How Can We Learn From Classical Music?

Recently, I came across this question about our takeaway from classical music. Is there anything we can learn from it? And is it necessary at all to care? As a listener or a performer, I can provide my understanding of this question as I am both. While my comments in this post might be a minuscule fraction of what we can learn, they shed some light on a musician's point of view of some of the things one can benefit from classical music.

There is a great deal to learn from classical music. For me, it is like walking in a beautiful garden. I can enjoy the flowers and trees and breathe in the fresh air as I stroll, which is highly beneficial for my health. Therefore, listening to or playing classical music is that way for me.

It has been said many times that music is a universal language. Consequently, learning music through listening, playing, or performing is similar to learning a new language. When I began expressing myself musically, it was like cracking the code of a language in another dimension. And the more I learned, the more there was to learn. Therefore, the best way to learn from classical music is to experience it personally.

One can only care about classical music if they are listeners. If one does not have the patience to listen to it, it is possible to develop the interest by giving it a chance. One does not need to be a performer to care for classical music. They can become great listeners instead. If they enjoy listening, then they will care for it. I know plenty of people who do just that.

If someone loves swimming as a hobby—I do, too, and I ask them why they care about it, they might tell me that they love the feeling of the water, making splashes, and relaxing as it might give them a sense of freedom and exercise they acquire in addition to the calmness they feel.

Similarly, when playing music, I love to hear the sounds I make as I play on my instrument and perform, and I hear how my sound comes through in different halls. I also enjoy getting to know different composers and their works. I could be learning all my life, and it would not end as so much music is composed for my instrument.

I have significantly benefited from playing classical music. During the years I taught subjects other than music in elementary classrooms, I found many associations daily. My classical music training helped me bring instruction to the classroom.

What we learn from classical music might be different and individual-oriented. An interesting aspect of classical music is its association with imagination and creativity. Remember Disney's animated film Fantasia? The film features classical music pieces to accompany the stories and images on the screen.

Much of the music in the movies has its roots in classical music. There is also more classical music around us than we might recognize sometimes. Familiarity with certain composers and their works helps us determine the roots of certain music styles used in movies or films.

Classical music listeners or performers will have favorite composers, instruments, pieces, ensembles, or orchestras. Having a favorite composer is an adventure in itself. It encourages us to listen and expand our knowledge of repertoire and literature, both specific to our instruments and to classical music in general.

I fell in love with music, learning to play J.S. Bach's Cello Suites. I don't remember in which order, but when my teacher assigned me to play the first Suite in G Major on the cello, my mother bought me a recording of the famous cellist Paul Tortelier's rendition of the cello suites. That encouraged me to begin practicing for long hours. Consequently, I would come home from school, pick up my cello immediately, and start playing my cello before eating anything.

Naturally, I have come to love the works of many different composers in time, such as Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Rachmaninoff, and Wagner. However, these are not the only composers whose works I admire.

Appreciating and learning about composers and their work is like being in dialogue with the composers, being in touch with their world.

Having said all that, just as sometimes we hear a pop song a few times and might fall in love with the melody, the same is true with classical music. I often can't detach myself from the melodies I might be playing or listening to at a given moment.

Therefore, if you are wondering about classical music and how to enjoy it, the first step is to explore by listening and keeping an open mind. I will post my listening recommendation on my site this week. That could be a place to start.

Do you enjoy listening to classical music? Please share with us in the comments below.