The History of Music

When discussing historical periods in music, it has become common practice to assemble the output of a century under one heading in order to analyze the various styles. Approximately a hundred years of development are treated as a single experience-the Baroque (17th century), Classical (18th century) and Romantic (19th century) Periods, for example. The 20th century does not yet have an "official" subtitle and compositions of the 21st century will be referred to as contemporary music. There are of course the old, the exclusively new and a blending of centuries within every era. There is always an overlapping with the birth of style. It seems to be more complicated with each new century.

There is always a renaissance or a "looking back" in all centuries, but moving forward dominates. We must be open to new styles, new ideas and new sounds. We are often resistant to the music by an unfamiliar composer or a composer born after 1900. Try not to automatically assume that you won't like a work because it was written in the 20th or 21st centuries. It is a revelation to remember that even though we unconditionally applaud the music of Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Chopin and Mozart, to name only a few, they were not always well received, by general audiences or critics, during their lifetimes. They often encountered negative reactions and bad reviews because their music was too "dissonant" or too "different" according to the current trends. This environment of course exists in all centuries.

Classical music can be fun, approachable and very entertaining. It engages all your senses and explores your inner emotions. Listen and be prepared for a myriad of memorable experiences.

Text (c) Lynne S. Mazza