Classical Music Overview
A
first timer to the world of classical music may find the prospect of
trying to learn the composers and works to be a daunting task. However,
some of history's great musical names -- Bach, Mozart, Beethoven,
Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Brahms -- can be found in the classical genre.
Whether it's orchestral (symphonies and concertos), opera, or chamber
music, the joys of classical music are very rewarding to the listener.
Classical
music surrounds us, whether we realize it or not. The United Airlines
commercials? That music comes from George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in
Blue." The so-called "Lone Ranger" theme? That's the last part of
Gioacchino Rossini's "William Tell" overture, kicking up all that dust.
Remember all those great Bugs Bunny cartoons with Elmer Fudd you
watched as a kid? You'll hear more musical snippets of Rossini, Felix
Mendelssohn, Franz Liszt, Johann Strauss, and Richard Wagner ("What's
Opera, Doc?").
The classical music tradition has continued
into the 20th and 21st centuries as well, with composers such as Aaron
Copland, Leonard Bernstein, John Adams, and Philip Glass, making lasting
contributions to the repertoire. New works and even newer composers are
coming onto the scene frequently, and great film scores also contribute
to classical's distinguished legacy.