Classical music is a very general term that, in it's broadest form, describes a type of music composed on a music score and played with a large range of classical orchestral instruments.
Classical Music is often found to generate emotion and suspense through it's use of musical notation indicating the dynamics and tempo.
A lot of classical music pieces actually tell a story that can be heard, rather than told, making the genre quite a unique style not least because no vocals are involved at all.
Origins of Classical Music
Classical music is considered primarily a written musical tradition and passed on by musical notation, rather than orally or recordings (partly because at the time classical music was seen to be popular was before recording equipment was available).
Classical pieces were performed in front of large crowds of people and were often associated with royal, or theatrical performances.
The main reason for classical music being passed on by musical notation is that it best interprets the authors intended sound for the piece as, within musical notation, every detail can be transcribed so that during play a classical Orchestra would know the exact timings and pitch of each intricate note.
This said classical music is based on improvisation and the score that is finally used when pieces are played does not contain the intricate detail of the musical notation leaving part open to improvisation and allowing the piece to be changed according to the performers personal experience and musical education.
Classical Music Performances
Classical works often display great musical complexity through the composer's use of development, modulation (changing of keys), variation rather than exact repetition, musical phrases that are not of even length, counterpoint, polyphony and sophisticated harmony.
Also, many long classical works (from 30 minutes to three hours) are built up from a hierarchy of smaller units: namely phrases, periods, sections, and movements. Musical analysis often seeks to distinguish and explain these structural levels.
Musical Instruments Used in Classical Music Performances
The instruments used as common practise in classical music pieces were mostly invented before the mid-19th century. They mainly consisted of the instruments found in an orchestra as well as one or two solo instruments, such as a piano or organ.
Electrical instruments play no role in the old classical music pieces and very rarely in modern-written classical music. More recently some composers have experimented with using synthesisers and other electronic instruments, but are not widely known or appreciated.