A Beginner’s Guide to Classical Music Genres

A comprehensive guide to understanding the different genres of classical music, from Baroque to Romantic to Contemporary.

Introduction to Classical Music

Classical music is a genre of music that generally refers to music produced from the 17th century to the early 19th century. It is art music that is written for orchestra, opera, ballet, and other forms of concert performance. It typically has complex structures and harmonies, and often includes themes from the music of ancient cultures.

What is classical music?

Classical music is often seen as being serious and even grandiose, but it can also be exciting, moving and downright fun. It is perhaps the most diverse and versatile of all musical genres, encompassing everything from Medieval plainchants and Renaissance polyphony to the symphonies of Beethoven and Mahler, the concertos of Mozart and Tchaikovsky and the operas of Wagner.

With such a vast repertoire to choose from, it can be tricky to know where to start with classical music – but that’s where we come in! In this article, we introduce you to some of the most important classical music genres, composers and works, ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day.

The history of classical music

Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to Western musical traditions from the Middle Ages onward. Historically, the term ‘classical music’ has also been applied to any music which represents the high standard of art music produced in Europe during a period generally accepted as extending from about 950 to 1400. This covers what is known as the Renaissance period and immediately thereafter. However, in more recent usage, the term ‘classical music’ has been used to describe any music which is not contemporary pop or rock.

During the Middle Ages, there was little distinction made between secular and sacred music. Many works were written for both purposes. However, by the Renaissance period, there was a clear split between the two genres, with sacred music being performed primarily in churches and cathedrals, and secular music being performed in halls and homes.

Classical musicians today generally perform either in ensembles or as soloists. The most common ensemble is the orchestra, which typically consists of strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments. Solo Classical musicians include pianists, violinists and singers.

Classical Music Genres

There are many different types of classical music, each with its own unique history, style, and form. This guide will introduce you to some of the most popular genres of classical music and give you a better understanding of what makes each one special.

Baroque

Baroque music is a style of Western art music composed from approximately 1600 to 1750. This era followed the Renaissance and preceded the Classical era. Baroque music forms a major portion of the “classical music” canon, and is now studied, performed, and listened to for enjoyment.

The term “baroque” comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning “misshapen pearl”. Negative connotations of the term first appeared in 18th century France, where it was used to describe architecture that was felt to be excessively ornate or dramatic. Later, the term was applied more specifically to music, and came to be used almost exclusively within academic circles; today, historians use it almost exclusively when referring to European art music composed during ca.1600–1750.

Classical

Classical music is a huge genre, with sub-genres that each have their own history, traditions, and performers. The word “classical” can be used to refer to all Western art music from the Medieval era to the present day, but it is more accurately used as a catch-all term for the period from the late 17th century to the early 19th century. This was the era when most of the musical genres that we still listen to today were founded, including opera, symphony, and concerto.

But even within this relatively short timeframe, there was a lot of variation in the kind of music that was being written. So if you’re just getting started with classical music, where should you start? In this article, we’ll give you a quick introduction to some of the most important classical music genres.

Opera
Opera is a type of musical theatre in which singers perform all of the dialogue, usually accompanied by an orchestra. The first operas were written in Italy in the late 16th century, and they quickly became popular all over Europe. Today, opera houses can be found in cities all over the world, and opera remains one of the most popular forms of classical music.

Symphony
A symphony is an extended piece of music for orchestra (usually between 40 and 60 minutes long), typically divided into four movements (fast-slow-fast-fast). The first symphonies were written in the late 18th century by composers such as Haydn and Mozart, and they remain some of the most popular pieces of classical music today.

Concerto
A concerto is a piece of music for solo instrument (or occasionally two or more instruments) accompanied by an orchestra. Concertos are usually divided into three movements (fast-slow-fast), and they were particularly popular in the Baroque era (1685-1750). Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons is one of the best-known concertos from this period.

String Quartet
A string quartet is a type of chamber music written for two violins, a viola, and a cello. This genre reached its peak in the Classical period (1750-1820), when composers such as Haydn and Mozart wrote many famous string quartets.

Romantic

The Romantic period of classical music is generally accepted to have begun in the early 1800s and lasted until 1900. This period saw a dramatic expansion of both orchestral and concerto repertoire, as well as the development of new genres such as the symphonic poem.

One of the hallmarks of Romanticism is an increased emphasis on emotion and feeling, as opposed to the previous Classical focus on balance and form. Composers strove to create music that would evoke specific feelings or tell stories, often with highly Ornate melodies and harmonies.

Some of the most famous Romantic composers include Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Frederic Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, Giuseppe Verdi, Richard Wagner, and Anton Bruckner.

Modern

Modern classical music is a broad term that refers to music written in the 20th and 21st centuries. It includes a wide variety of styles, and there is no one definitive list of what counts as modern classical music.

Some of the most important composers of modern classical music include Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Igor Stravinsky, and Aaron Copland. They wrote pieces that challenged traditional ideas about what music should sound like, and they pioneered new approaches to composition.

Modern classical music often makes use of atonality (a lack of tonality, or key) and dissonance (unpleasant-sounding chords). These elements can make the music sound harsh or unsettling, but they can also create a sense of drama or tension.

Many modern classical composers also made use of traditional forms such as the symphony or the concerto. But they often reimagined these forms, adding their own twist to create something new.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this beginner’s guide to classical music genres! While there is much more to explore, we hope this has given you a good introduction to some of the most common and popular genres. Whether you’re a long-time fan or just getting started, we hope you’ll find something new and interesting in the world of classical music. Thanks for reading!