Classical Music?

[Furious George]

I'm sure many of the people I share a common interest in music with would love to disown me, but is it just me, or is Classical Music very calming and soothing? I recently got the chance to listen to some Beethoven on the way home from the hospital tonight, and it really calmed my nerves and put me in a state of relaxation. I've known all these years that I had en ear for classical music, but just recenetly it has re-surfaced.

Thoughts?

[I typically listen to much harder music, so it's not hard to imagine why I'd be 'disowned']

 

[mamab]

I think some classical music is very calming. Then there's some that's got a little harder edge to it with TONS of discord, and that I don't like.

I personally like Handel and Mendelsohn (not sure of the spellings). Do you prefer Beethoven, or just happen to have been listening to his music at the time?

 

[mtatum4496]

I am an avowed sixites rocker, Top 40 hound and folkie combined. But I also have to admit there are times when classical pieces can ease my troubled spirit. I have classical pieces on vinyl, cassette, and CD, so I am covered for any room in the house, as well as the car.

Music, in my opinion, should speak to our spirits. Classical does speak to mine, in that it often helps smooth out the rough edges of my day.

 

[dong]

My musical background is primarily classical (but not necessarily Classical). Calming and soothing is not a term that can be applied to all the work in the era or any really, only particular examples of it, with the possible exception of Mozart. Other examples around this era include Haydn, a small portion of Beethoven's work, Schubert, Handel, Mendelssohn (tricky one isn't it), Schumann...the list goes on.

After the structural simplicity of the Classical era, music took a more programmatic turn i.e. aiming to more directly portray ideas, stories and emotions, and thus the palette somewhat broadened in the Romantic era, and still more so as music began searching for the boundaries of its expression, and thus to most listeners, became even more alienating than its essentially elitist roots.

 

[FourBear]

I sometimes play classical music when I need to get some work done. It can be calming and soothing, but when the tempo picks up a bit, it even becomes motivating.

 

[tater03]

I never really could get into classical music. The other one that I always wanted to like but just don't get is opera. But I have heard that some people think classical music is very calming.

 

[Brandon]

I like Mozart and Beethoven. But that is about it. Sorry I couldnt be more insightful.

 

[dong]

I never really could get into classical music. The other one that I always wanted to like but just don't get is opera. But I have heard that some people think classical music is very calming.

One reason for that is that opera is best seen in the theater itself- because it's performance theater and much more than just music per se.

 

[mamab]

I'd have to agree about opera. If you're not watching a "performance" the music just doesn't make sense. Especially since most of it is in a foreign language. If you don't know that foreign language, you'd have a hard time figuring out what's supposed to be going on.

 

[FourBear]

Very true, mamab. I can't stand opera on its own, but the shows are incredible. It is also amazing if you go see classical music played by your local philharmonic orchestra.

 

[tater03]

I will have to make it a point after reading the above posts to check out an actual opera. I have only ever heard the CD of one. That could be why I have formed the opinion that I have. Because when you don't understand the language it just don't make sense. But I would agree if you are watching it that it tells a story so it would make more sense.