What's So Great About Classical Music?

The class that I decided to take this semester for a break from the math and science classes was a freshmen seminar class called "What's So Great About Classical Music?" In it, my professor, a man whose formal training is in linguistics but has played piano since the age of 7 and is quite knowledgeable, teaches us ways to understand classical music and analyze why it is appealing. The music theory behind it is not something to be described in this post, but let it suffice to say that the two-and-a -half hours I spend every Friday afternoon listening to and discussing classical music is well worth the time.

The reason I mention this at midnight on a Monday night is largely due to Jack and I sitting here, him doing his physics lab report, me biding my time, while listening to Brahms' Symphony no. 1 and Holst's The Planets. It is interesting how classical music flicks a certain switch in many of us, allowing clarity of thought and focus. For some it doesn't work, and other music is preferred. But I have learned that it works extraordinarily well for me. I feel that this is largely due to the stereotype of classical music that has developed in our modern society. 

Classical music is thought of as either stuffy and boring or refined and tasteful, as many pieces of art associated with nostalgia or history seem this way. Those of us who view it as refined allow the music to shape our mood into a refined, focused and slightly aloof feeling. This seems to work better with romantic music, Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy, than Bach. Bach is often viewed as more stuff ywith the heavy use of the plunky harpsichord and limited use of dynamics. I am partial to slightly heavier, more daring works. The Planets and Carmina Burana are great examples. These provide an intensity that I need to focus, and this makes sense as these pieces are often heard in action scenes in media. Piano pieces give me a more lulling sensation that makes me want to lie down. The sense that the music gives, in addition to the social connotation, really drives its effectiveness in studying. Even if it is not the center of a room, simply used as background white noise, it helps release tension in the air. 

Regardless of your music preference or if classical music is helpful to you, give it a try. Though I have already developed a taste for it, my professor has helped open my eyes to an even more varied repertoire. The beauty, intelligence and pure with that went into the creation of many of these pieces is something rarely seen these days in popular music. Even listening to modern orchestral works or band works is a new experience, and often worth a try.