Listen to this!

What Is Classical Music?

What exactly is classical music—and why should you care?

In the very first episode of Listen to This!, conductor and host Beth Cohen sets out to challenge the idea that classical music is only for experts, concert halls, and people who already know their Mozart from their Beethoven.

Beth asks a deceptively simple question: What is classical music? Is it music written by the “classical masters”? Music played by an orchestra? Opera? Film music? Music you hear in a movie, on television, in a commercial—or even on the dance floor?

With humor, music clips, audience reactions, and a few unexpected comparisons to food, Beth explores the ways classical music already appears in our everyday lives. She also introduces her mission: to help everyone find a more personal and enjoyable way into classical music.

Whether you think classical music is boring, like it but never have time to listen, or already love it, Listen to This! invites you to listen differently—and discover what makes the music connect with you.

So… what do YOU think classical music is?

For most of us, war, real war with death anddestruction is luckily theoretical (\ We see it in thenews and feel bad but still, it is a bit removed. But, even for us lucky ones, don't we experience though our own private wars: divorce, job loss, a car accident, illness? We sometimes need music that recognizes the personal struggles that we experience that gives us a sense of empowerment to express our dismay and gives us voice to our deep desire for  peace and resolution. In this episode we will listen to four composers who know through experience what war really is before they ask for peace.

How do we deal with the idea that our lives our fated and we have no power? How do we process our strong emotions? Classical music gives us an outlet.

Lets get real. War is not a glorious fight for victory but just death and destruction, survival and grief. How does classical music in the 20th and 21st centuries depict war? Can we convince our world leaders through this music to just stop?!

Throughout history three simple words has said it all. Dona Nobis Pacem: Grant us Peace. How do classical composers show us how to ask for peace? Let's start from the very beginning....

War, what is it good for? Not much except for a lot of great orchestral music.

Want to feel stronger. Here is classical music that gives us power.

In this episode we will listen to classical music that helps us heal.

We heard the question, “Can I do it?” In the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in G. In the second movements the struggle with that question plays and in the third the question, through that struggle is answered.

Psychologists have often talked about how when you are