Celebrate Classical Music

August 22, 2012 at 6:22 PM

“Classical Music.” Whewwww. What does that even mean?

Is it the era of Haydn and Mozart?
Mmmmmm…. sometimes.

Is it a style of playing?
Mmmmm… sometimes.

Is it feared? Is it chided? Is it misunderstood?
Mmmmm… sometimes.

Is it fulfilling to me?
Mmmmm, yeah, but it depends on which part we are talking about.

I love music. And I love what I think we are calling classical music in this case. But for me, classical music is more than just the music. It is a lifestyle that taught me so much. It is discipline which brought me so far. It is travel, and networking, and auditioning, and performing, and explaining, and sharing, and learning; which has added so much flavor to my life. But “classical music” is also rife with elitism, unnecessary competition, and narrow minded judgmentalism . And though I catered to the elite, excelled in competitive settings, and was righteous in my former, judgmental views, I now have emerged from the world of “classical music” with a very different view on the subject.

Lately, I’ve been in a “simple is better” mode. However, I know that is not always true. In fact, in comparison to pop music, classical music is quite complex. And this is really the crux of the issue. Classical music IS complex and it takes an investment of time and energy to enjoy. (Especially the more complex works.) So I think I’m going to answer the original question now. Why is classical music so fulfilling for me? Because though I have had to put a lot into classical music, I have gotten so much from classical music. So much more than just the music itself. It was, and is, so very much worth the investment.

From Gene Huang
Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:13 PM

Well stated, Adam.

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Celebrate Classical Music

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