Within the broad movement of

new-age music New-age is a genre of music intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management to bring about a state of ecstasy rather tha ...

, neoclassical new-age music is influenced by and sometimes also based upon

baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

, especially in terms of melody and composition. The artist may offer a modern arrangement of a work by an established composer or combine elements from classical styles with modern elements to produce original compositions. Many artists within this subgenre are classically trained musicians. Although there is a wide variety of individual styles, neoclassical new-age music is generally melodic, harmonic, and instrumental, using both traditional musical instruments as well as electronic instruments.

Characteristics

Neoclassical new-age music takes a lot of its inspiration from baroque/classical music for its style. Music of this genre is primarily instrumental and heavily takes elements from classical music while drawing on religious traditions from around the world to give it more of a "mystical" vibe to the music. Neoclassical new-age music has also been characterized by its smooth and romantic sound.

Artists and composers

* Chris Field *

Mannheim Steamroller Mannheim Steamroller is an American neoclassical new-age music ensemble founded and directed by percussionist/composer Chip Davis in 1974. The group is known primarily for its '' Fresh Aire'' series of albums, which blend classical music with e ...

Neoclassical new-age music composer Chris Field has created neoclassical music for many movie trailers for years. Some of these movie trailers including The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, and Alice in Wonderland. Fields has also won the best neoclassical album of 2006 for his album ''Sub-Conscious''. Mannheim Steamroller is a neoclassical band that has been very successful. They have sold over 41 million albums and produced a Christmas album that went on to sell 5 million copies. Mannheim Steamroller has received 19 gold, 8 platinum and 4 multi-platinum from the RIAA.

Labels

* American Gramaphone *

Koch records MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch"), formerly known as Koch Records and Entertainment One (eOne) Music/Records, is an American independent record label and music management company based in New York City. It was formed in 1987 as a music div ...

* Narada Productions *

Windham Hill Records Windham Hill Records was an independent record label that specialized in instrumental acoustic music. It was founded by guitarist William Ackerman and Anne Robinson (née McGilvray) in 1976 and was popular in the 1980s and 1990s. The label was ...

* Erased Tapes Records

References

Music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

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