How to Start Listening to Western Classical Music
Welcome!
Diving into a new genre of music can be daunting. Classical music is especially daunting because there is so much of it; several hundred years of it, in fact. The following tips and tricks have helped me discover all kinds of tracks and artists I love.
Keep it Short and Sweet
Listening to short selections is key. Find classical music about the same length as a pop song (or even shorter). If you can pay attention to Usher sing “yeah” for three minutes, then classical music of the same length (or less) should hold your attention. Some selections are less than a minute long! This kind of thinking saved me from using the skip button so many times. You might even find the classical tune caught in your ear-worm.
Listen to Famous Music
It is likely that you already know some of the famous classical tunes. I’ve often heard Spring from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in the background sound of TikToks and meme videos. Just a quick google search of “classical music used in movies” will bring up several lists of music you might recognize. It is much easier to like listening to music if you can recognize some of its patterns from the first listen.
Listen to the Greatest Hits
Similar to listening to famous music, but a bit more nuanced. This technique involves listening to Classical music’s greatest hits, not just those made famous by media. This category is a bit wider than the previous one and focuses on music famous to the Classical world.
Play an Instrument
Playing an instrument is an easy entry point into classical music. Simply search for music written for your instrument, listen to it and try to play it. Play it and listen to it. You may be surprised by the amount of music available for your instrument. Vocals are included as an instrument in this tip.
Read About Music
There is a ton of writing about classical music. Non-fiction books, poetic prose collections, magazine articles, academic articles, my blog 😉 and more! I find that reading about music guides the listening experience. It is kind of like watching the movie before reading the book. You get a general idea of the plot line, and then all of the details are filled in.
Study music theory
Music theory will help you understand how classical music is structured. This will help you identify patterns while listening to the music. Do be aware that this is a vast subject with lots of rudimentary work. I would not recommend this approach to non-musicians! The path to analysis (pattern recognition) starts with reading sheet music. If you don’t know how to read sheet music this could be a very frustrating way to enjoy classical music.
Playlists
Mix classical tunes in with your regular music on your playlist. Try not to skip it when it comes on, and you may find yourself queuing up Bach. The sample below exposes my personal playlist! All Classical tracks are marked by an arrow.
Collections
I think of a collection as pieces of music written for similar instrumentation or in the same form that are written by the same composer. Some examples could be Beethoven’s Symphonies (he has 9) or Bach’s Flute Sonatas (Marina Piccinini has recorded all of them).
Find a Musician/Group
I found ✨Marina Piccinini ✨ when searching for a recording of a piece I was playing. I completely fell in love with her playing style. Her sound is so beautiful and effortless, I am forever inspired by her recordings. Another artist I love is Angela Hewitt. I was able to see two of her concerts when I was still playing piano, and she is amazing. Such energetic playing left me itching to practice my Bach.
Classical Radio Station
Look for a local radio station that plays Classical music! They play a good mixture of well-known and niche selections. The trick is catching the title and composer so you can listen again later on.
Get Tickets to Your Local Concert Hall
Why not make a night out of a listening experience? Dress up nice and fancy, bring some friends along, and take some Instagram photos! You will receive a lovely program, so no need to remember the name of the music. All you need to remember is your favourite selection of the night! In addition, the program might offer you some background information about the music performed that night. Many concert halls are offering affordable tickets as well, so this does not need to cost you an arm and a
leg.
In Conclusion
Listening to Classical music is healing for the soul. Lots of people claim that Classical music is boring, but it really isn’t. Classical music has a breadth of music just as wide as popular music, perhaps even wider. There’s creepy, disturbing, depressed, longing, sweet, dancey, happy, and everything in between. If you start listening to Classical music, I am sure you will agree with me in no time.
Here is your homework:
