How to Enjoy Classical Music if You Don't Already

Ludwig van Beethoven

Many people in our day and age find classical music to be too tiresome and boring. Some even find it puts them to sleep! I'd like to make classical music more attractive with these helpful hints.

Things You'll Need

• A brain - this comes standard in most humans
• Some time - If you're reading this article, you're not too busy!
• An open mind - I can make it fun, just trust me!

Instructions

1. Sign up for a You Tube account

   Most content is available without signing up, but I like to be unencumbered when I'm searching for music online, so the occasional "you must be a member to view this video" message really irks me. I suggest biting the bullet and taking the time to create your own account. It's free and there's no requirement for uploading or viewing videos.

2. Stop listening to the pieces you've heard since before birth!

   This is where people get burnt out on classical music. There are some exciting, emotional, wonderful pieces out there that you've never heard because you got bored with Pachelbel's Canon (if you don't know it - look it up on You Tube - you've heard it a million times) or Mozart's Eine Kline Nachtmusik (if you've ever been to a snobby party).

3. Find a Genre and start listening!

   Did you know that classical music, like modern rock and jazz, was and is an ever changing form? You can really tell the difference between, say, Beethoven and Samuel Barber because their music is 2 centuries apart! Below is a list of some of the more famous composers out of each of the periods of classical music and my own preferences:

   Medieval (500 - 1400)
   * Please don't waste your time with this era. If you're already bored with classical music, this will make you bang your head against a wall.

   Renaissance (1400 - 1600)
   * See note above.

   Baroque (1600 - 1760ish)
   - Bach
   - Pachelbel
   - Vivaldi
   * I still think this period is boring with the exception of some of Bach's dark organ music - scary!

   Classical (1730 - 1820)
   - Mozart
   - Haydn
   - Early Beethoven
   * Still yawning. They've got good stuff, but beginners just can't handle it yet. Keep reading.

   Romantic (1815 - 1910)
   - Middle and Late Beethoven (YES!)
   - Brahms - Check out Symphony #4
   - Tchaikovsky - Check out 1812 Overture
   - Dvorak - Check out Symphony #9
   - Wagner (good operas)
   *This is by far my favorite era. This is when the size of the orchestra expanded, the piano became widely used, and composers were using music as a revolutionary outlet in protest of their various governments.

   20th Century (1900 - 2000 but you already knew that!)
   - Prokofiev - Excellent!
   - Samuel Barber - Check out Violin Concerto
   - Stravinsky - Check out Firebird and Rite of Spring
   - Shostakovich - Check out 5th Symphony
   - Gershwin - Check out Rhapsody in Blue
   - Debussy - Check out Clair de Lune
   - Copland - Check out Billy the Kid
   - Orff - Check out Carmina Burana
   * There are so many, I can never hope to list them all! The last century had some really revolutionary music - music that spawned Jazz, Blues, Rock and Roll, and even Hip-Hop. This is where the action is folks!

Tips & Warnings

• Don't tire yourself out. Pick a piece a week if you think that's all you can handle

• Think of some of the movies you like and try to remember the music - listen to those scores if you can!

• Start in the Romantic Era and move from there. If you find you need more excitement, move to the 20th Century. If the Romantic Era was just too much fire for you, take a step back to the Classical Era

• Some people will make fun of you for listening to this type of music! Pay no attention to those numskulls!