So I tried to explain classical eras to my bf.
If it sounds like the guitar solo of a metal song, it’s baroque. If it sounds like it’s an organ trying to perform an exorcism, it’s also most likely baroque.
If it kinda reminds you of a catchy four-chord-song, it’s classicism.
If it’s the kind of classical music you listen to when you want to relax with a cup of tea on a rainy day, it’s probably romantic. If it sounds like a national anthem, it’s also probably romantic. And if it sounds like every instrumentalist involved is breaking their fingers trying to keep up, it’s most likely romantic too.
If it doesn’t really make sense but is still weirdly soothing, it’s probably impressionism.
If it sounds like someone’s using an orchestra to summon the four horsemen of the apocalypse, it’s probably late romantic, going on neoclassisicm. And it’s probably Stravinsky.
If it sounds like a cat is randomly walking all over a piano claviature, it’s probably seralism.
And finally, if it makes you go “why would anyone do this” and “please turn that weird shit off”, it’s most likely modernism or contempary classical music. Mere mortals aren’t supposed to understand it. Yet. I sure don’t.
(Honorable mentioning: If it’s super powerful, has a bass that makes you feel like you’ve been punched in the gut, and occasionally has a whooooom whoooooooom in the background, it’s Hans Zimmer.)
















