Robert Peters:

>What exactly is classical music?

In my classes I explain in this manner:

Classical Music (in Brazil: "concert music" or "erudite music", too, but
all names are awful!) is the music that arises from circa 14th century
in Europa (Italy, French, England and Germany) and expands to all world
in 18-20th centuries, developed from the fusion of:

a) liturgical experiencies (organum and motet; poliphony, counterpoint,
and homophony);

b) pop music (lai, virelai, madrigal, and other pop songs, dances,
marches, and work music);

c) researches in acoustical-musical aesthetics.

Thus spring: fugues, sonatas, toccatas, suites, symphonies, concerti
grosso, concerti solo, tone poem and actual trends (nationalism, atonalism,
microtonalism, electronic, minimalism, post-modernism, and other
experiencies). All these musics are to aesthetical pleasure, without
utility out the room-concert.

I my opinion, missas, motets, oratorios, cantatas, and other religious
musics are functional-classical works.  Operas, and songs are spectacles.
National, and other institucional athemns are symbolical musics.  Movie,
theatre, and ballet sound tracks are functional works.

The word "class" is from latin origin ("classe").  Its original meaning
was "sea" and "sailor".  After denoted "social position" when the Roman
Empire arranged the population to pay the tributes and each "social
class" had a school quality and information.  In Middle Ages and
Renaissance: "classical" was the high studies in literatura, arts,
science, and laws from the Greek-Roman culture.  Isn`t the word "class"
- in English - "a school lesson"?

Edson Tadeu Ortolan
Teacher of History of the Music
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