In this blog post, I’ll explore why people perceive classical music as difficult and highbrow, and discuss what significance classical music can hold amid evolving music platforms and the hectic lives of modern people.
“Classical music is difficult,” “Classical music is for the elite.” These are common perceptions people have about classical music. Yet, at the same time, people aren’t completely indifferent to it. What does this situation—where people show interest in classical music despite finding it difficult—actually mean? Among the perceptions people hold about classical music, the idea that “classical music is difficult” varies depending on individual perception and taste, so it’s hard to make a definitive judgment. However, we can consider the question of whether classical music is “highbrow” from a slightly different perspective. By the late 18th century—the era when Haydn and Beethoven were active—classical music had gradually moved beyond the realm of music enjoyed exclusively by the aristocracy. In other words, starting from this period, composers began writing works with a broader audience in mind, rather than music intended solely for a specific social class.
But what is the fundamental reason why classical music, composed for the general public, still feels distant to people today? While opinions may vary, if we look to the music itself, we can consider that classical pieces tend to be longer and have a wider range than popular music. The longer duration of these pieces ultimately means listeners must invest more time in the music. Yet, in modern society, people are characterized by a lack of time. This may be why classical music has become distant from modern people. It’s easier to understand if we compare classical music to a novel and popular music to a column. While a novel unfolds the essence the author wishes to express through a long, meandering flow, a column conveys its message within a relatively short length. Modern people can grasp the content of a column in a short amount of time, but reading a novel requires relatively more time and concentration. Similarly, classical music has come to feel distant to busy modern people because it requires appreciation over a long period of time.
Another reason is its wide dynamic range. Classical music often utilizes a relatively wide range, largely because many compositions are written for ensembles of various instruments. This characteristic does not always align well with the environments where people typically listen to music today. In settings surrounded by various noises, the delicate sounds of classical music can sometimes be drowned out. This disrupts the overall flow of the music and can hinder the listener’s ability to fully understand and appreciate it.
In this way, certain characteristics of modern society have made it difficult to fully appreciate classical music. However, classical music has sought to prevent people from drifting away from it by leveraging another defining feature of modern society: the advancement of technology and media. First, classical music was disseminated through audio media, most notably LPs and CDs; subsequently, media that combined visual and auditory elements emerged.
With the development of the LP in 1948, it became possible to store extended periods of music on a single record. Early 12-inch LPs could hold approximately 23 minutes of music per side, and as recording and production technologies advanced, it became possible to include even longer performances. This made it more convenient to record and enjoy extended classical music pieces than ever before. After overcoming these time constraints to some extent, classical music recording technology took another significant step forward in the 1950s. This marked the transition from “mono”—a unidirectional sound reproduction method—to “stereo,” which separates and reproduces sound through left and right channels. By recording and reproducing the left and right sounds separately during the recording process, listeners could experience a sense of spatial depth and three-dimensionality similar to hearing music at a live performance. Commercial stereo LPs began to appear in the late 1950s, and these advancements in recording technology contributed to a more vivid listening experience for classical music. Subsequently, the LP established itself as the primary medium in the music market, including classical music, for a long time.
In the early 1980s, a new recording medium—the digital CD—emerged, moving away from the traditional analog recording and playback methods of the LP. The CD was developed to address several shortcomings of the LP. LPs could be affected by scratches or dirt on their surface, and their physical nature required careful handling and storage. In contrast, because CDs use an optical method to play music, they could preserve and play back music in a different way than LPs. The standard CD format was developed to be 12 centimeters in diameter and capable of holding up to approximately 75 minutes of digital audio, making it suitable for containing long classical works, including operas, on a single disc. This represented a technological advancement that overcame the physical limitations of the LP. However, the digitization of music via CDs had two sides to it. On the positive side, the introduction of CDs made it possible to store and duplicate music relatively reliably. However, as computers and the internet developed rapidly, digitized music became easily replicable and transferable via the internet. These changes had a significant impact on the structure of the industry that had previously produced and sold records, and served as a catalyst for transforming the very way music was consumed.
Meanwhile, media that combined visual and auditory elements also helped make classical music more accessible. Initially, this was achieved through live television broadcasts of classical music performances. Subsequently, attempts were made to combine video and music on various media such as VHS and LD (LaserDisc), though not all of these formats gained widespread popularity.
The advent of the DVD presented a new opportunity to record and enjoy classical music alongside video. DVDs could store more data than some previous video formats and were capable of delivering both video and audio simultaneously. These features made them particularly well-suited for classical music. In particular, multichannel audio allowed sound to be reproduced from a wider range of directions than traditional stereo, providing listeners with a broader sense of space and a more immersive, live-performance-like experience. DVDs established themselves as another major medium for classical music, and their advantages were particularly evident when enjoying theatrical works such as opera. The ability to watch opera—which had previously been experienced solely through the ears—along with video created the effect of simultaneously experiencing both music and the performing arts.
Later, classical music video content began to be released not only on DVDs but also on Blu-ray discs. Since Blu-ray can store more data than DVD, it was well-suited for combining high-definition video with high-quality audio. However, because playing Blu-ray content required compatible devices or software, it could be less accessible than DVD. Along with these limitations of physical media, the way people enjoy music gradually shifted toward streaming. Today, classical music is easily accessible through radio stations like KBS Classic FM, as well as services such as Spotify and YouTube Music. KBS Classic FM broadcasts at 93.1 MHz FM in Seoul, and KBS Radio is also available online and on mobile devices. Spotify offers a free, ad-supported option, and YouTube Music also allows users to listen to music with ads without a paid subscription. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to purchase physical media such as LPs, CDs, or DVDs to listen to classical music. However, it is important to note that sound quality on streaming services can vary depending on the subscription plan, audio quality settings, and network conditions.
The range of media through which classical music can be accessed has become extremely diverse. However, the advancement of these media does not fundamentally resolve the reason why classical music is drifting away from the modern public, as discussed earlier. This is because technological progress does not create time for people. In particular, time spent alone, time for self-reflection, and leisure time have become virtually scarce in modern society. People often work excessively and lead hectic lives within the structure of capital and labor. However, modern society is shifting toward a model where individuals leverage their creativity and originality to demonstrate their capabilities and engage in economic activity. In such a society, it is important to discover one’s true self, gain diverse experiences, and nurture creativity based on these experiences.
Let’s take some time out of our busy schedules to listen to classical music. If classical music has an advantage over other genres, it is not because of its complex structure or the use of many instruments. Rather, it is perhaps because the process of listening to classical music over an extended period allows people caught up in their busy lives to escape that reality—even if only for a moment. Taking a brief step back from the hustle and bustle allows us to reflect on things we wouldn’t normally consider and gives us the space to gather our scattered thoughts. Fortunately, thanks to the advancements in media and digital technology mentioned earlier, we can now easily access classical music without having to buy records or visit specific venues as we did in the past. We can now experience classical music in a way that suits our individual circumstances, ranging from listening for a short time to appreciating an entire piece.
Classical music is neither complicated nor exclusive. It is music that allows us, in the midst of our busy lives, to pause for a moment.
