Famous classical music brings to mind names like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, Brahms, Vivaldi, Haydn, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and others. There were many composers back in the day, but only some of them got to be famous. The famous composers are the ones whose tunes everyone recognizes, whose works are regularly assigned and practiced during music lessons, whose compositions are performed all around the world centuries later. The others you might find in random piano exercise books or information you come across while researching music of the 17th and 18th centuries.

An interesting fact is that technically, not all classical music is actually “classic.” The younger generation might agree here, but what this really means is that classical music refers to music from the Classical Period of 1740-1780. The Classical Period was preceded by the Baroque Period of 1600-1750. Famous classical music like Bach, Handel, Vivaldi should actually be referred to as baroque music. However, modern vernacular lumps all of that old-fashioned music under the umbrella of classical music, and all of those names will always be thought of as classical music composers. But even if the distinction between periods is lost, the music of those periods isn’t.

As “old-fashioned” as famous classical music might seem, it doesn’t appear to be disappearing from the music scene anytime soon. Almost everyone acquainted with music can recognize the tunes of Für Elise, Minuet in G major, The Four Seasons, and other famous pieces, even though we don’t always remember the names of the works. Modern music even makes use of classical music by sampling it, like “I Can” by Nas, “They” by Jem, and many songs have made use of Pachelbel’s Canon. Famous classical music continues to thrive in contemporary times, in both original and modified form.

Classical music is a genre of the past, but it’s a genre that persists in the present. What is it about classical music that makes it so timeless and popular, aside from recent hubbub over the Mozart Effect? Who knows, but trends always seem to make a comeback, though famous classical music is more of a constant element. Maybe it’s because music today builds upon music of the past, and classical music represents a lot of what music is all about: the aesthetic portion of harmony, rhythms, dynamics, and the “business side” of commissions and performances. Or maybe classical music just sounds good. Whatever the reason, classical music has lasted throughout the ages and possibly will last for years to come.

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