The best words are always spoken in silence so arguably the best music has to be without words…pure, unadulterated, & sublime.
What is termed “Classical” today was “Popular” once upon a time!
Classical music tends either to be held in awe or abandoned as abstruse by the lay listener.This is neither a reflection on the music, nor an indictment of the audience.It’s merely a testimony to the reality that the classical arts in general are bypassed almost as if they do not exist or are irrelevant within today’s paradigms of virtual entertainment and instant gratification. Or, in short, a confirmation of the fact that there is less and less time for the sublime in our lives.
My romance with Classical music started 3 years back, while watching a superlative stunning shoot by Ken Bailey titled “Avalanche” on Hallmark TV. For days I found the haunting piece of music very captivating and something which made me keep coming back to it. Well one year later I’m wiser, older and importantly well informed about Classical music.
I know, I know people label it “heavy”and “serious” .It is so much easier to relate to pop or rock, with their self-evident lyrics, simple catchy tunes and easy evident rhythms. Also, one can’t really dance to Mozart or Beethoven, you know. But the fact is people did dance to at least some of the music of Mozart and Beethoven – although that was a couple of centuries ago. And the wonderful waltzes of Johann Strauss Jr. including “On the beautiful Blue Danube” were once the rage of every ballroom and dance hall in Vienna, but are safely tucked away in the “Classical” section of any modern music store these days. So everything which is “popular” or even “populist” now, will become classical with the passage of time. Even YOU!
On a more personal front there is nothing better in the world than Classical music to wash away the weariness of work and dreariness of life at the end of yet another day. And believe me it does have all the supposedly tremendous healing powers too!I could vouch for that.
My only regret in this great entertainment journey, has been only once…at the British Council Library, Mumbai while browsing thru Classical music CD section I stumbled upon the great French composer Chopin(pronounced Shopein), and in my enthusiasm of a neo Classical music buff I mispronounced it as something in …chopping!…and instantly drew disdainful looks and mouthful of chidings from the fellow members. Embarrassment notwithstanding, I got my lessons very fast, that not knowing the Classical music but be able to pronounce it perfectly is politically more correct!
Beginner’s Guide To Classical Music
Orchestra: A collection of several musicians, usually including all of the following…. - strings(violin, viola, cello and double- basse) - woodwinds(flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon) - Brass(trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba) - Percussion(kettledrums, bass drum, xylophone, cymbals) Some instruments like the piano, guitar, harp, harpsichord, and organ are capable of producing harmony on their own since several notes can be played simultaneously. These are rarely part of the main body of the orchestra.
Symphonic Music: Music written for an orchestra, such as … - Symphony: A full length composition for an orchestra, usually in several discrete but conceptually connected sections(‘movements’) which are usually separated by short pauses
Concerto: A competitive collaboration between a soloist and an orchestra, where the lone instrument is given pride of place and the performer’s talent showcased against the backdrop of the ensemble
Suite: A collection of the thematically connected short pieces
Tone – Poem: A sequence of poetic ideas expressed without words in music woven together seamlessly for continuity, often telling a story or describing a place or person
Chamber Music: In orchestral music, the sheer volume of sound is created by several instruments playing identical parts. When there is only one instrument to each part, the resulting handful of instruments produces a more intimate sound, generally referred as chamber music, which includes:
sonata: Compositions for a solo instrument such as piano or guitar, or for any other instrument(e.g. violin, cello or flute) accompanied by a piano or guitar. Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas are amongst the finest examples of the genre.
Duo: An equal partnership between two instruments, for instance, Schubert’s exquisite Duo for Violin and Piano. - Trio: As the name implies, three instruments come together in this form, the most common combination being that of a piano, violin and cello. Haydn’s Trio No.1 in G, which ends with a sparkling “Gypsy Rondo”comes highly recommended.
Quartet: A string quartet, consisting of two violins, one viola and one cello, is the smallest ensemble capable of capturing an orchestral effect. Check out the string quartets of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, Other quartet combinations are also known, where one of the violins may be replaced by a flute or a piano.
Quintet: Add an instrument to the string quartet and you get a quintet. Schubert’s “Trout”quintet is the uncontested winner in this category.
There are also larger chamber ensembles, such as sextets, septets, octets and nonets, but these are few and far between
Tempi: Most formal western classical compositions have tempo markings(derived from Italian adjectives)that are meant to guide the musicians in terms of the speed and mood of playing, such as:
Presto: double-quick
Vivace:Lively
Allegro: peppy, happy
Maestoso: majestic
Andante: easy, casual
Moderato: moderate
Adagio: slow
Largo: very slow
Where Do I Begin?
To get initiated to the pleasures of Classical music please start here:
• Albinoni – Adagio
• Bach – Air on the G string
• Bernstein – West Side Story(try ‘Maria’)
• Bizet – Carmen(try ‘Toreador’s Song’)
• Borodin – Polovtsian Dances, from Prince Igor
• Copland – Fanfare for the Common Man
• Delibes – ‘Flower Duet’ from Lakme
• Dvorak – Symphony No.9, ‘New World’(slow movement)
• Faure – Requiem
• Gershwin – Porgy and Bess(try ‘Summertime’)
• Handel – Messiah(try the ‘Hallelujah’ chours)
• Khachaturian – Spartacus(try the Adagio)
• Orff – Carmina Burana(first movement)
• Puccini – Turandot(try ‘ Nessun dorma’)
• Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No.2(first movement)
• Ravel – Bolero
• Rossini – Overture to William Tell
• Johann Strauss – The Blue Danube
• Tchaikovsky – 1812 overture
• Vivaldi – The Four Seasons(try ‘Spring’)
• Wagner – Ride of the Valkyries
And Then Graduate To The Following Soulful Music: Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto No.5(‘Emperor”) Mozart: Piano Concerto Nos. 15, 21, 25, 26, (“Coronation”), Violin Concerto Nos.3, 5, Flute Concerto No.1, Clarinet Concerto, Flute and Harp Concerto, Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola
