What Exactly Is Neo-Classical Music???

Hi Everyone,

Perhaps I'm missing something rather simple so bare with me here. You see, I'm a bit confused by the term "neo-classical". I just can't seem to figure out why it exists at all really. I mean I can't seem to see why people like mahler, tchaikovsky, and strauss are all considered late romantic, while Copeland, Shostakovich, Britten, and Bartok are called neo-classical. The later composers all seem to share much more in common with romanticism than Mozart. Now I understand perhaps calling Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms neo-classical, it certainly sounds "classical", but most composers of this "movement" don't seem to have any of the rhythmic and tonal "rigidity" of the classical style at all-- quite the opposite really. So anyway, I'm very curious what interesting insights any of you might have. Thanks!

Welcome :)

It usually means something that reminds you of 18th century music, but sounds more like 20th century music. Like mid-period Stravinsky.

I think your confusion is about the Prefix. The prefix neo does not mean "it sounds like".

A composer writing neo-classical music is borrowing some classical elements in his own time. Look for instance at some of Prokofievs Piano sonatas. Those are Neo-classical. He uses is own harmonic language, and borrows the sonata-form from the classical era.

Someone writing nowadays music that sounds like mozart has just to be classified as "classical" not as "neo-". The Neo add something that was not there in say Mozarts time. I think this is something that happens often here. There is a lot written in baroque (SimeN) or classical (jfmayii) style, to name some of the people active on this forum. Those people are imitating that era.

Personally I'd like to see more Neo elements added to it. I think the craftsmanship showed by the original composer exceeds the skills of people today trying to imitate that style. But the same is applicable to me... ;) and so we are all learning...