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© Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
Quite a few people (including the late Leonard Bernstein) say that composers like Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and many others did not write classical music. The classical era of music included the music of Haydn, Mozart, early Beethoven, and the sons of Bach. The classical approach emphasized form (sonata form, among other forms) over melody (to some extent). And so, some people say that only Haydn and Mozart (and a few others) composed classical music.
I disagree with that. I think "classical music" (which these folks may call "serious music" or "concert music") clearly means more than just music of the classical era. Even Mr. Bernstein had to clarify or emphasize, whenever he used the expression "classical music." I assume he didn't use it very often. So let me be on record as saying that classical music means relatively serious music by all composers, from the Renaissance to many of the composers of today. Mozart and Haydn wrote music of the classical era, just as Tchaikovsky wrote music of the romantic era, and Stravinsky wrote 20th century music.