The modern world has an interesting relationship to classical music.
Despite there being concert halls and orchestras in major cities across the world, most people don’t regularly listen to classical music. In reality, this is because most people don’t understand how to enjoy classical music.
One of the largest reasons for this is because it’s vastly different from contemporary music. For example, orchestral music typically doesn’t have a drum kit, vocals, or lyrics.
I am making generalizations; there are of course exceptions where that is not the case. Yet I often feel that if people could understand the nature of classical music, they might be able to enjoy it more.
So here’s an exercise that might help you appreciate classical music a little more.
Earlier today, I was listening to Tchaikovsky’s pas de deux from The Nutcracker. I’ve included a link down below, but I recommend you continue reading first before you listen.
As I was listening to the song on YouTube, I started reading the comments below the video, and one of the top comments struck me. It read:
“I can't understand how a theme that basically consists of a descending major scale can be so powerful. That requires the perfect implementation of harmony, rhythm, dynamic, orchestration and context. Tchaikovsky was truly a genius.” (@dankg55)
In classical music, the ‘theme’ is the first main melody that you hear, and it is often repeated again and again throughout the piece. In the case of the pas de deux, the theme (aka main melody) is just a simple descending G major scale.
For those who are unfamiliar with what that means, a major scale is one of the first things you learn when you start playing a new instrument. If you watch from the 0:13 - 0:16 second timestamp of this video, you will hear exactly what the descending G major scale sounds like.
As the video comment above says, it’s hard to put into words how Tchaikovsky could take something so basic like a descending G major scale and pack so much emotion, depth, and meaning into it.
Now, I’d like you to listen to the piece. When you listen, try to do two things:
I’ll give you a couple hints to get you started. The first time the “theme” appears is at the 0:13 second timestamp. Another time it appears is at the 0:55 second timestamp. Hopefully, by giving you these two hints, it will act as a guide to help you identify when the theme appears throughout the rest of the song as well. Here is a link to the song - listen first before reading on.
How did you do? Were you able to spot where the theme was?
As you may or may not be aware, The Nutcracker is a ballet, which means that the music you just listened to is the accompanying music for a dance. Pas de deux literally means “step for two,” and it is typically danced by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.
Without going into too much detail, the Sugar Plum Fairy rules over the Land of Sweets, and the Cavalier is her handsome partner. The pas de deux is preceded by a celebration of dances from around the world and acts as a beautiful grand finale with music to match the moment.
However, the meaning of the song goes a bit deeper than that. It’s said that Tchaikovsky’s sister Alexandra died shortly before he began composing the ballet, and his sister’s death inspired the melancholy, descending scale used in the pas de deux.
When thinking about the theme or melody of the piece, I sometimes think it’s easier if you think about it as a phrase in real words, almost like lyrics.
For example, instead of thinking of it as a descending G major scale, you might think of it as if it’s Tchaikovsky saying to his sister, “I miss you.”
The beauty of classical music is that since there are no lyrics, we as the listener get to decide what the theme is trying to say. For example, maybe when you listen, the main theme is something more beautiful and uplifting, another way of saying, “I love you.”
Now, listen to the song again. Close your eyes. And think about what the theme is saying, think about who you might say those words to, and let the song take on a whole new meaning.
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The modern world has an interesting relationship to classical music.
Despite there being concert halls and orchestras in major cities across the world, most people don’t regularly listen to classical music. In reality, this is because most people don’t understand how to enjoy classical music.
One of the largest reasons for this is because it’s vastly different from contemporary music. For example, orchestral music typically doesn’t have a drum kit, vocals, or lyrics.
I am making generalizations; there are of course exceptions where that is not the case. Yet I often feel that if people could understand the nature of classical music, they might be able to enjoy it more.
So here’s an exercise that might help you appreciate classical music a little more.
Earlier today, I was listening to Tchaikovsky’s pas de deux from The Nutcracker. I’ve included a link down below, but I recommend you continue reading first before you listen.
As I was listening to the song on YouTube, I started reading the comments below the video, and one of the top comments struck me. It read:
“I can't understand how a theme that basically consists of a descending major scale can be so powerful. That requires the perfect implementation of harmony, rhythm, dynamic, orchestration and context. Tchaikovsky was truly a genius.” (@dankg55)
In classical music, the ‘theme’ is the first main melody that you hear, and it is often repeated again and again throughout the piece. In the case of the pas de deux, the theme (aka main melody) is just a simple descending G major scale.
For those who are unfamiliar with what that means, a major scale is one of the first things you learn when you start playing a new instrument. If you watch from the 0:13 - 0:16 second timestamp of this video, you will hear exactly what the descending G major scale sounds like.
As the video comment above says, it’s hard to put into words how Tchaikovsky could take something so basic like a descending G major scale and pack so much emotion, depth, and meaning into it.
Now, I’d like you to listen to the piece. When you listen, try to do two things:
I’ll give you a couple hints to get you started. The first time the “theme” appears is at the 0:13 second timestamp. Another time it appears is at the 0:55 second timestamp. Hopefully, by giving you these two hints, it will act as a guide to help you identify when the theme appears throughout the rest of the song as well. Here is a link to the song - listen first before reading on.
How did you do? Were you able to spot where the theme was?
As you may or may not be aware, The Nutcracker is a ballet, which means that the music you just listened to is the accompanying music for a dance. Pas de deux literally means “step for two,” and it is typically danced by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.
Without going into too much detail, the Sugar Plum Fairy rules over the Land of Sweets, and the Cavalier is her handsome partner. The pas de deux is preceded by a celebration of dances from around the world and acts as a beautiful grand finale with music to match the moment.
However, the meaning of the song goes a bit deeper than that. It’s said that Tchaikovsky’s sister Alexandra died shortly before he began composing the ballet, and his sister’s death inspired the melancholy, descending scale used in the pas de deux.
When thinking about the theme or melody of the piece, I sometimes think it’s easier if you think about it as a phrase in real words, almost like lyrics.
For example, instead of thinking of it as a descending G major scale, you might think of it as if it’s Tchaikovsky saying to his sister, “I miss you.”
The beauty of classical music is that since there are no lyrics, we as the listener get to decide what the theme is trying to say. For example, maybe when you listen, the main theme is something more beautiful and uplifting, another way of saying, “I love you.”
Now, listen to the song again. Close your eyes. And think about what the theme is saying, think about who you might say those words to, and let the song take on a whole new meaning.
