classical music

Cultural  

1. A loose expression for European and American music of the more serious kind, as opposed to popular or folk music.

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Example Sentences

The lights are dim, and calming classical music plays from built-in speakers.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

Calming music, such as classical music, is usually best.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

"The way it flows is that we give a thought around a topic, then we move into breathing with classical music, then a guest comes on and they do their meditation."

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

She played the violin from age 8, but it was only after she heard Puccini at 13 that she fell in love with classical music.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

Up to this point in musical history - the first few years of the twentieth century - ethnic folk elements had been co-opted into classical music as subsidiary exotic flavouring.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• chamber music