How do you learn how to listen to classical music?

Quandary basically by mj6118: How can I learn how to listen to classical music?

Hello, I was wandering if anyone knew how to properly listen to classical music. I would appreciate any tips or where to learn. basically, what I am asking is how can I feel or interpret emotion, or musicality? I am young and I just got into classical. This seems to be against my generation right now, but I still think it’s cool. Any help is appreciated.

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Answer by Nasty

It really helps when you turn

on a classical song and try

to image a story that goes

along with the music. Like during

fierce music, people running away

from something.

During relaxing music, kids playing

in the sunshine, in a really pretty

field of tall grass.

And try not to really think about what

to imagine, just let things pop into

your mind. That way, you get to fell

the music more and connect to it.

Hope that helped.

=D

Answer by Schumiszt

I didn’t know listening to music was a skill…

Just… Play music… Viola! You’re listening to classical music!

It’s rather fun to follow along in the score. Listen for the melody, or dissect polyphony. Pay attention to the form of music, you know some music is a Rondo, for example. Rondo’s have the form ABACA, or ABACABA… Listen to the performers passions and nuance, watch their hands or mouth, or whatever they’re using. Watch them connect to the music. Understand certain periods and styles and genres, and compare how well the performer interpreted the music to that period or style or genre. Find interpretations you like of certain pieces. Compare others interpretations to your favorite one/s.

It really isn’t hard, just make sure you enjoy yourself. Music wasn’t entirely meant to be examined under a microscope, it was meant to communicate the beauties of this world…

I’m not entirely a “Music Appreciation” professor…

Good luck!

Answer by Kalibasa

I just answered a similar question yesterday I would recommend you get this book; it’s reliable, fun to read, and it breaks down classical music into the greatest composers and gives you a “starter kit” for each- five works to listen to first. Some people will complain about “ranking” music, which obviously you can’t do!, but it will give you a place to start. It also explains everything in terms that aren’t too long or technical- the different instruments, the different periods of music, what is a symphony vs. a concerto, you get the point. Here’s the book, haha it’s only 7c used (trust me, it is good!):

http://www.amazon.com/Classical-Music-Phil-G-Goulding/dp/0449910423

You need to understand that there is *tons* of classical music with *tons* of different styles. Some styles and works are likable right away, while others take a lot of time, work, and patience. Except for certain works everyone likes (ex. Air on a G String- don’t laugh- and Toccata and Fugue in D minor), Bach is harder. It’s very mathematical and it’s a different style of music (called polyphony) than what we use today. I might not start with him, but believe me he’s amazing and you will love him eventually. In general, classical music is more structured than other genres, which is its great strength but makes it a little harder to get into. Just give it time! You’ll have to listen to most works most than once to like them, but then it blows you away… Some of the more modern music is hard to get into, as is a some of the “Classical” (Mozart, Haydn, late 1700′s). (We call it “classical music” in general, but Classical describes a particular period) Some of the latter might sound “boring,” but it’s not boring- it’s just elegant and subtle, and takes a little time to grow into.

You don’t have to learn to “feel” music- that comes naturally! But interpreting music is another matter, and a good question. When you listen to a work that is famous, look up *why* it’s famous. Sometimes it’s just “melodic” (aka pretty) but often there is something special or innovative about it; knowing this will make you appreciate it more. For example, 95% of the people who “love” Pachelbel’s Canon love it because it’s pretty (which is still a good reason), but they have no idea that it’s a round (aka “canon”). Knowing this makes you realize just how brilliant it is, hearing the way the voices work. And the more you listen to classical music, the more you will start to see these kinds of things for yourself

Start with Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven- they’re all likable by anyone. Doesn’t mean they’re inferior!, just more immediatelly appealing- more energetic or more melodic. I would start in general with anything in the Romantic period (basically the 1800′s).

Answer by simpleexpres

Don’t make it sound so gay…”interpret emotion..?”. Listen to it, if you like, you like it, if you don’t, then turn it off.

Answer by GazeRock

It sounds like you are forcing yourself to listen to classical music.

No one can teach you how to “feel or interpret emotion” >_>… Because then you’re not feeling it, you’re thinking “okay gotta feel this emotion, cause someone told me to,” and that just isn’t right.

Just turn the music on and let your ears/mind take over, if you don’t like it turn it off… don’t sit there trying to force yourself to “feel” the music >_>…

Answer by Grasshopper

How can I learn how to listen to classical music? Is a redundant question, you have to feel it. Listen to any classical piece and the composer forces you to feel what he was feeling at the time.

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How do you learn how to listen to classical music?