Classical Music Date

In classical music, every work creates its own mood which is full of different colors, harmonies and sometimes intense emotion. Granted, musical depictions of winter in war-torn Russia can be a bit labored, but try to understand what a composer is expressing. Then go home and enjoy a classical roll in the hay!

Even if you don't know the difference between Bach and Beethoven or Mahler and Mendelsohnn, this is a great opportunity to broaden your dating horizons.

COST

It's free if you go to a city-sponsored concert in the park. If you've got your sights set on a symphony at a major concert hall, plan on spending from $25 to $85 per seat. Allow extra for transportation, parking and dinner or drinks as necessary. At the very least, you'll want to eat or drink something during intermission.

WHERE TO FIND IT

For a huge list of orchestras around the country, try www.yahoo.com "symphony orchestra."

Www.symphony.org has listings for more than eight-hundred symphony, chamber, youth, and collegiate orchestras of all sizes. The listings are done on a state-by-state basis, with hyper-links to individual web sites.

Check with your local chamber of commerce or visitors center to find out if there is a symphony orchestra in your area.

Colleges and Universities often have orchestras. Seats are reasonably priced.

Your local newspaper should have listings of concerts in your area.

ATTIRE

For this date, dress up and have a good time.

WHAT IS CLASSICAL MUSIC?

In the 18th Century, classical music was the popular music or rock'n'roll of its day—not that anyone dropped acid at the symphony or dyed their hair blue and red before Bach came to town. The term "classical music" usually refers to music that was written during four major periods in history: Baroque, Classical, Romantic and contemporary. Classical music also falls into four categories:

Orchestral—These include the symphonies and concertos. Performances usually require an entire orchestra with large numbers of instruments, from oboes and French horns to violins and kettle drums.

Chamber—These are mostly made up of trios and quartets. Keyboard—This is usually a single musician playing the piano or organ; may be accompanied by one other musician or vocalist. Vocal—These are your operas and choral groups. (There's a separate Opera Date in this book, so we don't mention anything about opera here.)

Classical music shares a lot with popular music. Today's musicians borrow melodies from classical music all of the time.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC

BOOKS
From Metal to Mozart—The Rock And Roll Guide To Classical Music by Craig Heller, Chronicle Books, 1994. The goal of this excellent book is to introduce classical music to rock fans. It is fun to read and is the inspiration for this date.

The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection by Ted Libbey, Workman, 1994. Mr. Libbey discusses his 300 essential classical works and the best recordings of each. He includes a good deal of helpful historical background.

The Record Shelf Guide to the Classical Repertoire by Jim Svejda, Prima, 1990. Like Libbey, Svejda recommends specific recordings (occasionally the two agree!). Libbey's book has more detail while Svejda's book covers a wider area. Svejda's book is fun to read because he is so opinionated.

The Vintage Guide to Classical Music by Jan Swafford, Vintage, 1992. This is a serious (but not too serious) history of classical music. It focuses on the lives of the great composers.

INTERNET RESOURCES
This classical CD-buying guide has information about composers and their works, as well as links to more information about classical music: www.classical.net

Try www.liftoff.8m.com for information about classical music.

Http://library.thinkquest.org/22673/ is a great site to learn about the symphony. It presents a history of the symphony, the instruments that are used, how the musicians are seated and a list of the different symphonies and composers.

AT HOME

Why not pick up some CDs of classical music and start listening?

It is amazing how different two recordings of the same piece can be. One orchestra's recording might sound flat or strident, while another orchestra's version might make you want to listen again and again. That's why it's a good idea to seek guidance when buying your first classical CDs rather than simply going for the Braham's Double Value pack.

Whether you are just starting to build a classical music recording collection or have a vast repertoire, the Gramophone Classical Good CD Guide is a wonderful reference book. It costs $29.99 plus shipping and handling. You can order it from www.gramophone.co.uk.

Fanfare is one of the world's largest CD review magazines. Each issue focuses on classical music but also covers jazz and soundtracks. This magazine serves up feature articles, interesting interviews and engaging columns. Fanfare is published bimonthly. Six-issue subscriptions are $36.00 (U.S.A.) or $51 (foreign). You can subscribe online via www.magazania.com (USA only), or mail your subscription payment to: Fanfare, Inc. P.O. Box 17, Tenafly, NJ 07670 USA.

A CLASSICAL TRICK OR TWO

If you are going to a symphony orchestra, impress your date by learning about the seating arrangement of the musicians ahead of time. You can find this kind of information at library.thinkquest.org/22673/orchestra.html.

If you are going to a concert hall to hear a pianist perform, sit on the left side of the hall so you can see his hands. (Go ahead, try to say "pianist" three times in a row without embarrassing yourself.)

WANT TO BE A CONDUCTOR?

If you have a tin ear and a hopeless sense of rhythm, chug on over to www.railroadtraining.com. This is the site for the National Academy of Railroad Science Train Conductor School.

If classical music defines your soul, you can study with the expert faculty of the American Symphony Orchestra League at their Donald Thulean Conducting Workshops (www.symphony.org). These intensive four-day workshops will strengthen your knowledge, sharpen your conducting skills, and significantly lighten your purse or wallet.