Western Classical Music

Western classical music is the art music tradition of Europe and its diaspora, extending from medieval chant to the present day. It is defined by written notation, systems of tonality and functional harmony, and developed large-scale forms such as the symphony, concerto, sonata and fugue, performed by orchestras, choirs, chamber ensembles and soloists. Successive eras, from Medieval and Baroque to Classical, Romantic and modern, each reshaped its language while preserving a shared canon of composers from *Johann Sebastian Bach* and *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart* to *Ludwig van Beethoven* and *Igor Stravinsky*, maintained through conservatoires, concert halls and the recording industry.