Music takes many forms and has had a rich tradition over the past several centuries. With musical genres such as jazz, gospel and rhythm and blues, music has had a long history of success with the population. One of the types of music that spans centuries and has been one of the most enduring types of music is classical music. Classical music spans many decades, has provided millions of people with enjoyment and dates back to the medieval period of 1150.

Over time, classical music, as all music, has changed, and the type of music is often associated with a time period. Classical music has been divided into several different eras such as Baroque, Romantic, Renaissance and other periods. Each of the eras are noted for different musical influences and by the composers of the era. Each era also is known for different instrumentation ranging from simple instruments to full orchestras. Generally, each era of classical music has taken the previous musical era, and added elements.

Classical music has also produced many of the most important composers in history. Composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and Handel have produced some of the most beautiful and influential music. Music from these masters have been used as the basis for other composers, even in today’s musical scene. The works of classical masters is still being played today by some of the finest orchestras in the world, such as the London Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

To learn more about the world of classical music, we have assembled several resources:

Classical Music Eras

• Medieval Music – information on music that came from the medieval time period of history.
• Renaissance – description of the early years in classical music and the composers of the era.
• Baroque Music – description of the music that was produced during the Baroque era of classical music.
• Classical Period – useful information on the classical music from the Classical era.
• Early Romantic – traits and information on music of the Romantic periods.
• Romantic Era – information on the romantic era of classical music.

Famous Composers

• Johann Sebastian Bach – biographical look at the composer along with information about his music.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – informative look at the life and work of Mozart.
• Ludwig Von Beethoven – overview of the works and life of one of the most famous classical composers.
• Richard Strauss – biography of the German composer of the late 19th Century.
• Frederic Chopin – informative site providing biographical information on the life of Chopin.
• Antonio Vivaldi – biography of the Italian classical music composer along with information on his work.
• Famous Composers – overview of some of the more well-known classical music composers.

Famous Musical Works

• Mozart Symphonies – information on the classical music symphonies of Mozart.
• Beethoven Symphonies – a guide to the symphonies of Beethoven.
• Dvorak Symphonies – listing of the works of composer Antonin Dvorak.
• Tchaikovsky Symphonies – information on several of the symphony works of Tchaikovsky.
• Brahms Symphonies – informative resource on the four symphonies of Brahms.

Notable Orchestras

• London Symphony Orchestra – official website for one of the worlds finest symphony orchestras.
• Boston Symphony Orchestra – site providing information on the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
• Chicago Symphony Orchestra – website exploring the rich tradition of classical music throughout the world.
• Los Angeles Philharmonic – information on the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
• New York Philharmonic – official home providing information and education for the New York Philharmonic.
• San Francisco Symphony – site providing details on the San Francisco based orchestra.
• Cleveland Orchestra – overview of the musical activities and history of the Cleveland Orchestra.

Classical Music Resources

• Classic Music Links – collection of resources in the classical music area.
• Guide to the Symphony – informative site showing the composition of a typical symphony orchestra.
• Classical Music Resources – helpful resource from the Duke University Library providing musical samples.
• Classical Music Navigator – resource providing information on a variety of classical music works and composers.
• Classical Music Composers – useful information on classical music composers in history.

Classical music is one of the most popular types of music for the past several centuries. It has been enjoyed by royalty as well as common people. In addition to recordings and performances of classical music, it has been enjoyed in movies such as “Amadeus” about the life of Mozart and “Immortal Beloved” depicting the life of Beethoven. Yearly, classical music is enjoyed by millions of people in live concerts in venues ranging from noted concert halls to outdoor amphitheatres. As the times change, so has classical music, and it will continue to evolve in the near future.