What is Classic - Essay Example

Classic

1) What is classic in your opinion?
While the most recognizable are those works by Beethoven and Mozart, most people would agree that the music of the Beatles or the Rolling Stones is classic as well. I believe in the future people will look back and recognize Michael Jackson’s work as classic, as well as Madonna, Bruce Springstein, and even Dr. Dre or Jay Z. I believe these musicians might be slightly derided in the current critical climate as they are in a sense too modern and popular to be acknowledged by critics.

2) What does classic mean?
Defining what is truly classic is a very difficult concept. While Mark Twain defined the term as, “Something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read,” it seems that there is much more to the term. First, it’s important to distinguish between what is classic, and classical music. Classical music refers to a genre of music and is different from the term that defines ‘classic’ in other senses of culture. It seems that Classical music is both classic in any sense of the word, but also historic and exemplary. One might also argue that it is possible for Classical music to be bad, as long as it is written in the classical style; however, by its very nature, a classic is not ‘bad’ in the critical sense. It seems that what is deemed a classic is genre-defining or style-breaking. In this sense, it is often difficult to determine if something is a classic upon its release as it requires time to determine how the film or music or art will hold up and how many other artists it will influence. It’s quite possible that a number of things that have been made over the last century with immediate appeal didn’t withstand time as they lacked eternal qualities that make a work truly classic. This idea is true of all elements of art and culture, including music and literature.

3) What kinds of things are classic?
Things that are considered classic are Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. It is both moving and powerful, as well as genre-defining and influential. Classical music such as this is extremely moving and classic. Classic plays are those of Shakespeare, as they are continually performed many centuries after they were written, have influenced countless writers, and contain elements that are deeply relevant to the human experience. I believe they are classic because so many people like them as well and they make so many movies out of them. Shakespeare is also very funny and writes well and many people appreciate these plays even today. In art, a classic work is that of Picasso’s Guernica. It is both an influential and groundbreaking piece, as it explored cubism. It also deeply speaks to the human soul through its vivid colors and imagery. Many artists were influenced by Picasso so it makes his paintings very classic. They are also shown in museums making them even more classic. People also write lots about Picasso making him classic.