What's your favourite aspect of classical music?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

What is it? What do you like most about classical music?

For me, I love how there is an incredible amount of information one can learn in a broad range of topics: history and biographies, physics, philosophy etc. but what I most love about classical music is learning about What a Composer Does and How S/he Does it. This comes closest to understanding the mind of a composer when doing what they're most famous for doing, and how this translates into the Sound We Hear.

On that last point, I love listening to music as well. Especially when there is a score available.

[North Star]

The sound that it makes.

[Florestan]

For me, I love how there is an incredible amount of information one can learn in a broad range of topics: history and biographies, physics, philosophy etc.

Hah! Hear, hear, Monsieur Croche!


My favourite aspect of classical music is melody! It doesn´t have to be hummable, it doesn´t have to be memorable --- it just has to be.

No melody, no music for me!

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Hah! Hear, hear, Monsieur Croche!

All the extra-musical things aren't the music itself, but things that are certainly related in some way or another. They're part of the same universe.

[Florestan]

All the extra-musical things aren't the music itself, but things that are certainly related in some way or another. They're part of the same universe.

Of course! Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto!

[James]

It's content (noun).

[some guy]

Classical music has aspects?

No one ever tells me anything.

Anyway, I can't think of any one thing about any kind of music that is not inextricably bound up with some other thing about that kind of music.

Though, I must say, I thought North Star's response was spot on. I'd make the noun plural is all.

[prémont]

Favorite aspect? Ooh .. there are many:

Counterpoint, rhythm, harmoni, the sound of beautiful instruments and/or voices to name a few.

[vandermolen]

The emotional aspect of it. The (sometimes) sense of communicating with the composer.

[some guy]

Emotions are ubiquitous and inevitable.

(Kind of like sounds from that other thread, eh?)

Anyway, I have always found the easiest way to communicate* with composers is to hang out with them, go to bars, go to their houses or hotels, mingle in lobbies of concerts, stuff like that.

*Disclaimer: I myself would never use the word "communicate."

Talk. Chat. Maybe even converse. No. Probably not converse. Lotta Latin in the ol' English language. Most of the more pretentious words. You know, like "pretentious." And ubiquitous. And inevitable. Damn. hard to avoid those pesky things, eh? (Ack. "Avoid's another one.)

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

The emotional aspect of it. The (sometimes) sense of communicating with the composer.

Is it like some kind of metaphysical experience then?

[Christo]

Is it like some kind of metaphysical experience then?

Of course it is. There is, BTW, very little physical in music. 

[prémont]

Of course it is. There is, BTW, very little physical in music. 

May be it is just me, but I often find, that my heart is beating in the rhythm of the music I am listening to.

[Florestan]

There is, BTW, very little physical in music. 

For mere listeners, probably not. For performers, though, it´s a different matter altogether. 

[North Star]

Of course it is. There is, BTW, very little physical in music. 

Acoustics is a branch of physics, you know.

[71 dB]

Of course it is. There is, BTW, very little physical in music. 

Everything is physical. What happens in our brain when we enjoy (or suffer) music is physical.

[springrite]

In a published interview, I said: "Music starts where words stop." I love how music can express things that are beyond words.


Additionally, I will be the first to admit that I do love the alleged aloofness and snobbishness that classical music afford.

[James]

Anyway, I have always found the easiest way to communicate* with composers is to hang out with them, go to bars, go to their houses or hotels, mingle in lobbies of concerts, stuff like that.

Boring. I'd rather listen to a great musician express their deep creative side through their music. It's much more special and I learn a lot more and am often moved a lot more too. Beyond words.

[Christo]

Everything is physical. What happens in our brain when we enjoy (or suffer) music is physical.

No! It isn't. And: it isn't in our brain. 

[North Star]

No! It isn't. And: it isn't in our brain. 

What is not in our brain?