Not every piece of classical music is, or was meant to be, an awesome masterpiece. In this short essay I would like to discuss a few examples of classical music that are good, but not profound or complex. Such pieces are well-thought-out works, yet they are not in-depth, complex, profound works, nor were they intended by their composer to be so.

These are pieces that are perfectly balanced in their proportions, consummately
constructed, yet they seek not to make some sort of profound statement. In this category I would put Mozart’s symphony 29, (and some of his concertos) Schubert’s symphony 5, and Beethoven’s symphony 4. These works are flawless, with not one awkward measure, and not a note too many or too few. They are like highly polished diamonds in their perfection, yet they are unpretentious and do not seek to make any deeply profound impression. Mozart was not even 20 when he composed his symphony 29, yet it is a masterfully constructed work, whose proportions are exquisitely balanced; a work in which everything from the overall plan to the smallest detail is absolutely perfect. Yet it is an unpretentious work that assumes itself to be nothing more than light and happy entertainment.

Schubert was only 19 when he composed his symphony 5, but even at that young age he was a talented composer. His symphony 5 is perfectly constructed and very satisfying, but seeks not greatness and profundity. It seems as if it is only concerned with light entertainment, and in that endeavor, it succeeds well.

Beethoven, after composing a symphony (3 in E-flat) that grabbed people by the throat and said, “Hey, it’s no longer the 18th century. Wake up!” decided to relax and compose a simple symphony. His symphony 4 is not only simple and unpretentious, it even has a humorous side to it. It is as if he needed to do something easy after composing a symphony that revolutionized the very nature of the symphony. His symphony 4 is simple and direct. It is easy to listen to and seeks not to make any profound statements. It is purely light entertainment.

To this list I might add Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nacht Musik (A Little Night Music). This simple serenade for strings alone is very popular. Everyone recognizes its opening bars. It is the kind of music that Mozart could compose in his sleep, simple, direct, and easy for the musicians and audience alike. He preferred to compose music much more complex than this, but I think he sometimes composed something easy because he needed to make some money quickly.

There are many other classical works that can be added to the category of light and simple music, but the small sample listed above is all I will allow room for here. The main point I am trying to make is that even the greatest composers would sometimes create simple and unassuming music.