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 [...]
Archive for the ‘Composers’ Category
Composers in the history of music
Posted in Composers on July 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Jean-Phillppe Rameau
Posted in Composers on July 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Jean-Phillppe Rameau (1683-1764), the foremost 18th century French composer, became known first as a theorist and only later as a composer, writing his major works late in life.
Theoretical works
Rameau sought to put music theory on a solid acoustical basis. He founded the theory of tonal music, as opposed to modal music, and all later tonal [...]
George Frideric Handel
Posted in Composers on July 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was a truly international composer. He was the first composer to be remembered by all later generations and to have his music performed in a continuous tradition down to the present.
Handel was born in Halle and studied organ and composition. In 1703 he moved to Hamburg, where he wrote his first [...]
Johann Sebastian Bach
Posted in Composers on July 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685- 1750) was born in Eisenach into a family of professional musicians and was trained by his father and elder brother. He blended German, French, and Italian styles, which he learned by copying and arranging music by leading composers of each region.
His blend of styles, genres, and forms and the balance in [...]
Franz Joseph Haydn
Posted in Composers on July 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) learned music through lessons, as a choirboy, and by studying counterpoint.
Instrumental Music
Symphonic form
Many early Haydn symphonies use the three-movement plan of the opera sinfonia or four-movements in the order Andante, Allegro, Minuet, Presto. Soon he adopted a standard pattern of four movements: Allegro, Andante, Minute-and Trio, and Allegro or Presto.
The Symphonies [...]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Posted in Composers on July 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was born in Salzburg, where his father served the archbishop. Wolfgang and his sister were child prodigies, and their father took them on tour around Europe. Mozart began composing at age five. His more than 600 works are identified by their number in the catalogue of his works by Ludwig von [...]
Ludwig van Beethoven
Posted in Composers on July 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1872) was born in Bonn in northwest Germany and was taught music by his father and a local organist. His career is divided into three periods. In the first, to about 1802, he assimilated the musical language, genres, and styles of his time. In the second, ca. 1803-16, his works were more [...]
Franz Schubert
Posted in Composers on July 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Franz Schubert (1797-1828 )
Orchestral Music
Schubert composed almost 1000 works in his short life, including more than 600 lieder. His Unfinished Symphony has been called the first Romantic symphony for its lyrical themes and striking orchestration, traits also true of his “Great” C-major Symphony.
Solo Music for Piano
Schubert wrote marches, dances, and lyrical works that create a [...]
Felix Mendelssohn
Posted in Composers on July 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1874)
Orchestral music
Mendelssohn combined Classical forms with themes reminiscent of foreign lands in his Symphonies No.4 (Italian, 1833) and 3 (Scottish, 1842).
Solo Music for Piano
Mendelssohn wrote a variety of piano works, including preludes and fugues that show his interest in Bach. Most popular are his Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words), which are like [...]
Fryderyk Chopin
Posted in Composers on July 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849)
Solo Music for Piano
Chopin wrote almost exclusively for piano. He was born in Poland and lived in Paris from 1831. His mazurkas and polonaises are stylized Polish dances and are among the first nationalist works of the 19th century. His playing style was more personal than theatrical, and his music is accordingly introspective. [...]
