Category: Entertainment and Leisure >> Music

Problem description:

Why is Hayley Westenra said to be of the classical genre? Is it any different from pop songs?

Analysis:

First of all, classical usually refers to classical music, and pop music refers to popular music.

Classical music is music that was popular in Europe before World War II and was popular in Germany, France, Poland and other countries. It includes serenades, symphonies, piano pieces, concertos, violin pieces, quartets, etc.

Most of the music after World War II was pop songs, including jazz, hip-hop music, rock music, blues music, natural music, tongue-twisting music, light music, etc.

Second, the characteristics of the classical genre.

Some people think that "classical" feels antique and old-fashioned, so it is renamed "classical music". Some people also call it "serious music" based on the definition of classical in the Oxford English Dictionary, in traditional and serious style. As a result, "classical music" has been labeled as "serious" again, making people even more afraid to approach it. But the person who made this definition must not have checked the dictionary carefully, because the second meaning of serious is defined as follows: (referring to books, music, etc.) to inspire thinking, not just for entertainment. Therefore, we know that the original difference between classical music and popular music is that it has profound connotations, can make people think deeply, and can make people noble and avoid vulgarity. Let’s take a look at Longman Dictionary’s explanation of classical music: music that people consider serious and that has been popular for a long time. It can be seen that classical music is music that has withstood the test of time, remains popular for a long time, and is loved by everyone. From this point of view, it is indeed more appropriate to translate it as "classic music".

(The answer here is from cool_lx - Jinshi Born Eighth Level 2-14 17:05 answer. There are some deletions. Please forgive the original answerer.)

Third, POP songs characteristics.

It is said that it originated in the mid-1980s, with B.P.M. between 100 and 130 beats. POP refers to a form of dance music that combines pop music and dance music rhythms. At present, some dance music that is different from classic styles and dance music that is difficult to distinguish can be included in the category of POP dance music. (The source is the answer from *********** - Magician Level 4 10-17 18:02.)

Fourth, why is Hayley Westenra classified into the classica genre?

Well, I think the biggest reason is that based on her singing style, Hayley Westenra’s singing and technique belong to the opera level, and she has also been recognized by the prima diva in the industry.

But I think it is not the most appropriate to classify her as classical. Perhaps, it is better to classify her as "Classical Crossover". Like Sarah Bradman, Charlotte et al.

Fifth, what is "Classical Crossover" classical crossover music?

Classical crossover belongs to crossover music and has a history of about half a century. It always presented itself as a musical "style" and people embraced the concept. In fact, Crossover is a "house brand" in the record industry, and different types of records can be branded with this brand. As Sarah Brightman said in an interview, "Crossover music is actually a name created for commercial purposes." This term has different meanings at different times.

Crossover is inseparable from the rankings in the United States. The ranking list is not only a sales indicator for the record industry, but also a reflection of the cultural ecology. In the 1950s and 1960s, crossover referred to certain records that ranked on the charts in different categories. For example, a record could be on both the disco and R&B charts. The pop chart itself is a big crossover list, because it is basically a hodgepodge. Whether it is jazz, classical, or rock, as long as it becomes popular, it will be on this list. At that time, the ranking categories also reflected the racial divisions between black and white. When a black singer's record hits the white record charts, it is considered a "crossover" even if the music style is similar.

In the 1970s, the commercial success of Fusion Jazz inspired many record producers to "fuse" jazz with other types of music and develop many new types. The record company shrewdly labeled them "Crossover Jazz".

This type of record was very pleasing to the ears of ordinary listeners, and later it turned out that Crossover Jazz was a good recipe for the revival of the jazz record market.

Later, the term "Classical Crossover" appeared, and it became a category in the rankings and was very popular. The Grammys also established an exclusive award for Best Classical Crossover Album in 1998.

To this day, classical crossover has become the most watched crossover. Sometimes when people talk about crossover, they mean classical crossover. The participation of many musicians and performers also makes this field exciting, and it cannot be simply evaluated as a commercial gimmick.

Some classical crossover music is exquisite and pleasing, and has nothing to do with real life, allowing people to appreciate its formal beauty from a certain distance. Like Sarah Brightman, she represents a classical crossover model widely accepted by the public: graceful bel canto and popular arrangement. This model has almost become a quick fix, so many singers are competing to apply it, which greatly reduces creativity. But then again, this type of classical crossover does not have much creative appeal. What they value is whether a certain technique is still attractive to people.

Also, we often focus on “music” and ignore the others. In fact, the crossover music represented by Sarah Brightman is often a performance method: music crosses boundaries, and visuals also cross boundaries. For example, classical hot girls, they only need to hold the piano and show off their sexy and wild image, and if they don't listen to the music, they have "crossed the border". (Participated in the answer of fenkeng123 - Tanhua Level 11 6-7 23:15. There are some deletions. Please forgive the original answerer.)

It's a bit too long, please forgive me.