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Classical Music and Its Usefulness
Classical Music and Its Usefulness
BY
i
Dedication
This is dedicated to all classical musicians, which are the source of illumination in the
musical world
ii
ABSTRACT
This paper was written to expose the seemingly hidden or despised genre of music,
which is classical music.
Due to that fact a lot of people might have not heard about classical music nor have the
mindset to appreciate the wonders of this genre, its properties seems too small compared
to other genres.
It's more like a quick enlightening or briefing on classical music, its types, and the way it
affects our everyday life.
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Table of contents
Title .. .i
Acknowledgement ...ii
Abstract ...iii
Table Of Contents .. .iv
Introductions ... .1
What Is Music ... ... 1
Conclusions ..7
References 8
iv
INTRODUCTION
What is music?
Music is an art of sound arrangement in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant
forms of elements of freedom, melody, timbre and harmony etc.
Classical music is art music produced or rooted in the traditions of Western culture greatly
considered to have begun in Europe after the Fall of the Western Roman empire in the late 5th
century. It lasted approximately from 1750 to 1813 where forms such as the symphony, concerto
and sonatas were standardized.
Classical music have been in existence since the 5th century under the European empire,
likewise it has gone through many changes over the time it has existed
Musicologists divide classical music into errors and stylish subgenres they divided it into seven
periods, but i will highlight five of them.
The instruments commonly used in classical music can be classified into 3 groups: strings,
winds, and percussion.
Strings
String instruments are played by pulling a bow along the string, or by plucking the strings
with your fingers (almost like a guitar).
The most widely used string instruments are the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The
violin has the highest pitch of the string instruments, followed by the viola, cello, and
double bass.
Winds
Wind instruments are played by blowing into a mouthpiece.
There are 2 types of wind instruments: woodwinds and brass.
Woodwinds include the flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone.
Brass instruments include the trumpet, horn, trombone, and tuba.
Percussion
Percussion instruments produce sound by being hit with an implement.
There are 2 types of percussion: definite pitch and indefinite pitch
Definite pitch percussion instruments include the marimba, timpani, and xylophone.
Indefinite pitch percussion instruments include the bass drum, cymbals, and snare drum.
WHAT MAKES CLASSICAL MUSIC DIFFERENT
Certain stylistic features in classical music (speaking in general terms) differentiate it from many
other genres of music, especially pop music, country or jazz. Some of these are common
knowledge; whereas, others are not.
Classical music today gives equal consideration to instrumental music as well as vocal.
For instance, Mozart and Beethoven wrote several symphonies that featured only musical
instruments and no voice. (They also both wrote operas that did feature the voice). The
idea here is that timbres (tone quality) of different instruments are like pallets of different
colors a painter uses to paint. Thus, composers can draw upon these instruments to depict
emotions other than sadness and happiness, using instruments in addition to the voice.
Classical music is pre-composed note for note, with very little or no opportunity for solo
improvisation, such as what we discovered in jazz. During the swing era (early jazz),
most big bands used written arrangements with very little improvisation. In classical
music it is more about the composer than the performer; whereas in modern jazz of today,
which emphasizes solo improvisation over composed music and the composer, it is the
opposite
Wide range of emotions: Pop music basically deals with two emotions--happiness (in
love) and sadness (out of love). Any topic other than that is almost a novelty. Classical
composers, especially Beethoven, explore a much wider range of emotions (e.g., despair,
ecstasy, jubilation) expressed through the music.
Audience etiquette: One has to sit quietly through a performance of classical music and
know when to clap. This is because classical music was traditionally supported
throughout history by the aristocratic and well-to-do classes. Hence, the music in many
ways reflects those values.
Classical musicians generally have more formal training in music and a wider variety of
musical skills, This is because unlike other forms of music, classical music has more
discipline in regards to how it is organized, read and performed
THE IMPORTANCE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC TO THE MODERN WORLD
In a society focused on the latest technology, dance crazes, and what is trending on social media,
it is easily understood why so many believe the art of classical music is in many ways irrelevant.
Over the centuries, classical music has transformed itself to become a building block, setting the
framework for musicians of all types today. Many studies have even shown that music especially
learning or listening to classical can have a wide variety of benefits.
Further, classical composers such as Bach, Schubert and Mozart, despite how long ago their
music was composed remains relevant because of how it played such a major factor into the
evolution of music and its genres. An example of musics evolution due to one of these
composers was when Bach wrote the piece Prelude and Fugue Number 20 in A Minor, a
composition that combined Bachs classical style with a more modern approach, which was later
deemed the first Jazz song
Also, the structure of almost every popular song in todays musical era can be traced back to
Schuberts creation of the three minute, verse-chorus based song. Schubert, though he was a
classical composer, wanted to create short melodic songs that everyone could enjoy, this lead
him after writing hundreds of pieces to perfect the design of music, we are very familiar with
today.
EFFECTS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IN HEALTH
Classical music has been a powerful driving force of culture for centuries, so it is not a new thing
when we say it has a positive effect in the health and wellbeing of the human psychological
system and whatnot.
It have been lauded for its ability ranging from stress relieving to intelligent improvement.
Despite its exaggeration of belief science actually shows that it does have a marked effect in the
brain in a number of possible ways
Expression Of Emotion In Classical Music Affect The Brain
Music has been a very strong medium for emotion expression. It has the ability to send
chills down your spine or make your heart swell with joy.
Classical music helps reduce pain and anxiety
researchers at duke cancer institute found out that wearing noise cancelling headphones
and playing classical music (Bachs in exception), reduced the pain and anxiety of a
postate biopsy. The procedure causes a spike in blood pressure as the result of stress and
anxiety, but as for those that used classical music, there was no such spike.
Classical Music Can Lower Blood Pressure
Classical music has a marked effect on the humans stress levels and in turn the blood
pressure. A university of San Diego conducted an experiment on this. Individuals were
asked to listen to classical, jazz, or pop selections. It was seen that those who listened to
classical music had significantly lower systolic blood pressure levels. This is due to the
soothing effect of classical music to the human system
Conclusion
After all being said and done we can see the usefulness of classical music. The whole of classical
music is like a whole untapped aspect and there are still more to uncover in it. We really need to
appreciate classical music as a whole. Ultimately, a combination of contextual, theoretical, and
practical musical knowledge will develop your appreciation. Patience is essential as it takes time
and focus to expand your musical understanding and allow your listening skills to grow.
References
Dr. Justin Wildridge(2019) : How to classical music has influenced modern music,
www.cmuse,org