If you’re anything like I was, you probably have no idea where to start with classical music.
I spent nights Googling variations of “classical music for beginners” and doing tons of reading in order to better understand the topic myself.
Since then, I've learned a lot about classical music. I even took a Yale University course to deepen my understanding of it!
Trust me, I know what it feels like to not know where to start with classical music. As such, I want to help others who might feel as lost as I did.
That's why I consolidated everything I learned into this ultimate beginner's guide.
Here you'll get a simple and streamlined introduction to classical music. You'll learn about the main three eras of western art music, and what makes them unique.
At the end of each section, you'll even get a list of the best pieces from each era, so you can start listening right away.
My goal for this article is to help you enrich your basic understanding of classical music so you're able to enjoy and appreciate it more.
I know that for me, getting into classical music has been a life-changing experience. I truly believe it can be the same for you.
Now without any further ado, let’s get started!
What Is Classical Music?
When you or I say “classical music,” we typically think of fancy sounding music from 17th-19th century Europe. Images of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart most likely come to mind.
However, the term “classical music” is in itself a bit deceiving, because it doesn’t always mean what we think it does.
What we usually refer to when we say “classical music” is actually something more accurately termed “western art music.”
That’s the pretentious-sounding technical term used to cover all of the following periods of music:
- The Medieval & Renaissance Eras
- The Baroque Era
- The Classical Era (now you know why the term is deceiving!)
- The Romantic Era
- The Modern and Contemporary Eras
Remember, this is classical music for beginners - as such, we're keeping it simple.
For this introduction to classical music, we’re only going to cover the middle three time periods listed above. The Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods compose the vast majority of what people mean by the term “classical music.”
Which, just to remind you, is more accurately called “western art music.” Whether you decide to use that term in public or not is up to you...
Understanding Classical Music Titles
Classical music titles might seem confusing at first, but they're actually fairly simple once you know the basics.
I wrote an article that goes in-depth on classical music naming conventions. It's a "classical music titles for dummies" type article.
I would've loved a resource like this when I was starting out, but I couldn't find one. That's why I decided to write the article myself, so you don't have to put up with what I did!
Click here to check it out. It contains everything you need to know!
What Is Baroque Music? The Baroque Period Explained
The Baroque period (1600-1750) came off the heels of the Renaissance and helped bring music into its own.
Instruments like the violin and fortepiano (a predecessor to our pianos today) became standardized, musical form and style evolved, and opera grew in prestige and popularity.
Additionally, the modal forms of the Renaissance gave way to tonal forms in the Baroque era.
This is Baroque music for beginners, so all you need to know about the shift from modal to tonal music is that tonal music made it much easier to form concrete chords and harmonies, within a specific musical key.
This allowed Baroque composers (and all composers thereafter) to write music in a more logical and straightforward way.
Here’s a fun fact: Since Baroque music is quite technical and mathematic, it's best enjoyed in the morning. This is because our brains actually change the way they interpret and process information throughout the day.
For most of us, our brains think most algorithmically in the morning, so that’s when they’re best prepared to process the complexity of Baroque music.
Try listening to some Vivaldi as you make your morning cup of coffee, and see how you enjoy it!
Baroque Period Style
The Baroque period is defined by its technically demanding compositions, and specifically the use of counterpoint.
In non-technical jargon, counterpoint is when two or more melodies are played simultaneous in an intertwining fashion.
Here’s an example of what that looks like:
Counterpoint Example:
In addition to counterpoint, basso continuo (essentially a continuous bass line) is another element that defined Baroque music.
Want a good rule of thumb for determining if something is Baroque?
If it sounds technical, mathematical, and has multiple melody lines competing for attention, it’s probably Baroque.
If that doesn’t make sense yet, don’t worry: this concept will become more clear once you compare music of the Baroque era to music of the Classical and Romantic eras.
Baroque Composers and Examples of Baroque Music
The main Baroque composers for beginners to get familiar with are Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi.
Handel wrote Messiah, Vivaldi wrote The Four Seasons, and Bach wrote everything else (just kidding! well, sort of…)
You know more Baroque music than you think! Below are three compositions I guarantee you’re familiar with.
Handel - Hallelujah Chorus:
Listen for the use of counterpoint in this composition - it’s everywhere, especially in the first 30 seconds.
The first seven seconds of the piece feature counterpoint between two different string melodies. Once the vocals come in, the higher pitched strings can be heard trying to get noticed in between the vocal sections.
This is a great example of a stereotypical Baroque composition.
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Spring In E Major, RV. 269: I. Allegro:
Do you hear the bass line chugging away in the intro? That’s a great example of basso continuo, and it was guaranteed to make you “shake thine booty” back in the day.
Around 1:40 you’ll notice the piece takes a turn, and you have a great example of how intense some Baroque music could get.
After some playful counterpoint, the main violinist starts to shred, and that’s where the incredible technicality and precision of Baroque music shines through. The intensity of the individual performance makes the return to form at 2:06 so much more beautiful.
Lastly, you might notice there’s no conductor. This makes the performance more authentic, since baroque orchestras at the time didn’t have conductors in the same way we have them today.
The first violinist guides the other performers, so his job is even more complicated than it might look - and it already looks complicated!
Bach - Cello Suite No. 1in G Major, BMV 1007: I. Prélude:
This performance is stripped down because it’s just one instrument, but it’s still quintessentially baroque.
It’s the prelude to Bach’s first cello suite, the one in the key of G Major. As such, he appropriately named it “Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major.”
We can safely assume Bach’s creativity went towards creating the music itself, not the titles…
This composition proves that not all Baroque music features shredding violin solos like the ones Vivaldi wrote. Baroque music covers the upbeat and intense, as well as the dark and brooding.
For links of what to explore next, check to the recommendations below.
Further Listening - Baroque Period
I wrote an entire article on the top 7 pieces of the Baroque period. If you want to explore more Baroque music, this is the article for you!
More Resources:
Here are some videos to enhance your understanding of Baroque music and the Baroque era in general:
- What Is Counter Point?
- The Baroque Period | Music History Video Lesson - YouTube
- Piano TV - Baroque Period Music
What is Classical Music? The Classical Period Explained
During the Classical period (roughly 1750-1820), traditional practices were codified and new forms of musical composition were developed.
Most notably, a focus on melody defined the classical period and distinguished it from the complicated counterpoint of the Baroque era. This emphasis on melody resulted in tuneful and memorable compositions.
The development of the piano played a huge role in the achievements of the Classical era, since it gave composers the ability to express emotion in a more nuanced and dynamic fashion.
Additionally, the size of the orchestra grew and began to incorporate a variety of new instruments.
The combination of these two factors contributed to many of the musical advancements made by Classical era composers.
Simplicity, balance, singable melodies, and emotional depth are the four main elements that define the Classical period.
The combination of these elements produced a beautiful period of artistic expression and hundreds of compositions that remain just as brilliant over 200 years later.
Classical Period Style:
As mentioned above, the Classical period’s emphasis on melody and chordal harmonic progression was a large departure from the contrapuntal lines of the Baroque era.
Homophony, or a single melody over an underlying chord progression, became the standard for classical music. In fact, it’s also the standard for how most contemporary music is produced today!
Another break from the Baroque era occurred in the realm of emotion: whereas Baroque compositions typically expressed one emotional extreme, Classical era pieces took listeners on more nuanced and complex emotional journeys.
Emotion still remained secondary to form, however, and musical structures like the sonata form, binary form, and ternary form developed as ways of conveying this emotional journey in a predictable and orderly fashion.
The evolution of the piano is largely responsible for many of these developments. The Classical era saw the piano grow closer to the instrument we know today, and its design allowed performers the ability to plays notes both tenderly and fiercely.
The art of musical composition matured as Classical era composers wrote pieces that expressed the nuanced emotional highs and lows of the human experience.
Classical Composers and Examples of Classical Music
You already know several big wigs of the Classical period! Think Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Joseph Haydn.
Below are three examples of classical era music I’m sure you’re familiar with:
Mozart - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik:
You’ll recognize this one within seconds. Notice how the melody plays clearly on top of the accompanying strings - very typical of the classical period.
This composition is broken into four main movements, or different sections, with a slightly different tone in each.
Listening through these four movements takes you on an emotionally complex journey, probably deeper than what you would experience with Baroque music.
The simplicity, balance, singable melody, and emotional depth of this piece make it a perfect example of music from the classical era!
Beethoven - Ode to Joy:
Crank up the volume to experience this one fully! The melody isn't just memorable, it’s iconic.
Something Beethoven knew better than anyone else was how to harness the power of the human voice - you can’t help but be moved at 0:50 when the choir comes in full blast!
An interesting note about this piece is that it’s been used by people and political movements of every variety.
Ode to Joy almost became a de facto communist anthem in the Soviet Union, but was also played as a joyous celebration of freedom when the Berlin Wall fell.
It was one of the only pieces of Western music endorsed the Maoist Chinese government, but then was used by student protestors in Tiananmen Square.
It’s now the anthem of the European Union.
However you look at it, there’s something powerful about this piece. Something that speaks to us all.
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5:
The four most famous notes in history!
The above video is just an excerpt from the first movement of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Written while he was going deaf, the symphony reflects Beethoven’s struggle with fate - defiance, triumph, and everything in between. It’s a masterpiece that cemented Beethoven’s place as one of the greatest composers of all time.
One fun fact is that the length of the first four notes (short, short, short, long) mirrors how the letter “V” is typed in morse code (dot, dot, dot, dash).
Given the symbolism of “V for Victory,” the BBC used this rhythmic motif to start their broadcasts during World War II.
Further Listening - Classical Period
To further explore Classical period music, this article contains the next best classical songs you should listen to!
More Resources:
Here are some videos to enhance your understanding of Classical period music and the Classical era in general:
What Is Romantic Music? The Romantic Period Explained
The music of the Romantic period (1820-1910) was influenced by the larger Romantic movement in Europe, which focused on emotional experience and elevated the individual.
As such, unique compositions and the expression of emotional intensity were the highlight of Romantic era music.
Romantic era composers broke rules of form, increased dramatic tension, and added new instruments to the orchestra in order to express all the varied highs and lows of emotion.
Musical compositions used recurring melodies or themes (called an idée fixe or leitmotif) to achieve unity and tie the different movements together.
Overall, emotional intensity was the highlight of Romantic era music.
The intimacy and emotional highs and lows make Romantic period music the most accessible form of classical music to modern listeners.
Whether you want to bask in triumph or lament in heartbreak, the music of the Romantic period is ready to accompany you.
Romantic Period Style
Romantic era music prioritized emotion above all else.
In order to express a wider range of emotional highs and lows, composers expanded the orchestra by adding instruments that could hit both higher and lower pitches.
For example, the piccolo was added to play higher notes, and the contrabassoon to play lower ones. The piano also continued to develop as its range expanded from four octaves to the seven it has today.
Another element composers started using to convey emotion was dissonance.
Dissonance is a lack of harmony among musical notes, and it is often used to create dramatic tension. For an example of dissonance between notes, skip ahead to the 1 minute mark of the video below:
Dissonance Example:
The Romantic period overlapped with the industrial revolution, which impacted its development significantly. The growing middle class now had disposable income to spend on music, and began frequenting concert halls.
As Romantic era music filtered down through the masses, composers and virtuosic performers experienced large amounts of fame and celebrity treatment.
Before there was Beatlemania, there was Lisztomania!
This public attention on composers and performers, in addition to the individualist ideals of romanticism in general, meant that composers tried hard to be unique and push the boundaries of art.
As such, they began writing longer pieces, lengthy introductions, and dramatic codas in order to successfully convey all the emotion and intimacy possible.
As mentioned earlier, composers had to bring unity to their work by incorporating an idée fixe or leitmotif to tie these large compositions together.
In layman’s terms, these are recurring melodies or themes interspersed throughout a piece.
They might be rehashed in different styles or moods, but they remain consistent enough to provide a sense of unity to the work as a whole.
(See the first composition below for an example of an idée fixe)
Romantic Period Composers and Examples of Romantic Music
Wow, where to start?!
Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Schubert, Wagner, and Rachmaninoff make up just some of the many greats of the Romantic period.
Beethoven even makes the list, despite being predominantly classical. His later works were composed during the beginning of the Romantic era, and he bridged the gap between the Classical and Romantic periods.
My personal favorite composer from the Romantic period is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The man wrote Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and the 1812 Overture, so he’s hard not to love.
Plus, he’s the only composer I know who incorporated literal CANNONS into one of his pieces, which is a baller move if there ever was one.
Here’s an example of one of his pieces, along with two other Romantic pieces you already know:
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake:
The main refrain from Swan Lake isn’t just gorgeous; it also provides a perfect example of an idée fixe.
The ballet itself is 2.5 hours long, but the music harkens back to this theme at various points throughout in order to achieve unity.
The basic idée fixe is what you hear in the first minute of the piece. After the first minute, you hear different variations of it.
This theme is rehashed in many shapes and sizes throughout the entirety of Swan Lake, and it provides a sense of unity to the ballet as a whole.
Johann Strauss II - An der shönen blauen Donau (The Blue Danube):
Ah yes, the Space Odyssey song.
This waltz by Johann Strauss II might start soft and take a while to really get going, but good luck getting it out of your head once it does.
A masterpiece of dynamics (soft and loud) and melody, this is the waltz to top all waltzes.
Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne op.9 No.2
Chopin was a master at conveying emotion with the piano.
This is one of his best known pieces, and even science has proved its ability to calm and soothe.
Part of the reason this piece is so soothing is because it doesn't have many long-lasting dissonant intervals.
That means that when there is dissonance, it’s only for a fleeting moment. We're briefly pulled out of comfort, then immediately plunged back in.
Further Listening - Romantic Era
There’s so much great music from the Romantic period! Below are three of the next pieces you should listen to:
- Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture
- Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 2
- Wagner, Tannhäuser: Overture
If you want the best of the best, however, check out my article on the top seven Romantic period works!
More Resources:
Here’s a great video that gives more info on both the Romantic movement and the musical developments of the Romantic era:
Conclusion:
The Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods make up the majority of what we refer to as “classical music.”
Baroque era music focused on form and technical complexity, Classical era music on simplicity and melody, and Romantic era music on emotional expression.
For most people getting into classical music, the Romantic era is the best place to start.
While there are beautiful pieces from all periods, Romantic era music is most accessible to modern-day listeners thanks to its intensity, passion, and emotional highs and lows.
I truly believe classical music is for everyone - if you haven't found your cup of tea yet, don’t be discouraged! I promise it’s out there.
Hopefully the suggestions given in this guide help steer you in the right direction.
If you found this guide useful, scroll down and join our email list to be updated when we post similar content you’ll find insightful.
I hope this introduction to classical music deepens your appreciation for beauty, and helps you rediscover the joy of great art!
-Evan