When is a Classical Music Composition Not Actually Classical?

It is actually pretty easy but so crazily misunderstood. What most people so casually throw around as classical is not truly classical whenever it deviates from the Apollonian Aesthetic, a term also known as the Classical Aesthetic. The opposite of the Apollonian Aesthetic is referred to as the Dionysian or Romantic Aesthetic. Historically, these two aesthetic forces alternate - at least within the Western tradition - with the Gothic music and art being Romantic or Dionysian, the Renaissance being Apollonian, the Baroque period also being Dionysian, the Classical or Neo-Classical period being Apollonian, the Romantic period being Dionysian, the early Modern or Neo-Classical period again being Apollonian, and the Post Modern period being Dionysian.

Understanding Apollonian and Dionysian Aesthetics

If you need definitions of Apollonian and Dionysian aesthetics, these can be easily found on the internet. Essentially, the Apollonian aesthetic emphasizes order, balance, and rationality, while the Dionysian emphasizes chaos, emotion, and unrestraint.

Classical Music and Its Evolution

The term “Classical” has become the overall term for art music from 1600 until the present. Classical music typically refers to music composed by composers such as Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, and Beethoven, from approximately 1750 to 1830. This period is known as the Classical period.

Before the Classical period was the Baroque period, and after the Classical period came the Romantic era. The 20th century has been too diverse for an overall term to cover it unambiguously.

Contemporary Perspectives on Classical Music

To me, this is a kind of tortured play on words with a paradoxical twist like, “when is hot water not hot, when is God not God, when is kindness not kindness.” You’ve already classified it as classical, so why would it become not classical? I am not using the term “classical” here to refer to the Classical period of music but rather the generic usage of classical, as in, “you’ll know it’s classical when you hear it.” When you tune into a radio channel dedicated to classical music, you intuitively know it’s “classical” by its very character.

Modern Composers with Classical Influences

The only way out of your proposed riddle, in my humble opinion, is to think of modern composers who compose “in the style of” classical music. An example would be Fritz Kreisler, who got bored doing the same thing over and over again and presented music that he claimed was by great masters that had been recently discovered. It indeed sounded classical, but someone figured out his ruse, and he had to admit that he composed the music “in the style of” classical music.

Another composer is the still-living John Williams, who is certainly capable of composing in the classical style as demonstrated by his soundtrack to certain movies. To me, classical music composed “in the style of classical music” does not become classical music until it withstands the test of time. Future musicians and critics need to gain some historical perspective on it, and then it too could be considered classical music.

Beyond the Classical Period

Sometimes classical is referred to for genres that are far from the typical classical period, like popular music. For example, the Carpenters might be called “classical pop,” but this only happens because there is a time period that has passed to give listeners and critics a historical perspective on the music.

Another synonym for classical might be “traditional.” 1920s style Dixieland jazz could be called “classical jazz,” but it is more often referred to as traditional jazz.

Conclusion

So to sum up, I think the answer to your conundrum would be when someone who is contemporary composes in what could be considered the classical style, and yet their composition needs to withstand the test of time to assure its appeal is timeless.