It seems September is a month full of many special days and is dedicated to many causes.  Can you believe it is “Balance Awareness Week”, “Self-Promotion Month”, and September even has “Fish Amnesty Day.”?  For those of us on a Clay Aiken blog, the important cause is:

Classical Music Month

In 1994, President Bill Clinton issued a proclamation urging all Americans to observe September as Classical Music Month.

President Clinton said:

In the symphony halls of our great cities across America, in the community centers of our small towns, on radio and in recordings, a note is played that began centuries ago and resounds to this day. At the heart of classical music is continuity and tradition.

Today, many think of Classical Music as stodgy and stiff, however the style itself began as a rebellion against the heavy influence of the Church in music.

Many of us enjoy classical music, but when asked by someone, “What is classical music?” we are unable to provide a solid statement about this genre that encompasses many styles of music and spans more than seven hundred years.

The following are some definitions of and comments about Classical Music:

• Classical music (even some serious pop music) is often associated with beautiful sadness, deep joy, and dramatic battles.
• Music of the European tradition marked by sophistication of structural elements…
• Classical Music is the joy of being involved with something larger than you are.
• The best thing about being a musician is carrying around works of art in your head all the time.
• Lovers of classical music speak of it as a refuge from the stress of everyday life, a sanctuary of timeless treasures.
• The musician, A. Ansbacher said:  Classical music for me is simply a thing of beauty…that everybody should have the opportunity to enjoy.

Whatever your favorite genre of music might be it is wonderful that the month of September celebrates music.

Having grown up in a home where classical music was all I ever heard, I love listening to Brahms, Mahler, Mozart and many other great composers. Yet, when I heard Clay Aiken sing the first time, my heart soared and life was just a little bit better than the day before.

Do you ever listen to Classical Music?

If so, do you have a favorite composer or composition?

The following video is “Classic Clay”