# The word 'classical' ....



## Ace the Burn Victim II

Classical refers to a time period. Can it also be used to generically speak about orchestral music? or wtf?? I don't want sound like a dummy when i talk about this stuff....

I want to be the next Rimsky Korsakov.


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## KenOC

Oh-oh, here we go... :lol:

I suspect the trick is not to ask what "classical music" is but to *say *what it is. Let others prove you wrong!


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## SeptimalTritone

'Classical' could either refer to the classical era (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven) or the entirety of western serious art music. Generally, if you just say 'classical music' it means the latter, and if you want to take about the former you say 'classical era.'


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## PetrB

For the general practical vocabulary, for clear discussion:

*classical*, with a lower case 'c' refers _to all of 'western art music,'_ whether it is Gregorian chant or the latest contemporary classical work for a huge orchestral ensemble (which may also include pre-recorded electronic sounds, synths, etc along with more traditional instruments), and it includes any and all vocal music, again medieval through choral works and songs of all eras.

*Classical*, with the upper case C, denotes the historic classical era (ca. 1730 and 1820) and music from that time, in that style.

Good luck if you are using the more general meaning and start a sentence with the word, lol. But still, context should readily enough clarify which is which.

_"Classic."_ -- current usage: a Coca-Cola, a named hamburger sandwich from an international food chain franchise, a vintage car, a vintage pop song, a brand or type of cigar, etc. etc. etc. can all be "Classic" or "A classic." I'd avoid its use whenever discussing either classical music or Classical music 

*Chamber music* = music with a small ensemble of players, ten or eleven already being considered 'large number' and unusual.
*Orchestral* = for an orchestra or large group of instrumental players.
*Instrumental* = for instruments.

*Vocal *= for voices or several voices / *Choral* = chorus, without instruments, (aka _Acapella._)
*Choral work* = an instrumental / orchestral work with chorus.

Dolmetsch online music dictionary -- free, and a very good friend to anyone wanting to know 
http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheorydefs.htm
(Dolmetsch also has a free online site all about music theory.)

Best regards.

P.s. To irritate more than a few, and give the rest a bit of a laugh, _Film Scores and Video game scores,_ for the most part, with very very very few exceptions, _are not classical music._ :lol:


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## Hasun

Newfound appreciation of Classical music. I welcome any opinions on what pieces are your personal favorites to listen to . So far, I have listened to Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky, I am fond of. Peace and Understanding, -Hasun


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## Animato

SeptimalTritone said:


> 'Classical' could either refer to the classical era (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven) or the entirety of western serious art music. Generally, if you just say 'classical music' it means the latter, and if you want to take about the former you say 'classical era.'


I totally agree with this definition - and I think it is the common understanding about "classical". But be aware, that the term "classical" may be used in general for something, which is special for any kind of "area" : there are classical recipees of the italian cuisine, there is classical furniture for a certain period of history, there are classical products of any kind of label/producer etc.


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