Ways to
to Classical Music
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Ways to |
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When you sit down at a classical concert and the orchestra plays the Shostakovich First Piano Concerto, do you recognize the theme as a quote from Beethoven's Pathetique and notice how Shostakovich cleverly intertwines it with a rhythmic march? If so, you probably don't need to read this page. Trained musicians may want to skip to another section. Getting More from Listening Some people become bored after a few seconds of classical music. They don't understand the complexity of it, fail to appreciate its colorful instrumentation, or just hate classical music and would rather listen to rock. If this is you, that's fine. Read on if you want to explore how to get more out of listening to classical music. |
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When you first sit down, for instance in a concert hall, relax and get ready to enjoy the music. If a pianist is performing, try to sit on the left side of the hall to see his hands. Observe the program, take note of the pieces and composers--symphonies usually have four movements, concertos (solos for an instrument with orchestra) three. Perhaps there is a set of variations or a solo piece. Look at the titles. They usually give clues as to the main idea of the piece. |
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The performers will come onstage, and the audience applauds when the conductor and soloist (if there is one) enters. The performers take a few moments to prepare their instruments, tune on the A, and mentally focus. Sit back and slip into the world of the music. Enjoying the Experience During the piece, have fun taking in different parts of the music. Enjoy the various colors and harmonies. Notice the instrumentalists' technical skill. Listen to the intense emotion conveyed by the sound. Once you have explored a few pieces this way--by listening to and enjoying the many aspects of each song, you are ready to learn more about the structure of classical music. By understanding how pieces are written--and even better the skills required to play them--you will find the music much more interesting. Understanding Structure Adds Interest Most pieces begin with the introduction of a theme. A theme is a relatively short recognizable musical phrase, sort of like a character in a novel. It changes throughout the piece, becomes exuberant, sad, peaceful, or excited. At the beginning it is in its simplest, most basic form. The theme changes soon after it is introduced. Here begins the devlopment section, the main area which distinguishes classical music from pop. Whereas popular tunes usually have one or two themes which repeat themselves and a "bridge" in the middle, classical pieces grow and build as their themes take on different forms. The general rule of classical music is "The same, but different." Even though the themes change, they must be part of one coherent piece. A mark of great composers is the ingenuity of their pieces' development--themes take on different emotions and forms on a micro-level, yet they form a brilliant whole on a macro-level (i.e. the entire piece). |
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Sometimes pieces are divided into movements. Each movement has a different feeling; often the first and last are fast and exciting while the inner movements are slower and heavier. DO NOT clap between movements! Although you may want to applaud the performers' playing, it is a custom to wait until the entire work is finished to clap. Then the audience might give a standing ovation if they really liked the performance, and the performers may play an encore, another shorter piece. |
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Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm A composer has three elements which he controls in his composition: melody, harmony, and rhythm. He makes variations on the melody by adding different notes or changing the notes. He changes the harmony by altering the chords or switching to minor (darker) or major (brighter, happier). He varies the rhythm by changing the beat or the tempo. To keep the flow of a piece, he can only change two of these at a time. By listening for changes in these three areas, you will find meaning in what the composer has written. It's About Expression! Most of all, try to understand what a composer is expressing in his piece. Every work conveys an emotion and creates a mood. Listen to what the composer is saying--why did he write the composition? Music should be fun. Music is expression, dance, excitement, passion. Listening to music is not a chore or a set of intellectual rules to follow. However, understanding basic music theory and appreciating the performers' talent makes it even more interesting. You will find much more information about music theory and appreciation in the rest of this site. |
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Home | Previous--Introduction to Classical Music | Next--Build a CD Library! |
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*hint: check out the CD library to find information on major works by the great composers. |
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