Baroque and Classic Music, Essay Example

Modern music isn’t performed as frequently as Baroque and Classic music primarily because music lovers can access modern music without a live performance. Before recoding music was a dominant practice, only individuals who were able to hire live performers, physically attend a concert, or create the music on their own were able to listen to it. The invention of the phonograph was a significant change in this practice because for the first time, music fans had the opportunity to listen to recordings. Once this became possible, people became more and more interested in the music of the past. Ultimately, modern music was preferred in the past because it was extremely expensive to both put on and attend live performances. Therefore, the audience always wanted to hear something new. Music became less expensive once recordings became prevalent, and when the expense was no longer an issue, people were able to listen to any type of music whenever they pleased. It is unlikely that regular concerts will go extinct because people still feel thrill when they view their favorite songs love. Rather, modern media such as MP3s will allow old music to stay relevant for a longer time because this provides a means through which it can still be enjoyed.

Response 1

I agree that both modern and old music is popular today due to the availability of many different genres. However, I disagree that this music all holds the same structure and form and believe that this is not the reason that both old and new music is likable. Many people enjoy music from the Classic period today and the structure of this music tends to be more complex than modern music. Modern music is typically written in common time and other forms of simple meter, while many Classic pieces are written in complex meter. Furthermore, modern music utilizes electronic instruments, and primarily drums, bass, guitar, and keyboard, while Classic music utilizes many instruments that do not exist in music today. I believe that both music styles will continue to be relevant because of distinct music tastes and that people are able to appreciate music history more significantly due to the ability to record these pieces with modern musicians.

Response 2

I don’t believe that there isn’t necessarily a “demand for new styles to be played”. Rather, I believe that music has evolved in such a way that people are able to enjoy new music while still appreciating the old. For example, electric dance music entered the music scene in the 1980’s, but since then, it’s changed drastically. In the 1990’s and 2000’s, the sound of electronic music became more computerized and added different sounds to the mixes that were used in the 1980’s. In the 2010’s electronic dance music evolved even further into different forms like dubstep. Yet, people still enjoy the music from the 1980’s but are also able to appreciate its new form. It is likely that music will continue to evolve in this matter and that people will be able to enjoy both the new and the old.