It’s highly unlikely you could turn on the radio today and hear Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Hundreds of years ago, however, classical musicians such as Beethoven had a popularity equivalent to the boy bands of MTV.

“Classical music is Europe’s music,” said Jonathan Sturm, associate professor of music. “So people think, ‘Why bother? It’s not our music.'”

Just as students don’t have a collection of Mozart’s classics, classical concerts aren’t comparable to the sold-out rock arenas students stand in line for.

“Ever since the invention of any music that you can take home and listen to, the number of concerts has gone down. Concerts aren’t appreciated as much as they were before,” said Megan Eagen, senior in physics and music appreciation.

Eagen said people in the classical era weren’t always appreciative of their own music. She said just like today, people would grow tired of the same type of music, so composers would have to do something new.

Today, although classical music tends to be found in restaurants and hotel elevators, Eagen said this genre of music is far from being dead.

“We continue to play the same big composers – Beethoven, Bach – the ones who were ‘that good’ at what they were doing,” Eagen said. “At the time they were doing something different and better than anyone else.”

Students are finding that classical music is a history lesson in using instruments and lyrics.

“The music spoke of the culture at that time,” said Sarah Thompson, senior in music.

Thompson said she finds it possible to get more out of classical music when it is understood it in a historical or cultural context. She said classical music is not only enjoyable to perform, but also to study. Classical music is a genre of music that makes you think, she said.

“It’s the greatest minds working with 12 notes,” Sturm said. “Pop music uses the same 12 notes, but it’s meant for easy consumption. With classical music, it’s people really struggling to work with those 12 notes.”

Sturm said a lot of music today can be listened to without needing to take a moment to try and understand why certain instruments or certain lyrics were used. He said he doesn’t think this is the case for classical music.

“Pop music is something similar to what you’d see in poster art and classical music is more like a Van Gogh painting – best enjoyed when you understand what’s going on,” he said.

Michael Golemo, associate professor and chairman of music, is the director of bands at Iowa State. He said he can’t imagine himself doing anything else.

“If I had all the money in the world, I would be doing exactly what I’m doing now,” he said.

“Certain types of classical music can touch your spirit, your emotions and your intellect more than other types of music can.”