Hundreds of students at Northwestern State University of Louisiana participate in the music department. From the 300-member Spirit of Northwestern marching band to the 120-member Cane River Singers choir and every ensemble in-between, our university is dedicated to keeping classical music traditions alive. To those who do not participate in the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts, it may seem confusing. The music taught in college is very different from the music of popular culture. Why do so many people dedicate their time and energy to something that, on the surface, is irrelevant to modern times? A closer look reveals what classical music can teach us about today’s world.
What we define as “classical music” can vary greatly in sound and style. It spans a wide range of artistic eras, from the simple beauty of Bach chorales to the challenging experiments of 12-tone compositions. What do these pieces have in common, and what separates them from other forms of music?
Leonard Bernstein, the 20th-century American composer of “West Side Story,” says classical music is defined by its intentionality. Bernstein wrote for CBS in 1959, “The real difference is that when a composer writes a piece of what’s usually called classical music, he puts down the exact notes that he wants, the exact instruments or voices that he wants … that’s just what makes the performer’s job so exciting—to try and find out from what the composer did write down as exactly as possible what he meant.”
This explains a major reason why people are drawn to classical music: a classical score contains so many layers of meaning. The process of studying music allows us to peel back each one of these layers and find the magic underneath it. Revisiting a piece over and over again reveals new details and interpretations that bring us closer to the music.
Music students start from the surface and make their way inward. We are first taught to read the most obvious aspects of a piece: the notes and rhythms. After we master this, we can observe dynamic changes in volume. We can add musicality to our performance by shaping phrases and creating conversations between our instruments. Each time we listen to (or rehearse) a piece, we uncover a new treasure within the score.
We also learn the greater context of the music. No art exists in a vacuum—every piece has a story to tell. The story may relate to the composer’s personal life, their national identity, their religious or political beliefs or anything else. Music students learn about the history of composers and the cultural events that influenced them. This allows us to see patterns and trends in art, because every piece is connected. Even popular musicians with no formal music training are unknowingly influenced by the centuries of music history preceding them.
Looking closely at music from the past, we can see aspects of history that are reflected in modern culture. For example, there are political and social themes in prominent operas that still resonate today. Somebody with no interest in classical music may dismiss opera as inaccessible, old-fashioned, unrelatable and meaningless to modern audiences. However, the social commentary in some of history’s most famous operas are still extremely relevant.
One of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most influential operas is “Don Giovanni.” The titular character is a nobleman who abuses his power. He takes advantage of women and instigates violence, believing that he can get away with anything. Sound familiar?
“Don Giovanni” offers us hope: by the end, the people Giovanni harmed get revenge on him. According to Lyric Opera of Chicago, the opera “celebrates the dismantling of aristocratic privilege and predation.”
This is just one example of the inspiring messages we can take from classical music into the modern day. These stories remind us that the evil we face in the modern world is not unique; people have struggled with the same issues for centuries.
When you immerse yourself in a classical piece, you are invited to find your own meaning between the notes. People continue to keep this tradition alive because it is so valuable to our individual and societal development.
Here’s the most exciting part: this kind of analysis does not only apply to classical music. Classical music training provides a framework, but this kind of thinking can help us understand music from many different traditions. More than that, close reading like this is useful for understanding literature, film, visual art and culture of all sorts.
There are important conversations to be had about elitism and exclusion within the classical music world. Chris Lloyd wrote for Interlude newsletter, “The lasting image is that classical music is an elitist art form; made by middle-class white people, for middle-class white people.”
It is true that some classically-trained musicians hold judgment against music they find less “sophisticated,” and this has problematic race and class implications. However, the upcoming generation of classical musicians is much more open-minded. More students and instructors are realizing that if we want to keep classical traditions relevant, we need to realize that the old way of doing things is not the only way.
Classical music is inherently about collaboration, and it is not just for the elite. Music programs like the one at NSU are working to deepen how the upcoming generation engages with art and society. When we make music together, we learn how to support the voices of others. We learn how to look to the past for guidance in the present. People still care about classical music because it opens the door to a more educated, connected life.
