Sacred and secular music have influenced one another in many ways during the course of music history. The word “secular” means things that are not sacred. This is called “sacred” (religious) music. In Western countries a vast amount of music was written for Christian worship in churches and cathedrals. They were, in effect, compositions which were composed in one go. Sometimes they wrote these improvistions down. The great composers Bach, Mozart and Beethoven often improvised long pieces of music on the organ, harpsichord or piano. George Gershwin wrote music which is both jazz and classical. Classical music has often been inspired by jazz, and jazz by classical music.

However, the differences are not always obvious. A symphony by Mahler or Shostakovich can last for nearly an hour, and an opera is a whole evening’s entertainment.Ĭlassical music is also different from jazz because true jazz is improvised. Classical pieces of music can be quite short, but they can also be very long, like a big, musical story. Mozart wrote his serenades and divertimentos to entertain people at parties. Like all kinds of music, classical music can be in many different moods: happy, sad, scary, peaceful, thoughtful, simple etc. “Classical music” therefore tends to mean music that will not be forgotten soon after it is written, but is likely to be enjoyed by many future generations.Ĭontrast with pop music and jazz Īlthough people sometimes think of classical music as the opposite of pop music, it can still be very popular. Famous books such as the novels of Charles Dickens are called 'classics'. Something that is a “classic” is therefore something that will always be remembered as something great. In recent European history the 18th century was known as the Classical Period because musicians, artists, writers and philosophers were inspired by the art forms of the Classical Period of Ancient Greece and Rome. The period of Ancient Greece and Rome is known as the Classical Period because, many centuries later, people looked back to those ancient civilizations and thought they were perfect. It is something that has become a model for future artists. The word “classic” tends to mean: an art which is so good that it will always be enjoyed by future generations.

7 Outline of the history of classical music.

6 Musical training and general use of classical music.5 Form (shape) of classical music pieces.

Classical compositions