Years ago I joined a choir, just for a bit of fun and the choir that I joined was focused on quite a lot of jazz or jazz influenced music. One evening I was talking to the woman who helped run the choir and we were discussing a very specific point in one piece we were working on, when she remarked that classical music doesn’t contain dissonance. I was so gobsmacked by her condescending attitude that I couldn’t even make a reply! By saying that classical music didn’t have dissonance, she implied that classical music lacked the sometimes harsh, clashing sounds that add a richness to a piece of music. These dissonances mostly come from the use of chords.
So from time to time, I hear the argument that classical music doesn’t use chords. Apparently it is only popular and jazz music that has chords and that jazz music has chords that simply don’t exist in traditional classical music. The truth is that classical music does contain chords, both simple and complex ones, just not in every piece of classical music.
The problem with talking in terms of classical, jazz and popular is that within each of these genres are many categories and styles. Even popular music can be broken down into pop, rock and country. Jazz can be broken down into ragtime, blues, big band, swing as well as several other categories of jazz. Classical music can be broken down into time periods such as Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century. Most times when people talk about classical music they are referring to the whole lot, not just the Classical Period (approximately 1750-1830).
So when it comes to discussing chords and classical music, it would be accurate to say that the chords that were typically used in the Classical Period were probably simpler, more basic chords than those used in the Baroque Era or the contemporary and Twentieth Century music. Certainly Impressionist music that was around, has equally complex and exquisite chords that you would find in jazz music.
The reason why some are under the misapprehension that chords don’t exist in classical music is because chord symbols are not used in classical music at all. In analysis of chords in classical music, the system is not the same as it is for popular and jazz music. Classical music chords are indicated by roman numerals.
But why does this matter anyway?
To me it just seems to be about bragging rights about which music is best, determined by which genre has the best or most interesting or complex chords. Music is so much more than the chords it may use.
Making music should be about playing the type or style that you enjoy playing – it doesn’t really matter if it is simple or complicated. What matters is whether or not it brings you joy or personal satisfaction, especially if you are an adult taking (or re-taking) up music as a hobby.