Composers in the history of music

To know the background of the composer is important in terms of the background behind the pieces. The life and major works of 19 major piano composers in the history of Western music have included in this section. The picture image of the composer has been attached in the text.

Baroque Period- Rameau, Handel, J.S. Bach

Classical Period- Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven

Romantic Period- Schubert, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy

20th Century- Sibelius, Rachmaninov, Schoenberg, Bartok, Stravinsky

Gershwin- No.1 from Three Preludes

List D- Gershwin No.1 from Three Preludes

Starts from beginning to 1:30

Performed by Krystian Zimerman

Zimerman was born in Zabrze and studied at the Katowice Conservatory. His career was launched when he won the 1975 Warsaw International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition.

Zimerman is best known for his interpretations of Romantic music, but has performed a wide variety of classical pieces as well. He has also been a supporter of contemporary music.

Chopin- Waltz in F minor, Op.70 No.2

List C- Chopin Waltz in F minor, Op.70, No.2

Chopin- Prelude in A flat, Op.28 No.17

List C- Chopin Prelude in A flat, Op.28, No.17

This piece is also performed by Rubinstein.

Chopin- Nocturne in B, Op.32 No.1

List C- Chopin Nocturne in B, Op.32, No.1

Performed by Arthur Rubinstein

Rubinstein was a Polish-American pianist who is widely considered as one of the greatest piano virtuosi of the 20th century. He received international acclaim for his performances of Chopin and Brahms.

Chopin- Nocturne in E minor

List C- Chopin Nocturne in E minor, Op.72, No.1

Performed by Rubinstein

Mozart- Sonata in A, K.331

List B- Mozart 1st movement of Sonata in A, K331

Performed by Glenn Gould

Mozart- Sonata in D, K284

List B- Mozart Sonata in D, K284

First movement

Last movement, part 1

Last movement, part 2

Haydn- Sonata in C, Hob 50

List B- Haydn Sonata in C

Performed by Lang Lang, a Chinese pianist.

Lang Lang was two years old when he saw Tom playing piano in The Cat Concerto, a Tom and Jerry cartoon on TV (Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 by Liszt). According to Lang Lang, this first contact with Western music was what motivated him to learn the piano. He began lessons at age three. At the age of five, he won the Shenyang Piano Competition and played his first public recital.

In 1993, Lang won the Xing Hai Cup Piano Competition in Beijing, being awarded first prize for outstanding artistic performance at the Fourth International Young Pianists Competition Germany the next year

In 1995, at 13 years of age, he won first place at the Tchaikovsky International Young Musicians’ Competition in Japan.

Lang Lang is well known for his exaggerated mannerisms and facial expressions while playing piano, which has also affected his recent performances,

First Movement-

Second movement-

Third movement

Haydn- Sonata in G, Hob 40

List B- Haydn Sonata in G

Performed by Ruslan Sviridov, a Russian pianist.

Sviridov has won many piano competitions in Russia. He achieved international recognition as a pianist in 1994 when he won Grand Prix and a first prize at the Tortona International Musical Competition in Italy. In 1995, he was a prize-winner an the Kingsville International Piano Competition in Kingsville, Texas (USA) and several competitions in Italy.