Sure, there's the obvious choices,

there's the music you recognize from commercials,

and then there's the really good stuff.

So, how can we sort through all of this

to find the music we'll love?

Having a guide and knowing your tastes really helps.

("24 Preludes, Op 28, No. 3" by Chopin)

It's so easy to take music for granted these days.

The full ecosystem of music is available to stream anywhere,

which has allowed our relationship

to music to become very casual.

So it can be hard to remember

that for the majority of history,

music was an event, not a commodity.

Part of what distinguishes classical music

is the venue it was written for.

The theater, the ballroom, the royal court.

To modern listeners it's important

to meet the music where it lives.

You should develop a patience when listening,

the same way any long-seated performance would ask of you.

Now, listening to classical music

doesn't require disciplined attention,

but it certainly helps.

Many people use classical music

to study or to fall asleep, which is wonderful,

but that's not ideal for engaged listening.

I found that doing laundry or the dishes

while listening helps a ton with fidgetiness

as long as it keeps your hands busy

and doesn't require much thought.

The afternoon commute is another great opportunity

for engaged listening, on the train or in the car.

You might be able to tell this is anywhere

you would listen to a podcast.

The 19th century gave rise to a plethora

of music innovations and talent

during what we call the Romantic Period.

There's dozens of schools and styles that gained popularity

and influence across the world at this time.

There is so much music to choose from,

it can become quite overwhelming.

So, a helpful measure for finding music

that speaks to you is to search by instrumentation.

If you enjoy a delicate piano piece,

you probably won't stray far from Paris

and the likes of Chopin and Liszt.

If you love big sound and epic drama

you'll probably be happier listening to the giants of opera,

Wagner, Verdi and Puccini.

If strings make your heart skip a beat,

then the try the work of Paganini, Vivaldi, or Sibelius.

With 600 plus years of musical tradition,

there is literally something for everyone

and just as with pop music, soak in what you love,

and explore outward from there.

One composer that can be loved by almost anyone

is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

He composed the most famous ballets,

Swan Lake, the Nutcracker.

He also wrote extensively for orchestra,

piano and so much more.

This particular piece that I enjoy

is a Serenade for Strings, Op. 48, II in C Major.

A serenade is not a musical structure,

it's more like a genre.

Serenades are lighthearted love songs

often played in ballrooms.

This serenade is a waltz, a dance in triple time,

one, two, three, one, two, three.

Listen to how the strings ebb and protract

in these transitions, giving a beautiful lightness

to the dance.

We are so lucky to have all of this musical history

at our fingertips just waiting to be explored.

If you're in the mood, check out our

Lifehacker Spotify playlist for a starter pack

of excellent Romantic pieces.

("The Nutcracker: Valse des fleurs" by Tchaikovsky)