Classical Music Tips

Enjoying live music is always great, and classical music is no different. Check out these live events if you want to experience classic music first hand!

Bregenz, Austria

Austria is often seen as being the hub for classical music, and Bregenz definitely does this reputation justice.  Set on a massive “floating” stage on Lake Constance, Bregenz is a genuinely spectacular experience to see and hear.

Gstaad, Switzerland

Famous for its pleasing, outdoors atmosphere Gstaad is a elegant event set in the mountains. During the festival, the main events play in big white tents with poor acoustics, but a great vibe. The smaller acts play in local churches for a more austere experience.

Dartington, Devon

A truly friendly and collaborative event, Dartington is one of the few places where amateurs and professionals come together. Amateurs usually consist of average people with a passion for classical music, who come together to improve their skills in chamber groups or masterclasses.

Spoleto, Italy

Set amongst an idyllic hillside background and populated with exquisite renaissance style palaces, this small Italian village seems to have been designed to hold a festival. Crowds can enjoy the settings and the music in a beautiful sweeping piazza in the middle of the town.

Chopin

The most amazing thing to consider about Chopin is that he did not understand orchestration, and he himself even admitted this. He had to have help from his friends, including Liszt, in scoring his two piano concerti.

Chopin simply had a natural gift for melody, and what was pleasing to ear. His works were primarily short piano works, and are the perfect entry point to classical music for their simplicity, directness, and sheer melodic beauty.

Bach

Often recognised as the greatest composer of music who has ever lived, whilst Bach was not an innovator of any new style of music, he perfected every single one of them.

From concertos, to fugues (which are noted for their difficulty to write) Bach could do it all, and they were all masterpieces. The Mass in b minor is often argued by musicologists and composers to be the single greatest work of music ever written, in any genre or style.

Mozart

Volatile and musically gifted beyond comparison, new maverick talents are often compared to Mozart. However, there can’t be any replacement for his contributions to the world of music.

He wrote 27 piano concerti, 36 violin, cello, church sonatas and organ pieces 18 masses, 41 symphonies, 4 horn concerti, 20 string quartets… and many more.

No one else created a body of work quite as diverse and eclectic in the field of classical music as Mozart.

Schubert

Often credited as the greatest songwriter of all time…Schubert simply loved to write. His passion for writing was such that as soon as he finished one piece of music, he would throw it to the floor, grab another sheet of paper and start another.

One of his finest works “Hark, Hark, the lark” he wrote on the back of a beer hall receipt, all in one sitting. During the sixteen years of his career, Schubert wrote an astonishing 650 songs.

When people think of classical music, they often think of stuffy, overwrought music for snobs. The epitome of snobbery, for intellectuals locked in their ivory towers only.

However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Classical music may seem alien and from another world, but it was written by real people with real emotions. These composers dealt with many of the same problems we still do today; such as paying bills, heartbreak, and just getting by. This music expressed all of these feelings emotions, just as music does today and has always done. Many hotels play classical music in their waiting rooms to relax their guests.

You don’t need to be an academic or scholar to appreciate classical music. Just turn it on with an open mind, and enjoy it for what it is: Real music by real people. Hotel St Lucia offers great