Classical Music Please

Need some classical music to please your ears? Look no further! Our blog has a wide variety of classical music to choose from!

Introduction

Classical music is often seen as being serious and formal, but it can be fun and lively too. It covers a wide range of styles, from the simple melodies of Gregorian chants to the complex harmonies of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.

Classical music has been around for centuries and is still popular today. Many people enjoy listening to classical music, whether it’s for relaxation or to appreciate the skill of the composer and performers.

If you’re new to classical music, where should you start? That depends on what you like. If you enjoy fast-paced music with lots of movement, you might like a lively piece such as Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. If you prefer something more calming, you could try one of J.S. Bach’sBrandenburg Concertos.

There are so many different pieces of classical music to explore – why not start listening today?

The Different Types of Classical Music

Classical music is a very broad genre encompassing many different subgenres and styles. The term “classical music” is often used to refer to orchestral music from the Western tradition, particularly from the period of the 17th to the 19th centuries. But classical music includes much more than that.

Baroque Music

Baroque music is a style of Western art music composed from approximately 1600 to 1750. This era followed the Renaissance, and was followed in turn by the Classical era. The word “baroque” comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning “misshapen pearl”. Key composers of the Baroque era include Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, Claudio Monteverdi, Heinrich Schütz, Alessandro Scarlatti, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, Dieterich Buxtehude, Arcangelo Corelli and François Couperin. Baroque music forms a major portion of the “classical music” canon, and is now widely studied, performed and listened to.

The Baroque period saw the creation of tonality. During the period composers began to develop functional tonality (the predominant harmonic language in which a composition is based), also called harmonic function. This refers to notions like major/minor keys and chord progressions that create tension and release at specific “moments” or sections within a larger work. Remember that during much of the medieval period music was modal rather than tonal (which means that it lacked functional harmony). In addition, recall that most Renaissance music is monophonic (consisting of one musical idea or melody). So one main achievement of the Baroque period was an increased interest in expressing multiple musical ideas simultaneously (i.e., polyphony).

One way composers added more than one musical idea at a time during this era was by using figured bass notation with numeric ratios indicating intervals above a bass line which could be filled in with any harmonies desired by the performer(s). That being said, some basic harmonic progressions became quite commonly used during this period (such as those listed below).

Another way to express multiple musical ideas simultaneously during this era was through ornamentation (of both melodies and accompaniments) and melodic division (breaking up long unwieldy melodies into shorter more manageable phrases). Recall that these two techniques were also used heavily during the Renaissance period; however, they became increasingly elaborate during the Baroque with more notes added to already complex melodic lines.

Classical Music

Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to the period from 1750 to 1820. The Classical period saw the flourishing of two new forms of music: opera and the symphony.

Opera is a form of musical theatre in which the action is conveyed entirely by music, with a libretto (or story) by a poet or dramatist. The first operas were written in the early 1600s, but it was not until the late 1700s that opera reached its full potential, with works such as Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni.

The symphony is an extended piece for orchestra, usually in four movements (fast-slow-fast-slow). The firstsymphony was written by Joseph Haydn in 1757, but it was not until Ludwig van Beethoven that the symphony really came into its own, with works such as his Symphony No. 5 in C minor.

Romantic Music

Romantic music is a period of Western classical music that began in the late 18th or early 19th century. It is related to Romanticism, the Western artistic and literary movement that arose in the second half of the 18th century, and Romantic music in particular dominated the Victorian era.

Modern Classical Music

Modern classical music is a term used to refer to the period of musical history that since the middle of the 20th century. The date of the beginning of this period isen’t well defined, but it can be said that it started around at least 1904, the year in which Arnold Schoenberg composed his String Quartet No. 2. And, although there were many composers who were experimenting with new ideas before Schoenberg, his work marked a turning point in musical history, after which composers increasingly explored dissonance and atonality.

During the first half of the 20th century, composers such as Alban Berg, Anton Webern, and Arnold Schoenberg developed new ways of composing music that were very different from the methods that had been used before. These composers created works that were often atonal (lacking a tonal center), or used unusual harmonic progressions and rhythms; they also frequently incorporated elements from other styles of music, such as jazz. Many people found this new style of music to be very inaccessible; however, these composers exerted a huge influence on subsequent generations of musicians.

The Benefits of Listening to Classical Music

Listening to classical music has been shown to have a plethora of benefits, from reducing stress to improving memory function. Classical music has been around for centuries and its lengthy existence is a testament to its ability to positively impact the human experience. Let’s explore some of the reasons why you should consider listening to classical music.

Relaxation

Classical music has been shown to have a number of benefits, including reducing stress, anxiety and tension. In one study, classical music was found to be more effective than other types of music at reducing anxiety during dental surgery (1).

Another study showed that pregnant women who listened to classical music had lower levels of stress and anxiety (2). And a third study found that patients who listened to classical music before surgery had less pain and anxiety afterwards (3).

There is also evidence that classical music can help boost cognitive performance. One study found that students who listened to classical music before taking a test scored higher than those who did not listen to music (4). And another study found that older adults who listened to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major had improved memory and mental flexibility (5).

So if you’re looking for a way to relax or boost your brain power, consider listening to some classical music. It just might help!

Improved Concentration and Memory

Research has found that listening to classical music can actually improve your concentration and memory. One study found that people who listened to classical music while working on a memory test performed better than those who didn’t listen to music at all. Classical music has also been shown to improve concentration and focus in people with ADHD.

Improved Mood and Sleep Quality

Listening to classical music has been shown to improve mood and sleep quality. A study conducted by the University of Helsinki found that participants who listened to 45 minutes of classical music before going to bed reported better sleep quality than those who did not listen to music. Another study, this one conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, found that patients who listened to classical music for one hour per day had a significantly lower level of anxiety than those who did not listen to music.

Where to Find Classical Music

There are many ways to find classical music. You can go to the symphony, an opera, or a play. You can also find classical music on the radio, in movies, and on TV. You can even find it online. Here are some ways to find classical music online.

Streaming Services

Classical music is widely available on streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora. You can often find it categorized in a dedicated classical section, or mixed in with other genres. To help you get started, we’ve rounded up where you can find classical music on some of the most popular streaming platforms.

On Spotify, there’s a “Browse” section where you can find a variety of genre-specific playlists. To find classical music, simply head to the “Browse” tab and scroll down to “Genres & Moods.” From there, you can select “Classical” from the list of genres. You’ll be taken to a page with various playlists and stations that focus on classical music.

Apple Music also has a “Browse” section where you can find genre-specific content. To find classical music, scroll down to the “Genres” section and select “Classical.” You’ll be taken to a page with various playlists and stations that focus on classical music.

Pandora has a dedicated station for classical music called “Classical at Pandora.” To find it, simply search for “Classical at Pandora” in the search bar. The station will start playing classical music automatically. You can also create your own custom station by searching for a specific composer, artist, or song.

Classical Music Radio Stations

Numerous online and terrestrial radio stations exist that cater to fans of classical music. Some, like NPR’s Classical 24, offer nationwide or global broadcasts, while others focus on a particular city or region. In addition to standard AM/FM radio, many stations are now available via HD Radio or streaming online. The following is a list of some notable classical music radio stations:

-WQXR (New York, NY)
-KUSC (Los Angeles, CA)
-WCRB (Boston, MA)
-WGMS (Washington, DC)
-WRTI (Philadelphia, PA)
-WWFM (Trenton/Princeton, NJ)
-WQED (Pittsburgh, PA)
-WCLV (Cleveland, OH)

CDs and MP3s

If you’re looking for classical music, one of the best places to start is with CDs and MP3s. There are a number of online retailers that specialize in classical music, and you can often find good deals on used CDs as well. You can also check your local library for a good selection of classical music CDs.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our tour through the world of classical music! If you’re interested in learning more, please check out our classical music section.