How to Listen to Classical Music Critically

By eHow Arts & Entertainment Editor

Rate: (9 Ratings)

Classical music needs no introduction; it's part of our everyday life. Devote a little time, and you can develop a more discerning ear.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Biographies
Music Theory Books
Classical Music CDs
Concert Tickets
Symphony Tickets

Step1

Listen actively and patiently.

Step2

Determine what kind of piece you are listening to: sonata, symphony, concerto or tone poem. Learn the differences between these forms.

Step3

Listen for a theme and variations on that theme threading through the music. Each movement within a piece has its own structure, but each one typically elaborates on the same theme.

Step4

Consider which instruments are used at what point in the piece. Try to determine why the composer might have chosen those instruments.

Tips & Warnings

Learn basic terminology and music theory to enhance your understanding.
Read about the composer, his or her influences, and music history for more background.
The type of piece often relates to the number of instruments. A sonata, for example, is a piece made up of three to four movements for one or two instruments.
Movements often follow a pattern: exposition of the first and second themes, development of those themes, and a recapitulation of the original themes.

Comments

Anonymous said

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on 3/20/2006 I used to listen to classical music in my car, but after speaking with a sound professional at the Apple Store, I discovered classical music can only really be enjoyed in a quiet environment, lest it's many subtle sounds are swallowed up by other noise.
To best listen to classical music make sure you are in a quiet room and invest in quality speakers (I have Harmon Kardons Soundsticks II), or invest in sound canceling headphones such as Bose's Quiet Comfort 2 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones. I recently got a pair. They're expensive ($299), but well worth the investment in my opinion. Now that I can truly hear classical music, I finally understand why it affects people so deeply.

sma3272 said

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on 8/28/2007 Classical music is one of the most beautiful things a human can experience in his or her lifetime. Yet it is also one of the most widely underappreciated. Why is it that many people that analyze works of literature and appreciate fine works of art don't listen to classical music? The difference between popular music and classical music can basically be summed up as the difference between magazines and works of literature.

Some classical listening tips:

Listen for melody! I cannot stress this enough. A lot of unexperienced listeners of classical music simply hear classical music in blocks of chords - either "happy" or "sad", etc. and completely overlook the beautiful melodies going on within the chords. This one of the chief reasons non-experienced listeners find slow classical works or movements "boring" --- they do not hear melody when the tempo is too slow(often due to such condi

sma3272 said

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on 8/28/2007 For more classical appreciation information, check out the book "What to Listen for in Music" by Aaron Copland.

sma3272 said

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on 8/28/2007 tioning by short, simple melodies found in popular music).

Also, listen for tone color -- various instruments and combinations of instruments are used by composers to create different sounds.

Thirdly, don't listen to classical music in the car, while doing work, or in any other context where it functions as background music. There is a reason that at orchestra concerts everybody sits quietly and listens instead of dancing, chatting with their friends, and having a drink.

Listen to as much as you possibly can within the context of a single piece. Are you hearing the color added to the tone of the low brass chords by the bassoon? Do you hear the cellos' countermelody being played under the violins? Are you allowing the polyrhythmic motifs to excite you? Only when you can attentively listen to and appreciate everything at once have you completely appreciated a piece of music. This