I received an e-mail from a concerned beginner, nervous about attending their first classical music symphony for a school assignment. Obviously, not everyone attending a classical concert for the first time is for an assignment, but these simple pre-concert preparations will ensure a much more enjoyable and meaningful experience for every beginner.
What Kind of Listener Are You?
There are two types of listeners: active and passive.
- Active listening includes listening for chord progressions, key changes, meter changes, dynamic changes, harmonic balance, orchestration, etc. Active listening has purpose for comprehension. At the end of the performance, an active listener will be able to discuss the music in detail.
- Passive listening is basically hearing the music – comprehension and understanding has flown out the window. Passive listeners are able to point out major thematic differences, but at the end of the night, they will be unable to discern its occurrences, let alone have an in-depth discussion about the music.
All of us are both active and passive listeners. When the music catches our attention and effects our emotions, we become active listeners. When the music isn't interesting, we let our minds drift and daydream; we're not paying attention to what is happening in the music. To enjoy music in all its forms, we need to be active listeners. Even if the piece is dreadfully boring, we can at least have a meaningful opinion as to why we feel that way.
Do Your Research
As I said in
Intro to Classical Music, the more you hear the piece, the better it becomes. Before you go to the concert, get a copy of the pieces to be performed. If you have Napster (or go to the public library and check out CDs), listen to the pieces to get an idea of what to expect – get comfortable with them. Come performance time, you'll be able to hear the differences between the orchestra and the recording. You'll become an active listener. You'll be able to hear the differences in tempo, dynamics, and balance. If you've read about the piece’s history, and even biographical information about the composer, you'll find subtleties in the music relating to the information. Classical music, when understood, can be extremely gratifying.
It's Really That Simple
Fortunately, you don't have to know all kinds of music theory to enjoy classical music. If you know the basic history, the composer's purpose, and really become familiar with the sound and structure of the piece, you'll enjoy classical music for the rest of your life. When you hear that one spectacular performance - when it seems the stars have aligned and nothing could be better, when you truly become part of the music - look out, you're in for an unforgettable feeling.
