Why the classical style?

[Sorrano]

And in so doing produced music that is timeless! I think in the end it comes down to Peter Warlock's quote on the homepage of this site
". . . Music is neither old nor modern: it is either good or bad music, and the date at which it was written has no significance whatever. Dates and periods are of interest only to the student of musical history. . . . All old music was modern once, and much more of the music of yesterday already sounds more old-fashioned than works which were written three centuries ago. All good music, whatever its date, is ageless - as alive and significant today as it was when it was written . ."

I like that quote, thanks! It brings up a question, though, that I think Philip was working on. What makes music "good" and what makes music "bad"? Obviously, it's not an easy question neither here in this forum where there are certain commonalities in taste (Beethoven) let alone "out there" where there are diverse tastes.

[Peter]

I like that quote, thanks! It brings up a question, though, that I think Philip was working on. What makes music "good" and what makes music "bad"? Obviously, it's not an easy question neither here in this forum where there are certain commonalities in taste (Beethoven) let alone "out there" where there are diverse tastes.

Well leaving aside technical terms and musical analysis, I think there are several criteria for good music - originality, unpredictability, avoiding the banal, having something to say, and the acid test - will it stand up to repeated listenings over decades (and centuries)? One fact about all the great composers is that they have their own unique voice that is theirs alone - they are not mere imitators.