The obvious fact is that stress is dangerous. It physically affects How stress and experiences physically change our Brain / Lifehacker it affects the structure of the brain, causes tension of the sympathetic nervous system and mental problems. In this state, a person's muscles are overstressed, the heart beats more often and the sense of danger is heightened. Of course, classical music will not save you from severe chronic stress in an instant — in this case, you need to contact specialists. But it is able to lower blood pressure and the level of the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for stress. Moreover, two weeks of regular listening is enough to feel the effect: an experiment by Taiwanese scientists showed Listening to classical music ‘can relieve pregnancy stress’ that pregnant women with a high level of stress in the company of classical music all indicators of anxiety decrease in 14 days.
Listening to your favorite music, regardless of genre, in itself increases Why music affects your productivity / Quartz at work productivity of any kind of work. All the magic lies in the hormone dopamine, which is released during this process. It is he who influences mood, attention and motivation. At the same time, the effect of classical music is even higher. According to the University of Maryland, Baroque music increases Baroque Classical Music In The Reading Room May Improve Mood And Productivity / American Roentgen Ray Society mood and concentration of attention. In particular, the influence of Vivaldi's "Seasons" was investigated. And the experiment of French scientists showed Music during lectures: Will students learn better? that classical music promotes memorization and assimilation of information. Experts of the University of Helsinki note Kanduri C, Raijas P, Ahvenainen M, Philips AK, Ukkola-Vuoti L, Lähdesmäki H, Järvelä I. The effect of listening to music on human transcriptome that in order to achieve the result, you can listen to the classics for only 20 minutes a day.
Classical music in the evenings will help you forget about the worries of the day and tune in to sleep. It's all about the same ability of classics to have a beneficial effect on the sympathetic nervous system: your heartbeat normalizes and blood pressure decreases. To achieve the effect, you need to listen to Music improves sleep quality in students / PubMed music for 45 minutes before going to bed, while it is better to choose relaxed and calm compositions, rather than victorious marches and symphonies.
Classical music activates the reward center in the brain, due to which the hormone dopamine is produced. It will not only help you to be more productive, but also relieve pain syndromes. In the company of your favorite instrumental concert, it will be easier for you to transfer Effect of music on power, pain, depression and disability / PubMed migraines, muscle aches and even depression. But, of course, you should not replace listening to Mozart and Bach with going to a specialist: music can do a lot, but it cannot eliminate the cause of the disease. Therefore, if you are concerned about chronic pain, then you need to get qualified treatment.
Even if you think you don't know anything about classical music, it's not. Many people know Vivaldi's "Spring" from ringtones on smartphones, and absolutely everyone has heard the famous beginning of Ludwig van Beethoven's fifth symphony (this is the most disturbing "Ta-ta-ta-a-a-m!"). Not to mention Mendelssohn's wedding march, which is just one of many musical compositions written by him in 1843 for the production of the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Remember which melodies you have already heard, find their full recordings and listen to them. This will not be something completely new for you, so there is a lower risk that you will get bored quickly.
Many classical works have long been a part of pop culture. They are used in movie soundtracks. This is, for example, the famous "Apocalypse Now" by Francis Ford Coppola, in the climactic scene of which Richard Wagner's "Valkyrie Waltz" sounds, and even Franz Liszt in "Tom and Jerry". You can also listen to them in full to at least understand how the works of classics are used by modern directors.
Wagner's many-hour symphonies will scare away any beginner, so start with small forms: Chopin nocturnes, Scarlatti sonatas and Mozart, Vivaldi concertos. These works are not much longer than the hits of Beyonce or Lady Gaga. Collect your favorite short pieces into playlists — melodic for listening to before going to bed (Bach and Chopin will do), driving to increase productivity (Scarlatti, Beethoven and Vivaldi). Pay attention to opera compositions — first of all Mozart. Arias, as a rule, are also not very long, but nevertheless they are able to impress even a modern listener. Start with Mozart's virtuoso "Aria of the Queen of the Night" — you've probably heard it, but include it in your playlist as the first instance of a vocal classical piece.
It can be difficult for a beginner to immerse himself in the world of classical music, starting with works of Renaissance, Baroque or mature Romanticism. As a rule, they require a trained ear, they often use instruments that can now be seen only in museums and conservatories. And it is also believed that in order to understand them, you need to know the historical and everyday context of the era, as well as the biography of the authors. Although this is also in a sense a myth. But if you are still afraid to go straight into the depths of the centuries, then start with the modernist composers of the XX century. They are more familiar to our ears, as their findings have become the basis for the same soundtracks or modern pop musicians.
Your main reference point is "Sacred Spring" by Igor Stravinsky. The 40-minute piece sounds absolutely modern due to the broken structure and dynamic orchestration — you won't even notice how you listen to the end! Next, pay attention to the American minimalists — Philip Glass and Steven Reich (start with his essay "Different trains"). You probably know them too: the works of both are very popular in Hollywood films.
The main thing is not to be afraid! You can start with the report concerts of the city Philharmonic or Conservatory. It's usually free. And students, as a rule, play familiar small-format works of the same Tchaikovsky, Bach or Mozart. During the New Year holidays, finally go to the ballet "The Nutcracker" — it will add both a festive mood and musical erudition.
A good way to get used to the atmosphere of the orchestra and the academic hall is to go to symphonic performances of soundtracks from hit films: "Harry Potter", "The Lord of the Rings", "Game of Thrones". After several such trips, you can safely switch to Tchaikovsky and Mozart. To do this, follow the city poster. Just do not hesitate: tickets for concerts of top performers and collectives disperse very quickly.
Residents and guests of the Kaliningrad Region will have a good opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of classical music. The second International Classical Music Festival "Cantata" will be held here from June 1-6. This is a charitable educational project, concerts within the framework of which take place in historically significant places of the Kaliningrad region: in the ruins of castles, on the territory of churches and shaft structures.
The concert of the first evening — "S. Diaghilev — Peter I in Russian Art". In the following days, the program includes concerts dedicated to the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri and the 225th anniversary of Franz Schubert, as well as performances of works by Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Bach, Strauss, Brahms. The final day of the festival coincides with Alexander Pushkin's birthday, so the gala concert will feature the best opera compositions written based on his works.
All proceeds from the sale of tickets will be directed to the fund "Improvement and Mutual Assistance", engaged in the restoration of historically significant objects.
