do classical music suppose to have "meanings" to them?

Question

do classical music suppose to have meanings to them, or are they just melodies - whether you like it or not.

I only like a couple of classical music, ie: Beethoven's moonlight sonata - because it's peaceful, and Bach's Air and his Brandenburg Concertos No.2 - ii: Andante. I don't like any other Bach's music apart from them because they are either too noisy or too long that makes me sleepy.

What do you think?

Answer 1

Some "classical" music is based on extramusical ideas (a meaning) and some is not.

Music based on an extramusical idea (a story of some kind) is known as 'program music' and can be found throughout music history. The title of the piece is usually an indication of the music's intent. Beethoven's "Pastoral Symphony', Vivaldi's "Four Seasons", Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique", R. Strauss' "Till Eulenspiegel" and Dukas' "L'Apprenti Sorcier" are all examples of program music.

Music without the intent of a program is sometimes referred to as 'absolute' or 'pure' music. This does not mean, however, that the music will not exhibit a feeling or mood in its performance. It just means that it is not based on an particular "meaning". Music such as symphonies, concerti, sonatas, etc. are more likely to be just pure (absolute) music without the intent to tell a story or convey "meaning".

There has been controversy over the merits of program music vs absolute music. Many musicians think that too great a reliance on an outside "program" weakens rather than enhances the artistic merit of a composition. But that is another discussion for another time!

You are free to enjoy as little or as much of either kind as you want!

Musician,composer,teacher.

Answer 2

If you're into the great composers, it might help to know that for the most part, they wrote that music at a time when one of man's desires was to find a language appropriate for speaking to God. Classical music, whether it be Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, or Bach's Fantasia and Fugue in D Minor, comes really close to accomplishing this task.

Answer 3

If by "meanings" you mean "stories" then yes some Classical music attempts to tell a story in music. That's called Program music. But most of it does not and therefore is referred to as "Absolute music."
Try Bach again---- as he grows on you you'll see that he stays with you longer than any other composer.

Answer 4

Research Program Music. This topic in classical music comprises music which tells a stork, deliberately creates moods or images, describes something.

On The Trail...by Ferde Grofe from The Grand Canyon Suite

The Storm movement, from Beethoven's Symphony no. 6- Pastoral

Night on Bald Mountain by Moussorgsky

Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saens

The Pines of Rome by Resphigi

Most program music started after 1800.

...even Beethoven wrote his Wellington's Victory (over the French), a one movement work, but very specific as to what it described. A far style example is The 1812 Overture by Tchaikowsky, which was the Russian Victory over Napoleon and the French Army.

The Overture to The Flying Dutchman by Wagner tells the story of the opera in its entirety.

Debussy wrote :"Clouds", an orchestral work which descirbes these through music.
and so many more.

Answer 5

Interesting question. Here's how I like to think about it. Most people respond to music physically. When you hear dance music, you want to dance. Your body makes gestures that coincide with "gestures" in the music.

Observe how your body responds to dance music. Then take your awareness of how that feels, and pay attention to yourself as you listen to classical music. See whether you aren't aware of inner impulses, feeling impulses, emotional impulses that move along with the music. It's like an inner form of dancing.

There can be melodic gestures, harmonic gestures, and rhythmic gestures in the music. They can move together or separately (the melody separate from the harmony separate from the rhythm).

Musical gestures are inherently present in any kind of music. It doesn't have to be dance music, and it certainly doesn't have to be "program music." For me, these gestures are meaningful. I may not be able to describe in words what the meaning is, but there is profound meaning nevertheless.

Watch how your feelings dance inwardly while you listen. That's where the meaning is.

Answer 6

some classical music is written about books..
such as A Midsummer Nights Dream by Mendelssohn is written about A midsummer Nights Dream by Shakespear.
Its the same with Ballabile by Verdi, that is based on a piece from Macbeth..
hope that helps =)

Answer 7

Music that have 'meanings' are referred to as Programme Music, the most referred to being Vivaldi's Four Seasons. They depict unerringly accurate descriptions of the seasons as it moves from Spring to Winter. Heck, Vivaldi also included sleeping drunks in the slow movement for Autumn.

For most classical melodies, they carry nothing more than that; mere melodies that were meant to comfort, caress, and ultimately lull the fat cats of old to sleep. The upper classes did not like to listen dissonance. They liked everything beautiful and easy to the ears. But Bach used to put his name all over the melodies, because B-A-C-H actually translates to musical notes.

However, you can form your own 'meanings'. Nobody can stop you. So, listen and enjoy them.

Answer 8

You've listened to all of Bach's music? Well I suppose you must have if you can make such an absurd generalisation. I would tell you what I think except you would probably zap me for abuse.

Answer 9

Yes, classical music is supposed to have meanings. My dad said that one Mozart piece is extremely emotional. If you look at Vivaldi's Four Seasons as well, it displays the different seasons using major keys, and minor keys to display different emotions.

Answer 10

i think all music has a meaning to it...but classical has great meaning..it's used in performances to set moods and sometimes when i just listen to it, it forms a video in my head....i think the certain songs and artists people listen to have great meaning to them, to touch the person's heart and to even let them enjoy it....