What Should “Classical” Music Be Called?
May 7th, 2007 Posted in classical music
Several recent comments I have read have made me rethink for about the fiftieth time about what a horrible, horrible term “classical” music is for describing the genre I listen to. It’s an inappropriate term to use when talking with pretty much anyone. It reminds me of this post by Alex Ross in which he is complaining about the same problem.
To those unfamiliar with the genre, “classical” is associated with the same old pieces everyone has heard about a billion times over: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Pachelbel’s Canon, etc. If I tell someone who is not a fan that I’m into “classical music”, with about 95.3% certainty these pieces are what they think I’m referring to. They’ll be like “Oh, errr, great” and quietly change the subject.
On the other hand, for people who are incredibly into the music “classical” is also a completely useless genre-wide term. With that degree of experience you know that it actually refers to a compositional period in the last 50 years or so of the 1700′s, which is basically just Mozart and Haydn (yeah I know, there are probably tons of other worthy, truly classical, composers…)
So at either end of the familiarity spectrum it’s a heavy-handed and confusing term. Unfortunately, using anything else seems even more confusing. Alex likes “notated music”, but if I use that term, almost nobody has any idea what kind of stuff I am talking about. Although “classical” conjures up somewhat unfortunate conceptions, at least it conjures up *something*.
Perhaps I should just start listing composers by name next time someone asks, starting with the ones that aren’t Beethoven or Mozart. Does anybody have any better labels for the genre? Something accessible and interesting sounding, but actually identifiable?
Ahh, who am I kidding. In 1000 years people will probably still be calling it classical, and still be bitching about the nomenclature.
May 7th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
You should be lucky if “classical” puts people in mind of Haydn – Il Divo is more likely. Saying Renaissance or Baroque is probably OK for that stuff…perhaps 19th century for your favourite repertoire?