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GLOSSARY 
FOREWORD
:
The process of developing an ear for classical music is a perhaps
subtle learning process at times. Therefore, it is prudent
to become aware of some technical terms and their accompanying
concepts which will form a certain theoretical understanding of the
music as one progresses on the path of learning. The goal of
this composer to date has been to introduce this extended style of
music in as neutral a way as possible as concerns the terminology,
which can become weighty, even if useful and necessary to a full
understanding of the music. Classical music might be seen as
filled with conceit, meaning an extended expression which may have an
elevated basis. Accordingly, if this basis is then perceived
vaguely as developed 
through an exaggeration of the same airy constitution unto pretension,
by those who have not given the music a thorough review only because
they lack a fundamental aesthetic appreciation for its overall power
of statement, then a critical error has occurred; for the entire
premise of a classical work relies upon the place of the ongoing
statement to validate its worth with precise qualification and a
textured, substantial development. Such development of the
statement will culminate in an overall, broader message. If the
early articles at Starkmusic.org have introduced the classical music
style to any newcomers to this music through the more subjective
premise of its inspirational worth, as found in the music and as
propounded through the poetic, metaphysical prose offered
therein, then an important leap in understanding for the new student
has been accomplished. However, in order to continue in the
study of classical music, a more in-depth analysis becomes inevitable,
and also more enlightening. The other component for increasing
an ever-growing knowledge of this music is to hear the actual writing
of this composer, and which facility constitutes part of the plans in
developing this Web site. In the meantime, as I write these
articles, I am hopeful that the readers will avail themselves of the
fine array of classical music Web sites on the Internet as an
immediate and most useful resource, and of course also the simple
acquisition of music tapes and CDs at the music store; or, they can be
borrowed from the local library as your collection might build.
The radio stations are also a highly recommended tool for learning to
listen to and appreciate classical music, and these classical music
stations can easily be researched right here on the Internet.
This nation had been for decades blessed to receive classical music
instruction from the award-winning radio broadcaster, Karl Haas, who
passed away in 2005. He hosted a radio program, Adventures
in Good Music, and was indescribably brilliant. Karl Haas,
an American institution in his own right, is my first teacher of
classical music topics; this teacher constantly comes to my mind and
gives me inspiration as I create these Web pages for you, and as I
have composed over the years. If I have learned and progressed
in classical music, I am deeply indebted to the instruction and
increased awareness I received from listening to Karl Haas. Information
on Karl Haas can be found at WCLV
classical FM.
This Glossary is herein provided
at this Web site to assist in the instruction of classical music and
in the concise definition of terms describing topics, concepts
and theories in classical music. Marilynn
Stark
January 18, 2003
GLOSSARY
classical
music- according to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary,
the adjective 'classical' means, "conforming to a pattern of
usage sanctioned by a body of literature rather than by everyday
speech." Music as a language is therefore well served also
by this definition, since classical music most fundamentally is
considered to be music which is at least distinct from popular, folk
or jazz; and popular and folk music come from the everyday lives of
people who express musically in song and ballad, for instance, not
necessarily taking any special, formal instruction for such purpose.
Classical music finds its origins historically in the educated people
of Europe. Specific works and certain composers, therefore,
comprise the actual body of classical music, much as a body of
knowledge as expressed in the classical languages of Greek, Latin or
Sanskrit. Indeed, one of the implications in the concept
of classical music is its sanction by homage to certain theory
and form. Thus, the language of music is utilized in the
classical tradition in a precise and scientific way, according to
given principles of form, balance and even moderation.
There are many ways in
which the word classical is understood when applied adjectivally to
music. Before delineating them, the etymological root of the
word 'classical' might be of value in understanding how music arrived
at this descriptive terminology. This type of review once again
will attempt to find in words what the ethereal language of classical
music actually says, but this time in the indirect sense essential to
understanding how in its birth and evolution the word classical became
attached to it. This might help clarify the meaning and
substance of classical music in its historical context, and most
hopefully, help those who feel that classical music is outside the
realm of egalitarian partisanship, as its name would to them
imply. Might classical music not be known as 'classed' music,
since its roots are in the few and not in the many, whereupon it even
came out of music supported, developed and heard by the aristocrats of
Europe.
The adjective classicus in
Latin means 'belonging to the classes,' which were the divisions
of the Roman people, or 'relating to the military.' Now this
word classicus and also the noun of feminine gender, classis,
meaning 'a summoning,' 'a division, group or class,' both derive
further from the verb calo. Calo (calare)
means to 'summon forth,' to 'call,' and thus that which is summoned
forth as a group came to be known as a class. Now consider this
concept of the formation of divisions even more deeply, and understand
that the term in Latin for the signal on the behalf of battle
was musical, and was given by a trumpet. This signal for battle was
known as the classicum, another noun arising from calo.
The trumpet itself was also termed classicum. The Roman
military was implemental in establishing the social governing of
the people, which governing set up certain divisions of the people, classes,
so that the terms used in the military would take the fore in the
vernacular of the times. Conceptually, there is no more
vital and moving moment for an army or a fleet than that moment when
battle is struck, and the signal-giving for battle is all-commanding,
it is mentally gripping. Then, such battles which are waged sum
up as conquering, as they will duly progress, while the
socio-political governing will find its sanction as according to those
military empowerments of battle. Accordingly, terming the
divisions of the people as classes traces its own justification
from the military basis, the actual way history is written. Just
as the militia calls men to battle, so does the regime the military
supports call the people to a given order of groups termed classes.
The military basis in the etymological sense of the word classis meaning
'a summoning,' straight from the Roman times, has come down to us as a
more generalized term with several definitional uses in the sense of classical,
including as a direct reference to the ancients, as Greeks or as
Romans. Yet, imagine that the signal in battle for the summoning
of troops to mobilization was that of a musical instrument. This
musical image may help in the process of conceptually accepting the
formation of the actual term 'classical' from its very historical,
social moorings, rather than to place a value judgment upon the entire
art form of classical music, as if it were outside the realm
contemporaneously of the wider people, since it arose from a
privileged few.
In summary, then, from these
etymological origins came the English word 'classical,' wherein the
root concept of summoning, of a call, implicates a calling forth in
the manner of grouping. Many fields of endeavor in the arts and
sciences begin with such a formation, wherein many are moved by the
success of one, as they are called forth accordingly. An example
of this would be the classical mechanics of Newton in Physics, where
his three laws of motion brought to bear upon all of the science of
Physics a change in the conceptual basis of thinking of marked
universality. Newton's universal truth in the objective realm
then became the seed for the greater development of the science
of Physics. When a growing body of knowledge is guided by a
breakthrough into a greater level of truth, many like thinkers are
likely to gather upon the topic, since a more useful general level of
truth cannot help but summon others to the topic due to its more
inclusive attributes. When applied to music, it so happens that
historically, such careful art form in music as classical
music, was developed through the educated class of Europe; classical
music was also supported and nurtured by the church, where it must be
assumed that all church-goers would worship in the beautiful fugues,
masses, oratorios and hymns which were being developed and composed
under the aegis of the church. For example, Johann Sebastian
Bach was supported by the church largely, and many other religious
composers contributed greatly to the direction in the non-folk music
of their time before the strict Classical period arrived with the
death of Bach in 1750. Bach is known for his great church
cantatas, and if you had been a member of a congregation in his time
and thereafter, you might have joined with the congregation in the
rendition vocally of the last stanza of such as his inspiring
religious writing.
The various meanings of the
term classical music can be delineated by origin, by era, by
structural definition or more carefully by characteristic
instrumentation. The origin of classical music is non-popular,
it is not folk music, and classical music comes out of studious and
theoretically known creative effort. If by era one defines
classical music, then in the broadest sense of the word classical, it
is non-modern in its origins, at least by style, since there are
contemporary composers who compose in the classical style. There
exists also a given period of time called the Classical period in
musical circles, from 1750-1820, and in that period the three
most prominent composers were Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven. As we
speak of Baroque music from the Baroque era, we can similarly refer to
Classical music from the Classical era according to this
categorization. Then also, classical music can be discerned for its
native structure, and various forms of classical music result from an
actual evolution of such forms as they progress from one structure to
a greater elaboration of that structure; in such instances the earlier
structure will retain its place, yet having contributed to what
becomes a growing body of carefully written music. Thus, many
will categorize improvisational music according to this sense as
non-classical by definition, yet, those who lived in the time of Bach
lived to hear him enter a performance hall and render his musical soul
in improvisational ardor. It was said that there was nothing
even close to hearing Bach improvise in possible existence in the
world of music at that time. The fourth way of defining music as
classical might be by the utility of instrumentation: as classical
music has evolved, it has been written for certain prevailing
instruments to match a musical form according to certain
specifications. For example, a popular form of chamber music in
the Baroque era, which is considered as from 1600-1750, is the trio
sonata. The trio sonata is so named, since it has two
high-pitched instruments, such as violins, playing in melody with a
basso continuo part, usually rendered by a cello. There might be
a harpsichord which plays in concert with the cello, so that the basic
triad must rely upon the power of the two high melody-producing
violins for yet a dualistic import all the same. Generally, if
one thinks of classical music, one will often associate an orchestra
as the instrument comprise at hand. This is true, and reflects
the popularity of the symphony in today's vernacular, since one speaks
of a symphony which is played by an orchestra. Yet, the symphony
is a classical form of music which has grown with the advent of new
instruments through time, and it has drawn from a certain structure of
earlier music, called the sonata form, incorporating this sonata form
into larger movements which comprise the entire symphonic work.
One of the hallmarks of classical music is the definitional
assignation of certain instruments in a given musical form. The
very texture and dynamics of classical music are studied for the place
of those instruments to interact as according to configurations of the
instruments, whereby sections, soli and tutti are the leading voices
of expressive presence. Then further, within the variability of
numbers of instruments actually sounding at a given time within a
piece, greater musical expression occurs when the collectives of the
tutti (the entire orchestra) or a section (possibly the strings, for
instance) will work in contrast with a lone voice, a solo instrument.
This points up the importance of instruments in the consideration of
classical works, since the founding theory of statement comprise is
exacting according to given instrumentation in any given classical
piece by definition of its own particular form.
In concluding this entry on classical
music for its various meanings in vernacular and in stricter
definitions, perhaps the most unifying concept which will clarify what
classical music really is, draws from the way other bodies of
knowledge and literature are regarded as classical. We saw from
the etymology of the word classical that it comes from the verb calo
in Latin, meaning to 'call.' The inception of the meaning of
classical as that which founds guiding principles in a growing body of
knowledge, research or technology, as well as values in the literary
classics, can be discerned as the power of the many to be called
to the fore of that growing body, whatever it may be, but for the
power of universal truth to increase the venue, the size of scope,
relevant to the prevailing interests of the time. In considering
classical music according to this meaning of classical, all of the
various meanings take their place as subsumed under the leading
concept that classical music is formed around studied conceptual
leaders in each era of its development, whose genius will collectivize
the musicians and composers of their time, and foment new creative
direction and development in music as drawn from the existing
traditions, but not relying totally upon them. And the lightsome
entity that is classical music will therefore survive vigorously
through eras together, since the ingredient of the genius or geniuses
which guide each era amounts to universal truth. The test of
truth for its universality is its survival through changing time, and
in art is found the soul of any culture. Therefore, musical art
which can embrace the people across centuries unfailingly, must be the
expression of great truth in the language of music, and which truth
was once apperceived in the culture perhaps of its origin; and this is
indeed the legacy of classical music, that it will not perish to the
changing times of man, of humankind. For indeed, classical music
serves to enlighten mankind, and is handed down as such in the defense
and in the preservation of posterity; it calls any who might listen,
all the people, through the power of its expression of truth.
Classical music will invoke the higher principles and more discerning
faculties of the thinking and contemplative devotee to its beautiful
sound.
conceit-
an extended musical expression whose meaning is formed by an elevated
or sometimes exaggerated, more fanciful intent. Compare
this concept to the musical imagery of a march, for instance, where
the expression is immediately obvious, and for that immediacy even
invites the same expression , as in the mode of a marching parade or a
battalion of foot soldiers on the move. Consider also a waltz,
wherein the imagery is dominated by the graceful tempo and inviting,
characteristic waltz beat. A waltz would be described as having
a metaphor of dance. In literature a conceit is an extended
metaphor.
lilt-
a rhythmic character typically found in classical music, and also in
other styles of music and vocal songs occasionally, which gives a
buoyant effect for an uplifting and dynamic texture. A lilt is
more subtle than a driving beat, as it lends an overall presence which
expresses a dignified intent and overriding gentility which pleases
the musical sensitivities of listeners for its non-imposing slant.
A lilt gathers in a horizontal section regularly and rounds it and can
temper any boldness in the overall statement of the piece. The
gathering effect is accomplished by a more subtle but commanding
rhythmic change. This tempering is one of the glad sounds of a
classical work, as it can connote joy and softness from a more
concerted conviction of mind where even a dire or imposing theme is
recurrent throughout a given piece.
metaphor-
a musical imagery whose input is direct and more obvious than not,
such as a theme which might work as a metaphor to sadness, or an
appoggiatura, or grace note, whose meaning is transparent
instantaneously.
Copyright © 2003 All rights reserved.
Revised: April 29, 2010
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