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Showing posts with label Romantic Composers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romantic Composers. Show all posts
Charles Gounod and Igor Stravinsky were both born same day.
Charles Gounod (17 June 1818 - 18 October 1893), born in Paris, was a French composer, organist and conductor. His operas - best known is Faust - combine graceful melody and elegant harmonization. Gounod's Meditation on Bach's Prelude became successful and most popular with his "Gounod's Ave Maria" we often refer to as "Bach/Gounod Ave Maria." The piece was published 1853 under the name "Méditation sur le Premier Prélude de Piano de S. Bach". The original composition by Bach dates 1722. French romantic composer Charles Gounod layered his melody on a slightly changed version of the Prelude No.1 in C Major,from Bach's 'Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846', Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier. P
I'm familiar with few other "Ave Maria" creations and I have to admit that my two all-time favourites are "Ave Maria" by Franz Schubert and the one below by Bach/Gounod. Below, a then 14 year-old girl Elena sang Gounod/Bach's "Ave Maria." Elena sang
Edvard Grieg (June 15, 1843 - September 4, 1907), Norway's greatest composer, is best known for his incidental music Peer Gynt Suite adapted for the Ibsen play Peer Gynt. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music a part of the standard classical repertoire. His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his own compositions brought the music of Norway to international consciousness, as well as helping to develop a national identity, much as Jean Sibelius did in Finland and Bedřich Smetana did in Czechoslovakia.
His major works include Concerto in A Minor, Holberg Suite, and Lyric Pieces of piano. He played a part in the formation of the Norwegian Academy of Music.
A son of a merchant, Grieg was of Scottish descent. He is the most celebrated person from his city of birth, Bergen, with numerous statues depicting his image, and many cultural entities named after him: the city's largest concert building (Grieg Hall), its most advanced music school (Grieg Academy) and its professional choir (Edvard Grieg Kor). The Edvard Grieg Museum at Grieg's former home, Troldhaugen, is dedicated to his legacy.
Edvard Grieg: Anitra's Dance from Peer Gynt Suite • Volker Hartung, conductor. Sorry, I've deleted the embedded video for copyright. Please watch directly in Youtube. Thanks.
Grieg studied in Leipzig. In 1863 he went to live in Copenhagen and studied with Niels Vilhelm Gade. The following year he met Rikard Nordaak, who inspired him for Norwegian national music. He then settled as a teacher and conductor at Christiania.
Johannes Brahms, German Romantic composer, pianist and conductor, was born May 7, 1833. He is known for his great symphonies. Brahms is considered one of the greatest composers of symphonic music and songs. Initially intended by his parents for a career in the orchestra, he was most brilliant on the piano that eventually his parents decided to pursue his piano at the age of 11. Of significance, was his meeting with the Schumanns, Robert and Clara, and a close friendship developed. He is most famous for his vocal work, A German Requiem, and of course, as a child, no one can miss his Brahms' Lullaby.
Born into a Lutheran
family, Brahms spent much of his life in Vienna. His reputation and status as a composer are such that he is sometimes
grouped with JS Bach and Beethoven as one of the "Three Bs" of music, a comment originally made by the 19th century conductor Hans von Bülow.
Brahms composed for symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, piano, organ, and voice and chorus. A virtuoso pianist, he premiered many of his own works. He worked with leading performers of his time, including the pianist Clara Schumann and the violinist Joseph Joachim. An uncompromising perfectionist, Brahms destroyed some of his works and left others unpublished.
Brahms has been considered, by his contemporaries and by later writers, as both a traditionalist and an innovator. His music is firmly rooted in the structures and compositional techniques of the Classical masters. While many contemporaries found his music too academic, his contribution and craftsmanship have been admired by subsequent prominent composers as diverse as Arnold Schoenberg and Edward Elgar. The diligent, highly constructed nature of his works was an inspiration for a generation of composers. Embedded within his meticulous structures, however, are deeply romantic motifs. (Brahms: String Sextet, Op.18 - Janine Jansen & Friends - International Chamber Music Festival HD. Uploaded by AVROTROS Klassiek. Brahms powerful German Requiem / Ein deutsches Requiem, superbly performed by both orchestra and choir. Frankfurt Radio Symphony, David Zinman conducting. Brahms Symphony No. 3 F Dur op 90. Leonard Bernstein conducting, Wiener Philharmoniker. Youtube, uploaded by Ahmed Barod. Accessed May 8, 2016. Brahms Piano Trio No.1 in B minor, Op.8. Uploaded by ChamberFest Cleveland. Accessed May 7, 2020.))
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer of the Romantic period, regarded as his country's all-time greatest, was born May 7, 1840, seven years after Brahms. Pyotr (or Piotr) Tchaikovsky is famous for his three famous ballet music: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. He is also known for his symphonies, piano concerti, chamber and vocal music. Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is one of the the most popular concertos ever written and his Symphony No. 6, the ‘Pathétique’, is one of the great symphonic masterpieces of all time. He turned to
literary and dramatic sources, including Shakespeare, for a number of orchestral compositions. Tchaikovsky’s music combines tuneful melodies, impressive harmonies and colourful orchestrations. As a young man, he became involved with the nationalist movement, the Mighty Handful or "The Five" when he met Mily Balakirev, one of its founders. Pyotr Tchaikovsky, known for his beautiful melody with such poignant and romantic expression was the first Russian composer to establish a reputation with Western audiences.
Tchaikovsky was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally, bolstered by his appearances as a guest conductor in Europe and the United States. He was honored in 1884 by Tsar Alexander III, and awarded a lifetime pension.
Although musically precocious, Tchaikovsky was educated for a career as a civil servant. At the time there was scant opportunity for a musical career in Russia. When an opportunity arose, he entered the nascent Saint Petersburg Conservatory, from which he graduated in 1865. The formal Western-oriented teaching he received there set him apart from composers of the contemporary nationalist movement embodied by the Russian composers of 'The Five' led my Mily Balakirev, with whom his professional relationship was mixed. Tchaikovsky's training set him on a path to reconcile what he learned with the native musical practices was exposed from childhood. From this reconciliation he forged a personal Russian style—a task that did not prove easy.
On his creativity, Pyotr Tchaikovsky displayed a wide stylistic and emotional range, from light salon works to grand symphonies. Some of his works, such as the Variations on a Rococo Theme, employ a "Classical" form reminiscent of 18th-century composers most especially that of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, his musical god, and evidently his favourite composer. Other compositions, such as his Little Russian symphony and his opera Vakula the Smith, flirt with musical practices more akin to those of the Russian " Mighty Five", especially in their use of folk song. Other works, such as Tchaikovsky's last three symphonies, employ a personal musical idiom that facilitated intense emotional expression. (Here are two of my all-time favourite symphonies: (1) Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 - Russian State Symphony Orchestra/Petrenko (2015). State Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation 'Evgeny Svetlanov' VASILY PETRENKO, conductor. Recording: Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Moscow, 21 December 2015. (2) "Pathetique" Symphony No. 6, with Barenboim conducting Berliner Philharmoniker. YouTube, Accessed May 7, 2017. Tchaikovsky - Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 (Richter, Kagan, Gutman). Uploaded by Max Lima. Accessed May 7, 2020.)
(Jakob Ludwig) Felix Mendelssohn (Bartholdy), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. His music has the charm of classical music. Among his best-known works: (I try hard not to be biased when profiling a loved composer) A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Fingal's Cave overture, the song "On Wings of Song" (German: "Auf Flügeln des Gesanges"), five symphonies, which include the Reformation, the Italian, and the Scottish, choral symphony Lobgesang, motets, and his greatest oratorio, Elijah.
A grandson of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, Felix Mendelssohn was born into a prominent Jewish family. He was close to his older sister Fanny Mendelssohn, also a composer, five years his senior. Until the age of seven, he was brought up without religion, then baptised as a Reformed Christian. Early on, he was recognised as a musical prodigy but his parents did not seek to capitalise on his talent.
There have been numerous articles written about Felix Mendelssohn. This post is a remembrance to celebrate his birthday, complimenting his life, music and musical style, and his influence in the Romantic Era.
Famous for his engaging romantic music, Mendelssohn's compositions have the beauty of classical music applied to romantic themes. Unlike many of his contemporaries or predecessors, he based most of his works on personal experiences rather than from inspired literature or drawn out imagination.
Mendelssohn's Song without Words, Op. 19,1, (Lieder ohne Worte) performed by Richter. The quality of recording may not do justice to Richter's playing but it's still beautiful.
Classical Music / Composers Datebook: December 16 (or 17)
Considered greatest of German classical composers, Beethoven was baptized in Bonn. His exact birth date is unknown. Biographers generally quote December 16.
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized December 16 (17), 1770 – March 26, 1827), was a German composer and pianist. He is regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of music, a predominant figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music.
Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, to Johann van Beethoven and Magdalena Keverich van Beethoven. He was baptized on December 17, but his family and later teacher Johann Albrechtsberger celebrated his birthday on December 16. Beethoven's first music teacher was his father, a musician in the Electoral court at Bonn who was apparently a harsh and unpredictable instructor. Johann would often come home from a bar in the middle of the night and pull young Ludwig out of bed to play for him and his friend.
Beethoven's talent was recognised at a very early age. His first notable teacher was Christian Gottlob Neefe. In 1787 young Beethoven traveled to Vienna for the first time.
Mozart had a powerful influence on the early works of Beethoven. They are said to have met in Vienna this year, however, there is no evidence of this. Planned to study under Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, this did not materialise when he was summoned to his mother's deathbed who was dying of tubercolosis. She died when he was 16, shortly followed by his sister, and for several years he was responsible for raising his two younger brothers because of his father's worsening alcoholism.
Later, when he moved to Vienna in 1792, Mozart had died the previous year. He studied for a time with Joseph Haydn and quickly gained a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. From the beginning to the end of his creative life, Beethoven constantly expanded his style and ideals, and his work forms a bridge between the Classical and Romantic periods.
In his late twenties he began to lose his hearing and this came as a terrible blow, and yet he continued to produce notable masterpieces throughout his life in the face of this personal disaster. His reputation and genius have inspired generations of composers, musicians, and audiences after him.
Mozart's Influence on Beethoven
From Beethoven's childhood, it appeared that everybody wanted him to be a Mozart! How did this expectation influence his life? Here's an interesting article from 'Popular Beethoven'. Read on, here.
Composers who most influenced Beethoven
Here's another interesting post of composers likely to have influenced Beethoven. Thanks to Alex Rosas Navarro (from Beethoven's Facebook Community Group) who kindly shared this for public posting. 7 June 2025.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was a revolutionary figure, but his innovations did not arise in isolation. He was deeply influenced by earlier composers, whose techniques, structures, and emotional range he studied and reworked into his own style. His journey from Classical clarity to Romantic depth was built on the legacy of these musical ancestors.
1. Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
Role: Beethoven’s teacher in Vienna (1792–1794) Influence: Structural discipline, thematic economy, and development techniques
“I did not learn anything from Haydn,” Beethoven once said—yet this was more rebellion than truth.
Key Influences:
Haydn’s use of motivic development strongly shaped Beethoven’s symphonic writing.
The “surprise” techniques, rhythmic wit, and economy of materials in Haydn's works informed Beethoven's own innovative musical architecture.
Beethoven's early symphonies and piano sonatas clearly reflect Haydn’s clarity and formal elegance.
Example:
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 — echoes Haydn’s late symphonies in structure and tone.
2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Influence: Melodic elegance, dramatic flair, operatic phrasing, and harmonic color
Though Beethoven never studied with Mozart formally (a brief meeting may have occurred in 1787), Mozart’s music was a central pillar in Beethoven’s early development.
Key Influences:
The Classical concerto model in Beethoven’s early piano concertos was based on Mozart’s concertos.
Mozart’s sense of proportion, contrast, and melodic grace helped Beethoven refine lyrical expression in his chamber and vocal works.
Examples:
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 — reminiscent of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C minor, K. 491 in its key and emotional weight.
Influence: Emotional expression, sudden contrasts, and improvisatory style
C.P.E. Bach, son of J.S. Bach, was a pioneer of the Empfindsamer Stil (sensitive style), emphasizing sudden dynamic changes and emotional turbulence—elements that Beethoven would develop into Romantic expressivity.
Key Influences:
C.P.E.’s keyboard sonatas, with their dramatic irregularities and expressive intensity, foreshadow Beethoven’s bold piano writing.
His ornamentation and flexible phrasing influenced Beethoven’s solo improvisations and fantasia-like slow movements.
Example:
Beethoven’s Fantasia in G minor, Op. 77 carries clear traces of C.P.E. Bach’s free-form, expressive spirit.
Beethoven’s reverence for J.S. Bach grew especially in his late period, as he began integrating complex polyphony and fugal techniques into his compositions.
“Not Bach, but the sea should be his name!” — Beethoven (a pun: “Bach” means “brook” in German)
Key Influences:
Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier was essential study for Beethoven’s keyboard technique and contrapuntal thinking.
Beethoven’s
Grosse Fuge, Op. 133
Hammerklavier Sonata, Op. 106 — the final fugue is one of the most complex ever written for piano.
Beethoven admired Handel's oratorios and dramatic architecture, and saw him as the greatest master of musical massiveness and clarity.
Key Influences:
Handel’s ability to build large-scale musical drama from simple themes inspired Beethoven’s treatment of symphonic finales and choral works.
“He is the greatest composer that ever lived. I would uncover my head and kneel before his tomb.” — Beethoven on Handel
Examples:
The finale of Symphony No. 5 shows Handelian power in its driving simplicity.
The “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9 is structurally influenced by Handel’s choral oratorios, especially Messiah.
Key works
Beethoven's key works include piano concertos, Piano Sonatas, Mass in D (Missa Solemnis), the nine symphonies, and some strings, and Fidelio, his only opera. One famous piece of music is his "Fur Elise". one of his last String Quartets, Op. 131 in C sharp minor has the largest number of movements, which is 7.
Below video: Featuring Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" live at the Sydney Opera House. Performed by our Sydney Philharmonia Choir's ChorusOz, hosted by the ABC Classic with presenters Vanessa Hughes and Damien Beaumont. The concert is part of ChorusOz, run annually by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Performed by Sharon Zhai (soprano), Bronwyn Douglass (mezzo-soprano), Brad Cooper (tenor), Simon Meadows (bass-baritone), ChorusOz 2019, Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra, Brett Weymark (conductor). ChorusOz 2019. (The performance was a part of ChorusOz, run annually by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs to let people who can't commit to a regular choir have the opportunity to sing at the Sydney Opera House. Other singers across Australia and visiting singers are also invited to join.)
Most famous work: Symphony 9 "Choral"
The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, "Choral", is a choral symphony considered Beethoven's most famous work, composed between 1822 and 1824. It was first performed in Vienna on 7 May 1824. The symphony is regarded by many critics and musicologists as a masterpiece of Western classical music and one of the supreme achievements in the history of music. One of the best-known works in common practice music, it stands as one of the most frequently performed symphonies in the world. This is the crowning glory of his "Immortal Nine" symphonies. The fourth movement (Finale), its concluding magnificent chorus, Ode an die Freude (Ode to Joy), is the official anthem of the European Union. about peace and triumph of universal brotherhood against war and desperation, and the prelude to the fourth – and final – movement of Ludwig van
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
Finland's greatest 19th century nationalist composer, whose musical inspirations were derived from native legends. Famous for symphonic poem 'Finlandia' and orchestral works.
”Nature is coming to life: that life which I so love, now and forever, whose essence shall infuse everything that I compose." ~ Jean Sibelius
Johan Julius Christian "Jean" Sibelius (Dec 8, 1865 – Sept 20, 1957) was a classical music Finnish composer, one of the most notable composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. Considered the most distinguished Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius was comfortably brought up in a musical environment by his mother and grandmother.
A son of an army doctor, he was born into a Swedish-speaking family in Haemeenlinna in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland. Although known as "Janne" to his family, during his student years he began using the French form of his name, "Jean", from a stack of visiting cards used by his seafaring uncle.
His family sent him to a Finnish language school, and he attended The Haemeelinna normal-lycee from 1876 to 1885. Romantic Nationalism was to become a crucial element in Sibelius's artistic output and his politics. The heart of Sibelius's ouvre is his seven symphonies. He used each one to develop a single musical idea and to further develop his own personal compositional style, very much like Beethoven. His works continue to be performed frequently in the concert hall and recorded.
English composer famous for "Pomp and Circumstance"
English Romantic composer and church organist, Edward Elgar (b. June 2, 1857 - d. February 23, 1934), is born in Broadheath. He succeeded his father as church organist in Worcester's St. George's Roman Catholic church. Famous for his Enigma Variations and the magnificent "Pomp and Circumstance", Elgar is often considered as the greatest English-born composer since Henry Purcell, two centuries ago.
The introduction of the microphone in 1925 made far more accurate sound reproduction possible, and Elgar made new recordings of most of his major orchestral works and excerpts from his well-known "The Dream of Gerontius".
Clara Schumann, nee Wieck, was a composer whose work has only recently become appreciated by audiences the world over. She was a dutiful daughter, a mother of eight children, a loyal friend and a loving wife. But first and foremost she was a concert pianist - 1,299 programs are preserved in the Robert Schumann house in Zwickau which encompass the years from the time of her debut at the age of nine to her last concert in Frankfurt when she was 71 years old.
Born on September 13th, 1819, to Friedrich Wieck and his wife Marianne, she was destined at birth by her father’s will to become a “Wunderkind.” By the age of five she could already perform ‘dances’ and spent hours practicing exercises. At about this time, Clara’s mother, tired of Wieck’s relentless daily sarcastic criticism, chose to leave Wieck and return to her own parent’s home thereby leaving Clara and her three brothers in the care of their father. The trauma resulting from this abandonment by her mother caused Clara to quite literally lose her faculty of speech, which she did not regain until she was reunited with her mother during the summer of 1825.
German Composer, Master in Opera. Classical and Romantic era
Carl Maria von Weber's brief biography – his life and major works. He is best known for founding the Romantic school of opera after producing his famous Der Freischütz.
Born: Eutin,
18 November 1786
Died: London, 5 June 1826
Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1844), German composer of the Romantic era, is best remembered for establishing the Romantic school of opera with his Der Freischütz, his famous opera produced in Berlin, and recognized throughout Germany as instrumental in helping found a truly German national opera style, already challenged earlier by Mozart.
Carl Maria (Friedrich Ernst) von Weber, born on 18 November 1786, was a son of a musician. His was cousin of Constanze Weber, wife of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. From childhood, he received a strong musical education from his family-operated traveling Weber Theatre Company, his own mother performing so that by age 13, he successfully produced his opera Das Waldmadchen (The Forest Maiden.)
Weber - Overture to the Opera "Oberon" (Israel Philharmonic Orchestra). Barenboim, conducting. YouTube, uploaded by EuroArtsChannel. Accessed November 18, 2022.
Below is a performance of Weber's opera Overture From “Der Freischütz” with Südfunk-Sinfonieorchester
1970.
Carlos Kleiber, conducting. Video credit: YouTube, uploaded by RayChuan. Accessed November 18, 2022.
Eugène Ysaÿe was born on July 16, 1858. He was a Belgian violinist, composer and conductor born in Liège. Regarded as "The King of the Violin" and considered one of most important composers of Belgium and greatest virtuosos of his day, he toured as a solo violinist and conductor throughout Europe and the United States. Although he never studied composition formally, he mastered writing in a Romantic style.
In 1886, he formed the Ysaye Quartet and few year later, premiered Debussys's quartet.
Among his celebrity relatives were his brother, pianist and composer Théo Ysaÿe (1865–1918), and his great-grandson Marc Ysaÿe, drummer of rock band Machiavel.
Brief biography of Jacques
Offenbach – his life, operettas and other works. Hailed as 'The Mozart of Champs-Elysees' and 'Father of French Operetta', he is famous for his masterpiece and only opera 'The Tales of Hoffman' completed by Giraud.
Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880), French composer, cellist and impressario, of German origin, was one of the two outstanding composers in popular music of the 19th-century, the other one was Johann Strauss Junior. He is best known for his only opera Les contes d’Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffman) with its fantasy and appealing melody. Offenbach had a rare gift for catchy tunes particularly in dance rhythms. He had been dubbed as 'Father of French Operetta' and 'The Mozart of Champs-Élysees.'
Earlier Years
Jacques Offenbach was born on June 20, 1819, in Cologne, Kingdom of Prussia, the son of a synagogue cantor, Offenbach showed early musical talent. At the age of 14, he was accepted as a student at the Paris Conservatoire; He found academic study unfulfilling and left after a year, but remained in Paris. From 1835 to 1855 he earned his living as a cellist, achieving international fame, and as a conductor. His ambition, however, was to compose comic pieces for the musical theatre. Finding the management of Paris's Opéra-Comique company uninterested in staging his works, in 1855 he leased a small theatre in the Champs-Élysées. There, during the next three years, he presented a series of more than two dozen of his own small-scale pieces, many of which became popular.
Jacques Hoffmann's The Tales of Hoffmann. Youtube, uploaded by Altea Media / I Love TV. Accessed June 20, 2024. Opera in 3 acts, with prologue and epilogue
libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on three short stories by E.T.A. Hoffman
premiered in Paris, Opéra Comique, February 10, 1881.
Director: Jean-Louis Grinda. Hoffmann: Juan Diego Florez. Chorus of the Monte-Carlo Opera
Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Musical direction: Jacques Lacombe.
The Composer
Offenbach's music was known for his cheerful and exuberant music. He career began with some years of experience as a solo and orchestral cellist, and a year study at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1850 he became a theatre conductor and five years later, he got his own stage works performed. He started working on Tales of Hoffmann in the 1870s leaving it unfinished when he died of a heart attack in Paris. The score was completed by Ernest Guiraud in 1881, with a posthumous premiere presentation.
In spite the popularity of Tales of Hoffmann, Offenbach's most significant achievements and international success lie in the operettas (“little operas”) he wrote in the 1860s forBouffes Parisiens (Parisian Comedy), a company he owned which staged shows in a small theatre he rented in fashionable Champs-Elysees.
Through him the operetta became an established International genre evolving into the 20th-century, heavily influencing Arthur Sullivan and Franz Lehar, among others.
He created more than hundreds of scores for the theatre, some of the noteworthy ones areOrphee aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld), best-known for its famous overture and can-can, La Belle Helene (Beautiful Helen), Barbe-Bleue (Bluebeard) and La Vie Parisienne (Parisian Life), La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein (Grand Duchess of Gerolstein) and Le Perichole.
Offenbach died in Paris, October 5, 1880.
Offenbach's Legacy
Jacques Offenbach is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Franz von Suppé, Johann Strauss II and Arthur Sullivan. His best-known works were continually revived during the 20th century,
and many of his operettas continue to be staged in the 21st. The Tales of Hoffmann remains part of the standard opera repertory.
Offenbach's Operettas
Le
marriage aux lanterns1853
Les Deux
aveugles (The Two Blind Men)1855
Orpheé
aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld)1858(This was later revised)
La Belle
Hélene1864
Barbe-Blue
(Bluebeard)1866
La Vie
Parisienne1866
La
Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein)1867
La
Périchole1868
Madame
Favart(1878)
Offenbach's Opera
Les Contes d'Hoffman (The Tales of Hoffmann), orchestration was completed posthumously by Ernest Guiraud1880. This opera is based on the strange tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann, a German writer. One of Offenbach's most popular and enchanting melodies "Barcarolle" is included.
Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin was a Polish composer and piano player. His music was exclusively written for piano. He lived in Paris since 1830, aged 20, where he changed his name into Frédéric François Chopin. He is famous for Piano concertos 1 and 2, nocturnes, etudes, mazukas, and the popular solo piano "Fantaisie-Impromptu".
Frédéric François Chopin was born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin, on March 1, 1810, in Zelazowa Wola, Masovia region, Duchy of Warsaw, Poland. His father, named Mikolaj (Nicolas) Chopin, was a Frenchman who came to Poland from Lorraine, and eventually became professor at Warsaw Lyceum. His mother, named Tekla Justina Krzyzanovska, was a relative of Polish Countess Ludwika Skarbkowa, owner of the Zelazowa Wola estate.
From 1816-1822 Chopin studied piano under professional musician Wojcech Zywny. He wrote his first piano compositions at the age of 7. At 8, he gave piano concerts and wanted to become a professional piano player.
In 1820, Chopin moved with his family to Warsaw. There he gained a reputation as a "second Mozart" for his piano playing. He moved to Paris in 1830, aged 20, where he was welcomed by important composers of his time like Franz Liszt and Hector Berlioz as well as no prominent authors like Heinrich Heine and Honoré de Balzac.
The aristocratic circles had Chopin playing in their salon all the time, especially his own polonaise compositions which were inspired by his Polish background.
Note: Apology, the video of the legendary concert pianist Martha Argerich playing Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11, with Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra, conducted by Jacek Kaspszyk, is no longer available when I revisited Youtube (1 March 2024). Instead, I found this link: Here. I hope this stays available: Martha Argerich: Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11(Live in Warsaw, 1999). Sinfonia Varsovia conducted by Alexandre Rabinovitch May 14, 1999 Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa.
Below, I found this video uploaded by Michael Nichols: Martha Argerich interpreting Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2, conducted by Bernard Klee. The orchestra is not mentioned. Accessed 1 March 2024.
Classical Music / Composer's Datebook: September 4
Brief biography of Anton Bruckner, Austrian composer and organist of the Romantic Period. As a composer or as a person, it's not easy to categorize Anton Bruckner. His life and music is full of fascinating yet absorbing paradox. He did
not win wide recognition for many years, but is now regarded as one of the great symphonic composers of the 19th century.
Austrian composer and organist Anton
Bruckner spent most of his life quietly teaching and composing. Unlike Wagner who greatly influenced him and he admired, Anton Bruckner was not a man of the world who openly promoted his pursuits. He did not exude the Vienna sophistication although he moved in Viennese circles, remaining much like an outsider until his death on October
1896.
Early Years
Bruckner was born in Ansfelden, September 4,
1824. His music training started at four with lessons in violin. He was the son of a schoolmaster and organist. After his father died, (Bruckner was 13), he became a chorister at St. Florian’s monastery school and an organist at 21 years of age. By this time, he began to compose and went to study in Vienna in 1855. Although
he was an outstanding organist, he composed very little for the instrument.
Career & Influences
A staunch Roman Catholic, Anton Bruckner was a deeply religious man who wrote music solely for the church until the age of 40
when he met Wagner, becoming the latter's admirer and friend. Bruckner then took to writing symphonies of epic-length proportions.
Bruckner was cathedral organist at Linz and professor at the Vienna
Conservatoire.
In the early 1860s, at 37, he studied with
Kitzler whose methods were based on the new composers of the Romantic Movement, such as Beethoven. He was greatly influenced by this and from here, his compositions evolved from the old-fashioned church organist to an innovator of originality. Bruckner's second and final transformation happened after seeing Wagner’s opera Tannhauser in 1865. Amazed at the way Wagner could break the rules of formal composition, at the same time create such overpowering music, was a revelation to him. Bruckner immediately
amended his own approach.
His symphonies, as well as his early religious
choral pieces (masses and motets), and the late Te Deum still reflect his profound religious outlook. Symphony no.4: The “Romantic”, a traditionally piece of Romantic orchestral work is quite popular too. Symphony no.9, his last, was left unfinished when he died.
Bruckner Legacy
Bruckner achieved success much later than many
of his contemporaries. He was overshadowed by Brahms throughout his life. He was already 60 when his first performance of Symphony no.7 finally claimed success. For his place in the history of music, although still refuted by some critics, he has now been considered one of the “Magnificent Seven” Viennese symphonists - the others being Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and Mahler.
Master of the Operetta. Musical Partner of Playwright William Gilbert
Brief biography of British composer Arthur Sullivan, of the Gilbert & Sullivan fame, their "Savoy Operas." Best known for 'The Mikado'.
Sir Arthur Sullivan (b. London. 13 May 1842 - d. London. 22 November 1900), English composer of the 19th century, is best known for the series of sparkling and witty comic operettas he wrote in collaboration with librettist Sir William Gilbert. The humorous The Mikado is their most popular.
Aside from the The Mikado, other popular Gilbert and Sullivan operettas includeHMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, Iolanthe, the Yeomen of the Guard, and The
Gondoliers. Together, they produced 13 operettas.
Sullivan was born in London, May 13, 1842. The son of a bandmaster, he was properly trained in the German tradition, won the first Mendelssohn Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London and studied further at the Leipzig Conservatory, where he met Liszt and Grieg, before returning to England as a church organist. He became a professor of Composition
ta the Royal Academy.
Prior to his partnership with Gilbert, Sullivan was already composing sacred music, with “Onward, Christian Soldiers” probably the best known. Aside from sacred music, Sullivan also composed serious instrumental music and concert works. Although his compositions were overshadowed by the 19th-century composers like Brahms, Mendelssohn and
Schumann, his works were still attractive and crafted professionally.
Sullivan much wanted to succeed as a composer of serious music, the oratorio, in particular, but it's his operettas with
Gilbert that is well remembered and kept alive. His operatic works, for example, the opera Ivanhoe in 1890, he valued highly.
His career focus and direction changed from a significant meeting in 1871 with playwright William Gilbert. The changes also brought Gilbert and Sullivan fame and prominence. Together their team to produced successful operettas known as "Savoy Operas" usually performed at the Savoy Theatre in London's Strand.
Here's a link to the production of The Mikado 1992 Buxton. YouTube, uploaded by Jim Manson. Accessed 13 May 2011.
One of the highly popular songs from this operetta is "Alone and yet Alive," most disheartening from loss of hope and courage, sung by the character Katisha who mourns her loss. Below, the same despondent song, interpreted by mezzo soprano Jacqueline Dark as Katisha, recorded at State Theatre, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne. (YouTube, uploaded by Jacqui Dark. Accessed May 13, 2016.)
Sullivan's partnership with Gilbert broke down sometime in 1890, after a quarrel over expenses at the Savoy. During a 'peace conference' at the Savoy Theatre, Gilbert's temper got the better of him: he roared that Carte was exploiting and robbing both himself and Sullivan, turned on Carte and Sullivan, called them blackguards, then stormed out of the meeting. Gilbert and Sullivan, however, reunited in the 1890s for two more operas, but these did not achieve the popularity of their earlier works.
Sullivan's infrequent serious pieces during the 1880s included two cantatas, The Martyr of Antioch and The Golden Legend, his most popular choral work. He also wrote incidental music for West End productions of several Shakespeare plays, and held conducting and academic appointments. Sullivan's only grand opera, Ivanhoe,
though initially successful in 1891, has rarely been revived.
Sullivan continued to compose comic operas with various
librettists and wrote other major and minor works. He is regarded as Britain's foremost composer. His comic opera style
served as a model for generations of musical theatre composers that followed, and his music is still frequently performed, recorded and pastiched. Arthur Sullivan died at the age of 58, in November 22, 1900, following a heart attack.
Although to this day The Mikado is a universal favourite, it is worth noting that H.M.S. Pinafore opened in London (May 1878) run for 700 consecutive performances. From historical context their light opera paved way to the development of the stage and screen musical age. Sullivan was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1883.
Quoted from Queen Victoria (1819-1901): "You ought to write a grand opera, Sir Arthur, you would do it so well."
Sullivan's Major Works:
The Sorcerer, 1877
HMS Pinafore, 1878
The Pirates of Penzance, 1879
Patience, 1881
Iolanthe, 1882
Princess Ida, 1884
The Mikado, 1885
The Yeomen of the Guard, 1888
The Gondoliers, 1889
Photo Credit:
Arthur Sullivan. en.wikipedia.org / Public Domain.
Resources:
1. The Grove Dictionary of Music, edited by Stanley Sadie, Macmillan (1994)
2. The Oxford Companion to Music, edited by Alison Latham, OUP (2002)
3. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org
Note: This piece was originally published for Suite101.com, January 13, 2008. This is an abridged version. / Tel)
(c) May 2008. Updated Mary 13, 2021. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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