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Learning to love classical music, one step at a time

FALLS VILLAGE — Newcomers to classical music should start off with popular composers and works, according to Warren Whitaker, a Falls Village resident (and board member at Music Mountain, the intimate concert venue in Falls Village), who gave the first of two talks on how to enjoy classical music courtesy of the D.M. Hunt Library (and Zoom) on Saturday, Jan. 23.

Whitaker said he has no technical expertise. He does not read music or play an instrument.

But “I get a lot of enjoyment out of classical music.”

He said the first step is to listen to a lot of classical music throughout the day. For instance, try waking up to Vivaldi, driving to work with Mozart, working out to Beethoven, and kicking back at the end of the day with Mozart again.

The second suggestion: “Buy good equipment.” The tinny sound that comes out of standard computer speakers will not adequately capture the full range of sound.

Whitaker advised starting off with a deep dive into a narrow range of works, and then branching out.

“Don’t listen to all nine Beethoven symphonies. Listen to one nine times.”

He cautioned against relying on classical radio, which offers a wide range of works for an already knowledgeable audience.

He said the new listeners should know what they are listening to, so they can remember it and find it again.

Identify the most popular composers and works, and start with those. 

Why?

“There’s a reason why they are famous and popular.”

Whitaker said attending concerts allows the listener to really hear the music the way it was meant to be heard. And attending live performances also has the advantage of bringing the newcomer together with other enthusiasts.

It is useful and fun to learn more about specific composers and their works, he continued.

As the newcomer listens and learns, a preference may develop for different types of works — recitals, chamber music, orchestral performances, or opera and choral works.

And he said new listeners shouldn’t worry if their minds wander a bit as they explore the classical music world.

To stay focused, he advised starting with shorter works, and combining the listening with other activities.

“It’s difficult to sit and listen and do nothing else.”

The second part of the presentation was Jan. 30. To learn about other online programs from the library, go to  www.huntlibrary.org.

Patrick L. Sullivan

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