Music genres: art, popular and traditional music

Art music (classical music). It´s a written musical tradition. It tends to be considered as an elitist expression.

• Symphony nº 5. L.V. Beethoven (also instrumental, orchestral, absolute).

Popular music. It is music that is accessible to the general public.

• Le freak. Chic (also vocal accompanied).

Traditional. It´s music learned through singing and listening. Traditional music is part of the traditions of a particular region.

• Morris dance (also instrumental).

Music genres: absolute, programme and theatre music.

Absolute music makes sense without accompanying words, images, drama, dance or other kinds of extra-musical ideas.

• String quartet nº 3, op. 76. Franz Joseph Haydn.
• Sonata in C K545. W. A. Mozart.

Programme music is descriptive music, it interprets an object, landscape or emotional experience.

• The Moldau. Bedrich Smetana.
• Italian Symphony. Felix Mendelssohn.
• Scenes from childhood. Robert Schumann.
• The planets. Mars. Gustav Holst.
• The carnival of the animals. The aquarium. Camille Saint-Saëns.

Theatre music includes a variety of subgenres designed to form part of a drammatic performance (opera, cabaret, ballet, film or television program).

• The magic flute. Opera. W.A. Mozart. 
• The rite of spring. Ballet. Igor Stravinsky.
• Cats. Musical. A. Lloyd Weber.
• North by Northwest. Opening titles. Film music. Bernard Herrmann.

Music genres: vocal & instrumental music

The term genre is used to identify particular categories of arts. Music can be divided into many genres according to a number of criteria such as instrumentation, musical contents and so on.


Instrumental music. Night train, Duke Ellington

• Orchestral music. Symphony Nº 4. London. Franz Joseph Haydn. 
• Chamber music. String quartet op 59, Nº 1. Razumovsky. Ludwig van Beethoven.

Vocal music. Firework. Katy Perry.

• A capella (without instrumental accompaniment). Star Wars.
• Accompanied (with instrumental accompaniment). Route 66. Manhattan Transfer.
• Choral. Performed by a choir. Slaves chorus. Nabucco. Verdi

Music genres

A music genre is a category, a way to label music. Music can be divided into many genres according to a number of criteria, such as technique and instrumentation, music contents, means of transmission, geographical origins...

Vocal music

• A capella. Gregorian Chant
• Accompanied (Choral). For unto us a child is born,  G.F. Handel.

Instrumental music

• Orchestral. Symphony nº 5. Beethoven.
• Chamber. Schubert Trout Quintet. Theme and variations.

Absolute music

Absolute music makes sense without accompanying words, images, drama, dance, or other kind of extra-musical ideas. It excludes all vocal music.

• Symphony nº 88. F. J Haydn. Instrumental. Orchestral. Absolute.

Programme music

It is descriptive music, music that interprets an object, a landscape or an emotional experience.

• Italian Symphony. First movement. Felix Mendelssohn. Instrumental. Orchestral. Programme. 
• Scottish Symphony. First movement. Felix Mendelssohn. Instrumental. Orchestral. Programme. 

Theatre music

Includes a variety of subgenres designed to form part of a dramatic performance (opera, ballet, cabaret, film...).

• Papageno-Papagena Duet. The Magic Flute. W. A. Mozart. Vocal. Accompanied. Theatre. Opera.
• Swan Lake. P.I Tchaikovsky. Instrumental. Orchestral. Theatre. Ballet.
• Psycho Suite from «Psycho». Music by Bernard Herrmann. Instrumental. Orchestral. Theatre. Film.

Art music

Art music (also classical music) is music that is used as a form of a work of art.

• Clarinet Concert. 2nd movement. W.A. Mozart. Instrumental. Orchestral. Absolute. Art.

Popular music

Is music that is accessible to the general public and is broadcast to large audiences by one or more of the mass media and the music industry.

• So lonely. The Police. Vocal. Accompanied. Popular.

Traditional music

It´s music learned through singing and listening. Traditional music is part of the traditions of a particular region or culture.

• Morris Dance. Instrumental. Traditional.