 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2019-10-21 22:07
Lately, I've either been part of (or followed) discussions on this BBoard pertaining to "Classical" music and "Classical" interpretations. In these conversations, it became readily apparent that the term "classical" was being used in its literal sense...to refer to music from a specific era/timeframe.
However, in the wider spectrum (outside of this forum) the word "classical" is used many times to refer to "not rock, pop, jazz, country, etc." and "containing any number of wind and string instruments to produce non-rock, pop, jazz, country, etc." Correctly or incorrectly, I find myself using the word "classical" in this broader context without really thinking about it.
Can the word be used both broadly and specifically, or is there a more accurate/better way to speak when referring to the broader spectrum of what some would classify as "classical?"
For instance, Is it incorrect to refer to "movie music" from the 1920s - 1940s in the broad sense of classical? Is there a more accurate way to refer to it? (Excluding the obvious swing/pop tunes from the era.)
Take something like the older black and white Perry Mason series or Alfred Hitchcock Presents series (1950s-1960s) - replete with bass clarinet and bassoon, and quite modern dissonance - is one term more accurate than another to use in describing it (Not the theme - the music played during the course of the show)?
I ask this question in an effort to make sure I clearly communicate the intended meaning in future conversations (on this BBoard and without).
Thanks in advance,
Fuzzy
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Author: kdk
Date: 2019-10-21 22:18
Having recently used "Classical" in its narrower sense, I think as musicians we have to consider the context. We were clearly talking about early 19th and late 18th century styles in the discussion about Bonade's approach to Rose. If you're talking about the demise of "classical" music in today's orchestral programs, the reference is fairly clearly to non-"pop", or non-"commercial." If those terms need for the specific context to be defined more narrowly, the poster needs to do that. But in most cases the context will point to the intended meaning.
I generally capitalize historic periods - Classical, Romantic, Baroque, Renaissance, etc. - to make the distinction clearer, but I don't really know if that's a generally accepted practice or just my idiosyncrasy.
Karl
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-10-21 23:12
Yup, context.
I have seen WAY too many genre titles lately defining narrower and narrower spectrums of music (pop and country for example must have nearly a hundred different sub categories each). So I guess I am overly sensitive to the OPPOSITE problem which is having a particular artist or piece of music so narrowly defined that I feel it is making it harder for writers and artists to find an audience.
I am in a space right now where I may just advocate for the term.......music, and leave it at that.
Anyway, as a lover of classical music (most eras) I don't mind just saying classical music when referring to non country, non blues, non rock, non new age, non EDM, non roots........ you get the idea.
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2019-10-22 00:15
Sure, the word can be and is used in two separate senses: a particular period and style, and an overall genre of music. But words "mean" what some people intend and others understand when they say, write, hear or read them, and many words can't be pinned down with much specificity because there's not much consensus as to what they mean. "Classical" as a genre sort of resembles Potter Stewart's definition of "pornography" in a Supreme Court opinion ("I know it when I see it," which then resulted in a period of time during which the Supreme Court would privately screen porn movies). It's very hard to define clearly without excluding examples many classical musicians would say should be included when they listen to them.
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Author: brycon
Date: 2019-10-22 00:33
Classical music as a broad category of music you would find in a record store or a Spotify genre search often isn't capitalized (e.g. "The classical saxophonist sounded terrible"). In academia, it's commonly called "art music" or, more specifically, "Western art music."
Terms referring to particular periods--Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modernist, etc.--are often capitalized or hyphenated with "era" (e.g. "Schumann is an excellent Romantic-era song composer" vs "Barry White is an excellent romantic song composer").
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2019-10-22 01:06
Capitalization or lack thereof, as brycon points out, can sometimes help. Context certainly matters as Paul and Karl say. Alternate terms that are sometimes used may be helpful: Western art music, concert hall music, etc. I don't really think it's that important to be honest, and I don't think there is any one term that won't be problematic or even inaccurate at times. It's all music.
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Author: Luuk ★2017
Date: 2019-10-22 11:41
How about this, an interactive genealogical evolutionary view on (non- classical) music styles: https://musicmap.info/. This seems an overly detailed look at styles and genres, but the fans surely know in which corner of the map their favorite music lurks.
Regards,
Luuk
Philips Symphonic Band
The Netherlands
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