Classical Music

Classical music is actually a fairly narrowly defined period of music sandwiched between Baroque and Romantic, but in the public's mind, it is all Classical music. Anything with a big orchestra and stringed instruments is Classical music to most people. What is popularly thought of as Classical music is actually a very diverse group of different styles of music with some great similarities and a sort of common European background.

The average person doesn't think much about Classical music. Classical music has traditionally been one of those highbrow pursuits that is seen more as a dividing line between classes than anything else. Most people in the world who are not on the the upper strata of the socio-echonomic scale have very little exposure to Classical music. And since Classical music, at least until recently, has been a white, male, eauro-centric pursuit, outside of girls and women playing the piano or harp in the parlor after a formal dinner, this lack of exposure is not necessarily a bad thing.

But, of course, Classical music, just like anything else in this world, the more people that become familiar with it the more alive and vital it becomes. Classical music has not been able to avoid a certain broadening of its perspective due to exposure to other cultural and musical influences. Today's Classical music is a much more multi-gender, multi-ethnic creation than it ever was before in its history. Classical music has always been evolving and this is but one stage of the Classical music evolution.

Classical music need not necessarily be a social dividing line any longer. Classical music can shed some of its elitist aura and become more of a music of the people. Of course, a lot of Classical music lovers don't really want to see this happen. for them, Classical music is the proper dividing line between the elite and the common rabble of the lower classes. Classical music shouldn't be sullied by the dirty hands of common folk. Common folk couldn't understand or properly appreciate Classical music anyway, or so the upper class believes.

They are happy keeping Classical music, at least traditional Classical music, a closed club. But they cannot stop the cross current of culture from changing Classical music in to something new that will benefit all the people, not just a select few. some study must be done of traditional Classical music, but people don't need to take it all so seriously. It's just music from a bunch of dead white guys from the 1700's anyway.

So enjoy some Classical music. Learn a little something about Classical music. And help take Classical music to the next stage of its evolution.

< Back To Music Next Previous