introduction

I love classical music. 

It has been widely understood in the modern generation that classical music is outdated, incredibly dull, boring, or "nerdy". In elementary school, yes, I thought classical music was boring as well, since the only classical music I was acquainted with was those famous melodies everyone knows, like J. S. Bach's Air on the G String, Pachelbel's Canon in D, or Gioachino Rossini's William Tell Overture.

I am certain that many people know these melodies so well, or that they have "heard this song before". 

But I want to emphasize that classical music is more than that. Listening to these famous pieces is like dipping your pinky finger in the thin surface of the Mariana Trench. The music is riveting, exciting, emotional, and beautiful. I cannot simply recount how many times I got chills, grew pensive, and was thrilled by this music. 

The famous Mahler's Second Symphony, for example, was one of the first symphonies I listened to in full. It was back in 7th grade when I found this recording from Mariss Jansons with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the listening experience was so surreal. From the funeral march in the first movement, serene waltz-ish ländler in the second movement, malicious scherzo climaxed with a death shriek in the third movement, meditative alto solo in the fourth movement to the triumphant and breathtaking finale in the fifth movement, this symphony was more than enough to fully captivate me with the emotions and artistry of classical music. With the untuned bells ringing like the heavens and the orchestra and choir singing of mankind's yearning for resurrection and exaltation in the finale of the last movement, Mahler elevates the symphony into a profound expression of human longing for glory and transcendence.

“What you have conquered / To God, to God shall it carry you!"

Take a listen if you have 1 hour and 20 minutes to spare and want to have a surreal experience.

I would not even label this genre as "classical music". 

Although Western classical music is often defined broadly as the art music of the Western world, the fact that this genre spans from early medieval Gregorian chants and motets to the avant-garde experimental works of Stockhausen and the serialist compositions of Boulez illustrates why such a holistic definition becomes futile. These repertoires differ entirely in style, composition, instrumentation, and aesthetic purpose. They are, in effect, two entirely distinct musical worlds. 

I genuinely wish more people would come to appreciate the beauty and the power of classical music. I also noticed that I only listen to it without any simple reflection. So, I'd like to write about what I think and feel about different pieces. I hope to grow more connected to music through the entries I will draft.