910), with the emotional intensity and nationalism of Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner; and Modern and Contemporary (20th-21st centuries), with Stravinsky, Debussy, Glass, and Shaw, offering experimentation, minimalism, and fusion with global traditions.

Classical repertoires include Symphonies (multi-movement orchestral works, such as Beethoven's nine), Concertos (soloist with orchestra, exemplified by Mozart's piano concertos), Operas (dramatic works combining music and theater, from composers like Haydn and Schubert), and Sacred (masses, requiems, and cantatas, with Bach's Mass in B Minor a good example).

A list of the ten most famous classical composers of all time might include Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Joseph Haydn, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Frédéric Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Antonio Vivaldi, Claude Debussy, and George Frideric Handel.

A list of the ten best-known contemporary classical composers might feature John Williams (film scores, Philip Glass (minimalism), Arvo Pärt (sacred minimalism), Eric Whiteacre (choral), Caroline Shaw (Pulitzer Prize winner), Thomas Adès (opera and orchestral works), Kaija Saariaho (avant-garde), Wynton Marsalis (jazz-classical fusion), Alma Deutscher (prodigy), and Tan Dun (East-West fusion).

These lists, of course, are open to debate, but most will concede that these composers stand out.

By common definition, classical music is not a static genre but a living tradition that continues to evolve. Its definitions may shift, but its essence lies in the balance between formal rigor and emotional expression.

 

 

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