What does appreciating Western Classical music mean? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines appreciation as “a feeling or expression of admiration” and also “recognition of aesthetic values”. Both of these meanings apply when it comes to appreciating Western Classical music. In this article, I will attempt to explain what music appreciation means.

Music is influenced by its surroundings and the historical period it is created in. Any piece of music has a long story behind it. Understanding a piece of music involves understanding the sights, sounds and feelings that the composer sought to express, what style and form the piece represents, and also the historical background in which the piece was composed.

Western Classical music is broadly divided into several periods or eras – the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and the Modern/Post-modern eras. It is important to note that although music historians assign yearly spans to these eras (e.g. the Baroque period from 1600 – 1750) for the purpose of systematic study, there are no specific dates as to when we can say an era began or ended. Each era flows into the next, and the classification represents shifts in musical style.

These eras are characterized by different styles, influenced by shifting focus on different instruments prevalent in those times, the art and culture of the period, and even the political and social landscape.

If you play Western Classical music you most likely started with single-page pieces titled “Bourree”, “Gigue”, “Minuet” or “Allegretto” – to take a few examples. However, unless you dug a little deeper behind these names, it would probably escape you that these short pieces were composed as dance accompaniments and form part of a bigger musical suite. You would learn that the “Allemande”, “Courante”, “Sarabande”, and “Gigue” that you learnt to play so well are just the names of the types of dance forms in most suites of the Baroque period. For example, Handel’s Water Music is a collection of 3 suites, each one of which is made up of some of these individual forms. You would also learn interesting titbits like the “Gigue” (pronounced “jig”) is derived from the English “jig” – which as we know is an energetic dance. Or that the Sarabande dance form was banned in Spain as being too risque.

An important aspect of music appreciation is to “actively” listen to music. This means not listening to music that is playing in the background while you do something else – although that is also important. Active listening is when you focus on listening only and follow it through its ups and down and let it wash over you.

Understanding a piece of music goes beyond listening though. It involves finding out and studying its other aspects:

The musical era it belongs to

Certain musical characteristics can help identify the era the music belongs to. For example, the mood in a piece of Classical era music can change within the piece, but usually stays the same in a Baroque piece. Baroque music is flamboyant and grand, uses contrast and includes ornamentation – reflecting the art and culture of that age which also exhibited similar characteristics.

The structure of the piece

Is it a three-movement piece with two fast movements and a slow middle one? It’s called a concerto. If it’s a suite with a standard list of dances like Gavotte, Bourree, and Minuet, it’s most likely a Baroque composition. There are many more.

The composer’s background and individual style

To take an example, J.S. Bach – one of the greatest composers of the Baroque – wrote a lot of sacred music, especially for the organ. He synthesized musical styles then prevalent in France and Italy with the German style. A lot of his music is characterized by being very “precise” and at the same time stirring the emotions.

Influences of society and the world in that time

Beethoven’s 3rd and 9th symphonies are good examples. The 3rd symphony (called Eroica) was originally dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte. Beethoven later withdrew it when Napoleon declared himself emperor of France, announcing that the French emperor will now “become a tyrant”. In his 9th symphony, Beethoven incorporated Friedrich Schiller’s poem “Ode to Joy” – a poem which celebrates universal brotherhood – and broke tradition by including a chorus in the 4th movement.

Appreciation also helps you to interpret the music better and be a better musician.

Does all this sound interesting? The more you study about Western Classical music and its history, the more you will uncover and appreciate the music itself. There are plenty of resources on the internet. I have listed some below:

Introduction to Classical Music – Link

List of books – Link

Another set of articles on appreciation – Link

Author – Hrishikesh Barua

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