What is art music?
Q: What is art music?
A: Art music is a term that encompasses classical music and various forms of serious modern music. It is also referred to as legitimate music and serious music.
Q: Why do we need terms like "art music" and "modern music"?
A: The need for such terms came about with the modern movement in the arts. Music like Schonberg's was considered serious but not classical in the traditional sense, and Stravinsky's music was a bridge between the two genres. These terms were used by art critics and academics in their writing to differentiate between the various types of music.
Q: How can art music be defined?
A: Art music is defined as serious music with a written musical tradition.
Q: What does musicologist Philip Tagg say about the "triangle consisting of 'folk', 'art' and 'popular' musics"?
A: Tagg calls it one part of a clear and unquestioned triangle consisting of "folk", "art", and "popular" musics. He explains that each of these three is distinguishable from the others according to certain criteria.
Q: What is the main tradition in the Western world usually called?
A: The main tradition in the Western world is often referred to as classical music.
Q: How is classical music often used in comparison to other types of music?
A: Classical music is often used as a contrasting term to popular music and traditional or folk music.
Q: What distinguishes art music from other types of music?
A: Art music is distinguished from other types of music by its serious and written musical tradition.
