Hey everyone. As an avid musician for many years, this will perhaps be the most embarrasing question in my musical career!
Is classical music the same as chamber? If not what is the difference, If they are the same, why are they titled differently?
Thanks for the response!
The easier bit - 'chamber music' in general is music that's written in the 'classical' style for smaller groups (say up to 12 players) - eg string quartets, wind quintets, wind octets, piano trios (Violin, cello & piano) & many other less common combinations.
There are two meanings of 'classical' -
1. The original one meaning music written during the period roughly of Haydn, Mozart & Beethoven. (After the baroque period & before the romantic)
2. The more general one of 'serious' music (Much of which is fun in many different ways!)- chamber, solo, orchestral, choral, vocal or operatic written for church, concert hall etc.
As with most things the edges are blurred. Where do 'West Side Story' & 'Porgy & Bess' fit in? A few years ago they were thought of as musicals - so not 'classical' - now the opera companies are performing them in between Puccini, Verdi & Mozart.
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