piano_cat :
Hello!
We generally call “classical music” every piece of music written in the past.
But many of these works was written by composers for entertainment, and they never thought that those pieces are going to be played in 200 years in concert halls. (e.g. Haydn wrote a lot of symphonies for the court, Strauss’ Waltzers, Piazzola’s Tangos, etc) Many of these pieces were at that time just pieces for dancing at balls. During the centuries, these pieces of music became “classical”.
Following the same line, I would say that in the next 100 years ABBA’s pieces or Queen’s pieces would be the next “classical” music. And I personally think that it would be a better scenario than our contemporary music played in 100 years as classical music.
Two months ago, I was at a very interesting concert at the Philarmonica in my hometown, and in the second part they played some Queen pieces arranged for choir and orchestra:
- One Vision
- The Show Must Go On
- Who Wants To Live Forever
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- We Are The Champions
It was a very interesting idea: playing Queen in a concert hall, in the same concert with Mendelssohn!
Seeing this opinions also inspired me to ask this question:
http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiIUJyExEYl3W2dVM6TECDv44gt.;_ylv=3?qid=20090427130936AAQ84W9
I know that neither Beethoven or Brahms were understood at their time, but I really don’t think that contemporary music nowadays will resist for centuries.
My personal opinion…
What do you think?
Please share your opinions.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers!
Choose domain registration for your site
Sorry, sorry, sorry!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course I know what’s the difference between “classic” and “classical”. That’s a matter of language. English is my second language and that’s a mistake of language. In my first language, we use the same word for the musical period (1730-1830) and for classical music, in general.
Yes, “classic” is Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven.
You understand what I mean… Sorry again! How embarrassing!
Thanks for your answers since now (they’re great!) and thanks for telling me about this mistake. 
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{ 3 comments }
“We generally call “classical music” every piece of music written in the past” NOT SO
“I would say that in the next 100 years ABBA’s pieces or Queen’s pieces would be the next “classical” music” YOU WOULD BE WRONG
Classical music is either a specific time period or a genre. This is a poorly framed question.
I must take issue with your assertion that we call classical music “every piece of music written in the past.” There is a great deal of music from the past that is not classical. For example… Buddy Holly wrote a lot of music back in the 1950’s (about sixty years ago). None of it is considered classical – not will it ever be. In the same way none of ABBA’s or for that matter Queen’s music will be considered classical. Just because a Philharmonic is playing it does not make it classical either. [That is just a money raising stunt].
There is also a BIG difference between “classic” and “classical.”
I seriously doubt that much of the music that is currently written will stand the test of time… and that includes much of that which is classified by experts as “classical music.”
The term “classical music” has become institutionalized; and its usefulness as a meaningful one has almost come to an end: there has been so much debate over its exact definition.
The same as occurred with the term “classic”, and what exactly its definition is. In the world of the automobile, a “classic” car use to mean one that although manufactured years ago has retained its value and stills commands a princely sum when auctioned off.
Nowadays on television programs, one sees the title “My Classic Car”; but when a picture of it is shown, what does one behold? A glorified, souped up “hot rod”: not a 1903 “Silver Ghost” Rolls Royce.
In my perspective, the terms “classical” or “classic” use to harken back to historic times of Greecian and Roman culture: a piece of sculpture or architecture whose aesthetic worth is still viewed as incomparable, and continues throughout the centuries to be beheld with awe and reverence.
I think that the same parameters of “definition” can be applied(or should be)to the realm of music. To be considered “classical”/or a “classic”, a composition must stand the test of time, the ever increasing rate of cultural evolution aside.
Alberich