Story Telling Through Classical Music

     Joshua Bell's TED presentation called "300 Years of Classical Music in 18 Minutes" makes me feel reminiscent and grateful that he's bringing attention to the importance of classical music. I played in an orchestra and still play stringed instruments so I can offer insight to the complex world of classical music.

    Classical music isn't just an art; it is a lifestyle. Bell states "Each one of those musicians has spent a lifetime, tens of thousands of hours mastering their craft." Musicians do more than just play an instrument, which in itself is difficult. Learning the notes, time signatures, tempos, and the instrument itself is only half of being a musician. The other half is understanding the story and emotion being conveyed through the composition. If a musician doesn't play with emotion, then they are not playing music or telling a story they are just playing notes off a page. The story telling in music ranges from biblical compositions to interpretations of weather. During my time in the orchestra, I learned that the weather inspired pieces always had attitude and you had to play them with the intended emotion. The dynamics help the listener to visualize raging blizzards and thunderstorms and then transition into the calmness of the storms eye or its passing. 

    Bell's insights to the pieces performed perfectly explained the attitude and emotion behind the music and what it all meant for the story being told. I agree fully that we must preserve these beautiful stories that are bursting with emotion. It is a gorgeous gift that has been bestowed upon us for many years, and it is too robust to be forgotten. Bell's opinion that we should have more music education for the youth of today is a perfect way to continue the telling of the stories. The music would be passed along to new souls who understand its importance.

Work Cited

Bell, Joshua. “300 Years of Classical Music in 18 Minutes.” TED, April 2025, www.ted.com/talks/joshua_bell_300_years_of_classical_music_in_18_minutes.

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