Classical music is probably the most misunderstood of all musical categories, a result of its seeming remoteness -- it is, after all, far older than any of the other major musical fields, dating back to the fifth and sixth centuries. But it is also easy to understand -- even for the listener utterly unschooled in its forms -- (read more)

Classical music is probably the most misunderstood of all musical categories, a result of its seeming remoteness -- it is, after all, far older than any of the other major musical fields, dating back to the fifth and sixth centuries. But it is also easy to understand -- even for the listener utterly unschooled in its forms -- on its own terms, because it is the most formalistic of music. It is a music of precision and allows the listener a very clear look at both the intent and design of the composer. Classical music is built upon a shared repertory of established works and their different interpretations. As opposed to most pop listeners, for whom the overall sound of a recording is usually more important than details, classical listeners normally dwell on details of interpretation and the nuances of playing. Those details are everything -- the differences in interpretation, and those nuances of instrument or voice, drive the whole field of classical music. Of course, there are exceptions to these generalizations -- classical listeners, to some degree, are buying the overall sound of a piece, regardless of the way it is performed. But even many casual classical listeners tend to be more analytical than all but the most serious rock listeners.(collapse)