Video: If you’ve ever tried to get into classical music, but gotten too bored or distracted, it isn’t your fault. Classical music works differently than popular music, and it’s much easier to appreciate when you understand its structure.
In the video below we explain the Baroque period, the fugue, how to decipher a title such as “Chopin, Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9”, and who actually named the “Moonlight Sonata”.
We’ve also made a Spotify playlist of introductory classical music, with an emphasis on the fugue.
Stay tuned for future episodes, where we’ll explore the Classical and Romantic periods, and discuss the sonata, the symphony, and the cult of celebrity around classical composers.
Comments
One response to “How To Start Listening To Classical Music”
Bach, Mozart and Beethoven can be a little difficult to get into straight up.
I discovered my appreciation for fine music firstly through googling film score composers (thus discovering Hans Zimmer), then live performances of game scores (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra), then giving ABC Classic FM a good go.
I became partial to chamber choirs (Eric Whitacre) and anything with the mighty cello.
Bonus: Arvo Pärt is a composer from WWII era to now, and makes beautiful simple music. Check Youtube for ACO Underground’s live performance of Da Pacem Domine By Arvo Pärt in Sydney a few years ago. Simple, sad and very human.
Challenge: See if you can tell which of the four performers is the conductor (while playing).