How to learn to understand classical music

What to listen to

Option 1

You can consistently listen to the works of masters of classical music, for example Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky.

For starters, Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Beethoven's Symphonies No. 5 and No. 7, the opera Don Giovanni or Mozart's Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 21, Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony or his music to the ballet The Nutcracker are best suited.

Option 2

If you are interested in a specific period, begin to get acquainted with the works of the composers who worked then. In parallel, you can study their biographies and features of creativity. Even articles from "Wikipedia" are suitable for this.

Option 3

For those who do not want to delve into the work of specific composers, an overview acquaintance with the works of different periods is best suited. Listen to music selections. There are a lot of them on YouTube. Start, for example, with a four-hour selection of 100 famous classical compositions or the best piano classics.

Sign out the authors of the works you like so that you can get better acquainted with their work later.

How to listen to the classics correctly

There is no correct way to listen to classical music like any other music. Listen how you like it. But to better understand the work, sit back, use high-quality speakers and headphones, focus only on the music and do not do other things in parallel. Follow the melody and rhythm.

How to find out more

Read about your favorite composers on the Internet. Start with Wikipedia articles. Books about many famous musicians have also been published in the Life of Remarkable People series. A great option for a more detailed introduction to the basics is Stephen Fry's An Incomplete and Ultimate History of Classical Music.

Find out if there are public lectures on classics in your city. If possible, go to them and to classical concerts.