art music
art music — noun
1. Music that is created by composers with formal training, usually written down in
Music that is created by composers with formal training, usually written down in notation and following established compositional forms. It stands apart from folk music, which grows out of community traditions, and from popular music, which aims for broad commercial appeal.
Mayumi studied art music at the Vienna Conservatory and writes symphonies for orchestras worldwide.
uncountable noun: studied art music
Unlike pop songs, art music uses complex harmonies and longer forms that require careful listening.
contrastive structure: unlike pop songs, art music + verb
The station plays art music from the Baroque and Classical periods on Sunday mornings.
Erik prefers art music to jazz because he enjoys the structure of sonatas and fugues.
City hall art music concerts draw audiences who enjoy works by Bach and Stravinsky.
- classical music
More commonly used in everyday speech; strictly refers to Western classical tradition, while 'art music' is broader and more formal
- serious music
Less common synonym; can sound dismissive of other genres; used mainly in older texts
- concert music
Emphasises performance setting; overlaps with art music but can also include some popular music performed in concert halls
- folk music
Music that grows out of community traditions and is often passed down orally rather than through formal notation
- popular music
Music produced for mass commercial appeal, typically with simple structures and broad accessibility
用法筆記
This term is used in academic and musicological contexts to distinguish music rooted in written traditions from music that grows out of oral folk traditions or commercial popular culture. It is broader than 'classical music', as it includes contemporary composed works and non-Western art music traditions.