classical

adj. 古典的；经典的；传统的；第一流的

n. 古典音乐

中文词源

classical 古典的

来自classic,在词义和使用上其区别不断缩小或通用。

classical (adj.): 1590s, "of the highest rank" (originally in literature), from classic + -al (1). Classical music (1836) was defined originally against romantic music.
[I]n general, as now used, the term classical includes the composers active in instrumental music from somewhere about 1700 to say 1830. Hence the list includes among the great names those of Bach, his sons, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Clementi, Dussek, Pleyel, Cramer, etc. The next step beyond the term classical is "modern romantic," the composers of which school may be taken to include all the writers for pianoforte from about 1829 (when Mendelssohn published the first "Songs without Words") down to the present. The term romantic in this sense means strongly marked, extraordinary, intending to tell stories and the like. ["Music, Its Ideals and Methods," W.S.B. Mathews, 1897]
But already by 1880s it was acknowledged the term had a double sense: Music that had withstood the test of time, as well as music of a style contrasted to "romantic." Later (early 20c.) it was contrasted to jazz (in this sense more often with reference to the orchestras than to the music itself). Still later in contrast to popular music generally (mid-20c.).

1. The images were Gothic or Byzantine rather than classical.: 这些形象属哥特式或者拜占庭式而非古典式。

2. A performer in evening dress plays classical selections on the violin.: 一名身穿晚礼服的表演者用小提琴演奏了几段古典音乐。

3. The radio station has to include a substantial proportion of classical music.: 该电台不得不播放大量的古典音乐。

4. Gardiner has pursued relentlessly high standards in performing classical music.: 加德纳一直不懈地追求古典音乐演奏的高水准。

5. Marsalis has a formidable reputation in both jazz and classical music.: 马萨利斯在爵士乐和古典音乐领域都有极高的声望。