Classical

Classical music refers to the long tradition of art music rooted in the cultural and liturgical practices of Western civilization, spanning more than a millennium of musical evolution. Originating in medieval Europe with early chant traditions such as Gregorian chant, classical music developed through a series of stylistic periods that shaped Western musical theory, notation, harmony, and orchestration. Its foundations include the establishment of the tonal system, formal structures like the symphony and sonata, and the eventual rise of large-scale works for orchestra, choir, and chamber ensembles.

The Medieval period (c. 500–1400) saw the development of monophonic and later polyphonic sacred music, with figures such as Hildegard of Bingen, Léonin, and Pérotin contributing to early polyphony. The Renaissance era (c. 1400–1600) expanded vocal polyphony and choral writing, represented by influential composers like Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Josquin des Prez, and Thomas Tallis, whose works emphasized clarity, imitation, and contrapuntal richness.

The Baroque period (c. 1600–1750) introduced new instrumental forms, expressive harmonic language, and the birth of opera. Key innovators included Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi, who shaped concerto, fugue, oratorio, and early orchestral composition. The era also solidified basso continuo practice and the rise of virtuosity.

The Classical era (c. 1750–1820) emphasized clarity, balance, and structural precision, with dominant figures such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven. This period formalized major instrumental genres—including the symphony, string quartet, and sonata—and strengthened the role of the orchestra as a refined ensemble.

The Romantic period (c. 1800–1910) expanded emotional expression, harmonic freedom, and orchestral color. Composers such as Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Gustav Mahler pushed musical drama, thematic transformation, and the scale of performance to new heights. Nationalist styles flourished as well, with composers like Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, and Modest Mussorgsky integrating regional musical identities.

The 20th and 21st centuries introduced groundbreaking innovations, from atonality and serialism to minimalism, electronic techniques, and experimental composition. Figures such as Arnold Schoenberg, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and John Cage redefined musical language, exploring rhythm, timbre, texture, and non-traditional sound sources. Contemporary classical music incorporates global influences, new technologies, and interdisciplinary forms.

Classical music remains a central pillar of Western culture, performed in concert halls around the world, preserved through centuries of notation, and continually reinterpreted by orchestras, ensembles, and soloists. Its vast repertoire—from medieval chant to modern avant-garde—reflects the evolving artistic, intellectual, and social history of Europe and beyond.