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Everyone has their favorite genre of music. Nowadays you would be inclined to think if you approached the average citizen on any street and asked them, "What's you favorite type of music?" their answer wouldn't be, "Classical music". You might think this would hold especially true in the United States. Because of this, and the seemingly lack of "new" classical music some would assert classical music is dead.

I beg to differ. First, to really understand the debate I think we need to try and understand what defines "classical" music. Classical music is a broad term and can refer to an equally broad period...some say the period ranges from the 9th century on into the 21st century. Or, it can more narrowly refer to a period from the 18th to 19th century. Either way we tend to think of it in very traditional ways...chamber music, symphonies, concerts (no, not the screaming and pot-smoke infused kind of recent years), operas and such.

The "Golden Age" of classical music is considered the period from Bach (1685-1750) to Beethoven (1770-1827). While classical music was at its peak during those years and flourished, it by no means died, withered on the vine or was forgotten. It became a time honored and beloved form of music that is to this day beloved by many, revered by some and reviled by others. So, as with the rap/hip hop of today it appears classical music has had its controversy.

Yesterday's classical composers WERE the rock starts of their day. Some experienced controversy during their life like the "stars" of today. Does this matter now? Do we care? Is anyone interested lately?

Every heard of a little movie called Amadeus? It was a movie release in 1984 about composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Before you dismiss it, the movie won eight Academy Awards and several foreign awards including several BAFTA awards which are the UK's equivalent of the US's Oscars. Likewise, Ludwig van Beethoven has been the topic of several films. If classical music is dead, why do we continue to revisit the lives of the great composers over and over to learn about their lives?

It doesn't stop there. No, film is replete with soundtrack after soundtrack that is chock o' block full of classical music. I can't tell you how many times I've heard Beethoven's 5th Symphony used in film or his "Ode to Joy" also known as his 9th Symphony.

The 9th seemed to be the theme song and was heard everywhere when the Berlin Wall fell. Some how, I just think it wouldn't have been fitting or appropriate to play

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