Classical Music for Lovers and Haters

Mussorgsky was a drunk. Saint-Georges was a spy. Bruckner was obsessed with counting things. Beethoven went deaf, Bach went blind, Schumann went mad. Handel was almost killed in a duel — over who got to play a flashy keyboard solo on stage. Lully accidentally whacked a conductor’s baton against his own foot and died of gangrene. Mozart loved fart jokes. And you thought classical music was dull.

This course is for people who don’t get classical music. Or who want to move beyond what they already know. We’re going to bring this music to life. We’re going to learn how to listen to it and what to listen for. You may not wind up becoming a lover, but you will gain an appreciation for what classical music is, and how it works.

We’ll get to know some amazing pieces of music. What makes them tick? Why do they matter? We’ll learn a little bit about how this idiom works. We’ll peek into the score. We’ll peek behind the score. We’ll dig into the life and times of some truly bizarre composers to get insight into their historical and musical context. 

Along the way, I’ll encourage you to “adopt” a piece of music. Throughout the course, you’ll spend time listening to this piece, journal about it, and (if you like) share your experience with the class. 

Strap on your headphones for an adventure unlike anything you have experienced.

 

Recommended

External speakers or headphones. Don’t listen to this incredible music through crappy laptop speakers. Immerse yourself. Also check out the new Apple Classical Music app. A much better way to listen to this type of music.

Who is leading this club?

Chris Lydgate is an author and journalist whose life was forever changed by listening to Handel’s Israel in Egypt when he was 14 years old. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with three guitars, four ukuleles, an old-school pump organ rescued from a dumpster, and a loving and supportive family.

Do I need to buy any music?

No, we will be discussing recordings available on YouTube.

Is financial assistance available?

Yes. If you would like to join this class but price is a barrier, financial assistance is available. Please apply here.

Thank you for your donations

If you choose to pay extra, you are automatically making a donation to the financial assistance fund. Thank you for making this class accessible to people who would not be able to afford it otherwise.