The Marvelous Sound of Music

When you listen “classical music” terminology,
what’s on your mind?

Let me clarify the terminology for this kind of music first. Actually, this kind of music refers to the European Music from Renaissance (1400s) to Romantic Era (1910s). The  classical terminology itself refers to a particular stage in the development of this European music tradition. Nevertheless, the “classical” terminology has been more popular used to represent European music tradition.

I love several of European music, especially the composition of J.S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, W.A. Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn with their Oratorio, Cantata, Concerto, and Symphony musical composition. They are amazing and soooo wonderful!!!! Why do I like it?

1. Colourful Sound
   Oratorio, Cantata, Concerto, and Symphony musical composition are played by many kinds of musical instrument in an orchestra and people voice in solo performance and choir. The sound timbre is soooo rich… It is similar as if you see picture that have rich & beautiful colour combination.. Harmonic colouring & very expressive sound of the strings family (violin, viola, cello, bass), brilliant& heavenly sound of the flute, warm sound of the clarinet, valiant sound of the trumpet, mellow sound of the French horn, majestic sound of the timpani, and above all : the marvelous sound of human in the choir. All together are combined in the beautiful harmonization of the music..

2. Sounds Natural
   The harmonization, the rythm, the style, the melody are very natural. It always use chord that nice to be heard. Contrast with Jazz that always finish with unfinished chord or use chord with “unharmonized” sound. In addition to the chord, the rythm also is very natural, align with our natural beat.. It emphasis on the 1st beat… Some compositions that are very lively can make my head “dance”, full of joy.. It differs with rock music that stress on the 2nd or 4th beat. It’s a forced beat, not the natural one…. Or in Jazz, which is full of “syncope” beat, another unnatural beat …  

3. Descriptive
   I can feel and see something that the composers would like to describe in its music by hearing the composition because of the compositions of the music itself, not because I’m good at interpret the music.. I can see how chaotic, dark, and mysterious the world is before the creation in Haydn’s Die Schopfung Overture; I can feel the warm and bright of the sunrise beam dropped on my body when tenor & orchestra play “In vollem Glanze steiget jetzt die Sonne” (In splendour bright is rising now/the sun) in Haydyn’s Die Schopfung ; My eyes can see how high and magnificent the sky is when the strings sounds very lively and high at the end of “Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes” (The heavens are telling the glory of God) in Haydn’s Die Schopfung ; My soul can scream asking for a help together with chorus when they sing “Hilf, Herr!” (Help, Lord) (Mendelssohn’s Elijah) in fortississimo dynamics; I can feel how the people laugh to scorn the Messiah when the choir sing “HE trusted in God that HE would deliver HIM, Let HIM deliver HIM, if HE delight in HIM” in Handel’s Messiah. Soooooo wonderful the description is..

4. Precise & Neat
   The precision & neatness of their works can be seen in their beat. Bach, Haydn, Handel, and other Baroque & classical composers put the running notes in some of their composition, usually in canonical (fugue) style. The “fugue” between one part and others is very very neat, very nice to be heard. The precision of their works can also be seen when they give the soul to the composition by using the particular key. They precisely follow the key’s soul.. D major as the key of glory; G major as the key of benediction; E flat major as the key of heroic; A major as the key of Innocent Love; A minor as the key of sadness; F minor as the key of passion; etc… Let us take an example.. They use D major as the key of glory.. Why? Because of the sound itself reflect glorious thing.. Try it by yourself: Play D major chord in magnificent style.. Also Play E major chord in the same magnificent style.. You will hear the difference.. Which sounds is align with the expression of glory? You’ll find the answer while you hear it!!! The trumpet open sound is D major, that’s why trumpet is very good in reflecting glorious expression..

5. Deep meaning
   The composition has deep meaning and many messages that the composers would like to deliver to the listeners. In Bach’s Matthaus Passion, you can get a reflection how big is Jesus’ Passion, and the message what we have to do to respond HIS everlasting AGAPE love.. In one part of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, you can receive strength to continue your life although facing many problems when you hear the choir sings “Hebe deine Augen auf zu den Bergen, von welchen dir Hilfe kommt”(Lift Thine eyes to the mountains, whence cometh help)

That’s 5 reasons why I can say how marvelous the sound of the music are, when I’m listening this music.. Hope you can enjoy it also..