四级真题2025年6月第二套 Passage Two
①With the rise of pop music, jazz, and electronic music, both opera and classical music started to fade away from the public eye. Some people are beginning to wonder whether opera and classical music are still relevant to the modern world of music. Granted, you will not typically see today’s teenagers lending their ears to Bach anytime soon, but there are some major indicators that both opera and classical music are now still quite alive.
②The most major indicator of classical music’s importance in society today is the fact that much of the popular music that is currently being produced uses similar beats, harmonies, and melodies (旋律) as those that were used in some of classical music’s best works. Even so, it can be difficult for those who do not study music theory to see this as an indicator, since it is subtle and just shows the impact symphonic (交响乐的) orchestras have had on society’s taste in music.③A better example for the relevance of opera and classical music can be seen in the invention of the rock opera. Opera, in its simplest definition, is telling a story using music as its form. The art Sof telling a story using music has not faded in the least bit. In fact, sometimes actual orchestras are used for major parts of the opera itself. Some of the world’s greatest hits have been parts of rock operas.
④Fans of classical music can also tell you that there are few types of music that are more expressive. So, it should come as no surprise to anyone that classical music pieces are still used as background music in modern movies. Symphonic orchestra compositions have also been created solely for the purpose of being included in major motion pictures. These are often very well received amongst mainstream music fans.
⑤Classical music and opera are the very foundation of what our modern music is based upon. Considering the huge impact they have had on our current society, it is without doubt that we can expect them to continue to remain important for centuries to come.
