Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times. The central norms of this tradition became codified between 1550 and 1900, which is known as the common practice period.
European music is largely distinguished from many other non-European and popular musical forms by its system of staff notation, in use since about the 16th century. Western staff notation is used by composers to prescribe to the performer the pitch, speed, meter, individual rhythms and exact execution of a piece of music. This leaves less room for practices such as improvisation and ad libitum ornamentation, that are frequently heard in non-European art music and popular music.
The term "classical music" did not appear until the early 19th century, in an attempt to "canonize" the period from Johann Sebastian Bach to Beethoven as a golden age. The earliest reference to "classical music" recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary is from about 1836.
Read more about Classical Music: Characteristics, History, Commercialism, Education
Other articles related to "music, classical music, musics, classical":
... In general, art music is separate from popular music, although there are examples of certain styles or works that cross that boundary and are included within both categories ... This piece is written in formal notation and performed as written, as with classical music, and is generally considered to be within the realm of contemporary classical music ... becoming known in the mass market as a work of popular music while clearly it remains within the purview of art music as well ...
... the strongest criticism of (historical) musicology has been that it generally ignores popular music ... Though musicological study of popular music has vastly increased in quantity recently, Middleton's assertion in 1990—that most major "works of musicology, theoretical or historical, act as ... conservatory training typically only peripherally addresses this broad spectrum of musics, and many (historical) musicologists who are "both contemptuous and condescending are looking for types of production ...
... After World War II, Norwegian music began moving in a new direction, away from the Nordic and Germanic ideals of the past, and towards a more international, especially American ... wider variety of styles that included serialism, neo-expressionism, aleatory and electronic music ... During this period, serial music appeared in Norway, led by Finn Mortensen ...
... The term primarily refers to classical traditions (including contemporary as well as historical classical music forms) which focus on formal styles, invite technical and detailed deconstruction ... In strict western practice, art music is considered primarily a written musical tradition, preserved in some form of music notation, as opposed to being transmitted orally, by rote ... Historically, most western art music has been written down using the standard forms of music notation that evolved in Europe beginning prior to the Renaissance period and reaching its maturity in the ...
... WCAL's radio format focused on European classical music radio programming and related musical genres ... days later, and began simulcasting Minnesota Public Radio's classical music stream ... were hired by MPR and some changes were made to MPR's classical music service in an attempt to appeal to former WCAL listeners ...
Famous quotes containing the words classical music, music and/or classical:
“The basic difference between classical music and jazz is that in the former the music is always greater than its performance—Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, for instance, is always greater than its performance—whereas the way jazz is performed is always more important than what is being performed.”
—André Previn (b. 1929)
“Words move, music moves
Only in time; but that which is only living
Can only die. Words, after speech, reach
Into the silence.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“Classical art, in a word, stands for form; romantic art for content. The romantic artist expects people to ask, What has he got to say? The classical artist expects them to ask, How does he say it?”
—R.G. (Robin George)