| Classical music is a term with three distinct meanings: | | | | Ancient music - the music generally before the year |
| The European tradition of music which is associated | | | | 476, the approximate time of the fall of the Roman |
| with high culture, as distinct from popular or folk | | | | Empire. Most of the extant music from this period is |
| forms (including works in this tradition in non-European | | | | from ancient Greece. |
| countries). | | | | Medieval, generally before 1450. Monophonic chant, |
| That tradition as well as similar non-European | | | | also called plainsong or Gregorian Chant, was the |
| traditions. | | | | dominant form until about 1100. Polyphonic |
| A particular stage in the development of the | | | | (multivoiced) music developed from monophonic |
| European art music tradition, centered in the late 18th | | | | chant throughout the late Middle Ages and into the |
| century. | | | | Renaissance. |
| This article discusses classical music in the first sense. | | | | Renaissance, about 1450-1600, characterized by |
| For the second, see List of classical music styles. For | | | | greater use of instrumentation, multiple melodic lines |
| the third, see Classical period (music). | | | | and by the use of the first bass instruments. |
| Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, | | | | Baroque, about 1600-1750, characterized by the use |
| referring to music produced in, or rooted in the | | | | of complex tonal, rather than modal, counterpoint, |
| traditions of, Western art, ecclesiastical and concert | | | | and growing popularity of keyboard music |
| music, encompassing a broad period from roughly | | | | (harpsichord and pipe organ). |
| 1000 to the present day. The central norms of this | | | | Classical, about 1750-1820, an important era which |
| tradition developed throughout this period but | | | | established many of the norms of composition, |
| reached their heights of complexity and development | | | | presentation and style. Also, the classical era is |
| in the period between 1550 and 1900: what is known | | | | marked by the disappearance of the harpsichord and |
| as the common practice period. | | | | the clavichord in favour of the piano, which from |
| This music evokes classical traditions, focuses on | | | | then on would become the predominant instrument |
| formal styles, invites technical and detailed | | | | for keyboard performance and composition. |
| deconstruction and criticism, and demands focused | | | | Romantic, 1820-1901 a period which codified practice, |
| attention from the listener. It is written down using a | | | | expanded the role of music in cultural life and created |
| formal notation and a work of classical music is | | | | institutions for the teaching, performance and |
| usually defined by the notated version, rather than a | | | | preservation of works of music. Characterized by |
| particular performance of it. This music is associated | | | | increased attention to melody and rhythm. |
| with, and often compared to, fine art and high | | | | Modern, 1905-1985 a period which represented a crisis |
| culture, sometimes leading to accusations of | | | | in the values of classical music and its role within |
| haughtiness and exclusivity being leveled at its | | | | intellectual life, and the extension of theory and |
| enthusiasts. Nevertheless, many "classical" pieces | | | | technique. Some theorists, such as Arnold |
| were the popular music of their time, and have | | | | Schoenberg in his essay "Brahms the Progressive," |
| remained popular to this day. The public taste for and | | | | insist that Modernism represents a logical progression |
| appreciation of formal music of this type is often | | | | from 19th century trends in composition; others hold |
| described as having waned through the later part of | | | | the opposing point of view, that Modernism |
| the 20th century and into the present millennium, | | | | represents the rejection or negation of the method |
| particularly in the USA and UK, although it continues | | | | of Classical composition. |
| to thrive elsewhere in the world. Certainly, this period | | | | 20th century, usually used to describe the wide |
| has seen classical music falling well behind the | | | | variety of post-Romantic styles composed through |
| immense commercial success of popular music. | | | | the year 1999, which includes late Romantic, Modern |
| The term classical music did not appear until the early | | | | and Post-Modern styles of composition. |
| 19th century, in an attempt to "canonize" the period | | | | The term contemporary music is sometimes used to |
| from Bach to Beethoven as an era in music parallel to | | | | describe music composed in the late 20th century |
| the golden age of sculpture, architecture and art of | | | | through present day. |
| classical antiquity (from which no music has directly | | | | The prefix neo is usually used to describe a 20th |
| survived). The earliest reference to "classical music" | | | | Century or Contemporary composition written in the |
| recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary is from | | | | style of an earlier period, such as classical, romantic, |
| about 1836. Since that time the term has come in | | | | or modern. So for example, Prokofiev's Classical |
| common parlance to mean the opposite of popular | | | | Symphony is considered a Neo-Classical composition. |
| music. | | | | The dates are generalizations, since the periods |
| Timeline | | | | overlapped. Some authorities subdivide the periods |
| According to one school of thought, musical works | | | | further by date or style. However, it should be noted |
| are best understood in the context of their place in | | | | that these categories are to an extent arbitrary; the |
| musical history; for adherents to this approach, this is | | | | use of counterpoint and fugue, which is considered |
| essential to full enjoyment of these works. There is | | | | characteristic of the Baroque era, was continued by |
| a widely accepted system of dividing the history of | | | | Mozart, who is generally classified as typical of the |
| classical music composition into stylistic periods. | | | | Classical period, by Beethoven who is often described |
| According to this system, the major time divisions | | | | as straddling the Classical and Romantic periods, and |
| are: | | | | Brahms, who is often classified as Romantic. |