RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 22, 2016 at 9:22 am
(This post was last modified: March 22, 2016 at 9:33 am by Alex K.)
(March 22, 2016 at 9:10 am)Mathilda Wrote: Most of the classical I listen to is from the 20th century. I find stuff beforehand is either too simplistic, or created by rich people who don't particularly have much to say musically. I'm desperately in need of new composers to listen to. I'll have to check out Bartok, Copland and Scriabin.
If you had said "for rich people" I would almost agree at least partially. That it was mostly created by rich people seems very inaccurate. Would you say that the Mozart Requiem was written by a rich guy with nothing to say? The St. Matthew Passion? Beethoven's 9th? Schütz' Madrigals?
Quote:Over the centuries classical music has become increasingly complex and sophisticated.
This view is too simplistic for my taste. During the late 1500s all the way through the 1700s, championed by people like Palestrina, counterpoint techniques and figured bass have become extremely sophisticated, culminating in J.S. Bach's work. Then there was a rather harsh break in musical tradition and the galant style of the mid 1700s and the following classical period were in many ways marked by a reduction in complexity, and this is when, in my opinion, a lot of ear candy for rich people was produced. The late classical and romantic era composers again slowly built up both the complexity and the range of expression until music became interesting again (to me). Late romantic can become a bit overwrought and burdened by their sheer monumental scope. To me, after Beethoven, the most interesting things were written by Schönberg and Berg. The late russian composers are interesting to me because they are kind of tonal holdovers into the 20th century exploring the new means of expression from a different, more conservative perspective than the viennese radicals.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition