Transcript - Lawton Public Schools

Music Style: Romantic
Lifetime: 1840-1893
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky did not begin studying
music seriously until the age of 22. Until then, he
had only taken a few piano lessons. After
graduating from preparatory school, he became a
clerk in the Russian Ministry of Justice. While
working for the government, he wrote a song, and
began considering music as a career. At 22, he
left his job and entered the musical conservatory
of St. Petersburg, Russia, where he studied
composition and orchestration. Upon graduation
from the conservatory, he moved to Moscow,
Russia, and became an instructor of music theory
at the Moscow Conservatory. After Tchaikovsky's
marriage failed, a wealthy widow, Nadezhda
Filaretovna von Meck, began supporting him
financially. Madame von Meck supported
Tchaikovsky for 13 years on one condition: that he
never attempt to meet her. In 1890, Madame von
Meck ended her financial support. Although
Tchaikosky no longer needed the money, he was
greatly hurt by this; he felt that his greatest
supporter had abandoned him.
A nineteenth century
depiction of the Bach
family at morning
music practice. Bach
is at the keyboard and
the other family
members are playing
or singing.
Portrait of
Wolfgang
Amadeus
Mozart as a
child.
Piotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky
Wolfang Mozart
Johann Sebastian Bach
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Music Style: Baroque
Lifetime: 1685-1750
The name J.S. Bach is almost synonymous in modern
day with mastery of baroque music composition. He is
widely (or universally) recognized as one of three
giants of the art form (along with Mozart and
Beethoven). Additionally, he was master of the church
organ, harpsichord, and an accomplished violinist.
Although quite multitalented, musical composition was
the driving force of his life. Ironically, maybe tragically,
he achieved virtually no success or professional
recognition as a composer in his own lifetime. Of the
nearly one thousand musical compositions currently
listed in the Bach musical catalog (BWV) only a dozen
of these were published in his lifetime. Furthermore,
some of those were printed at Bach's own expense.
There is much debate over the lack of interest in his
Bach's music during his life. However, the consensus
is that many musicians at time considered his music
technically challenging. J. S. Bach began his
auspicious career in music at the age of fifteen as an
organ mechanic and tuner, moving from town to town.
He was quickly regarded as a talented technician, and
all through his life continued to service his large
collection of musical instruments. Bach resorted to a
variety of commercial enterprises
to support his large family. With
the burden of 20 children to
support, Bach seemed quite
sufficiently motivated. Indeed, it
has been estimated that an
experienced music Memorial to
hand writer would
J. S. Bach in
need 40 years to
Leipzig,
copy his life's work. Germany
PeanutsSchroeder
&
Beethoven
Music Style: Classical
Lifetime: 1756-1791
Encouraged by his father, Leopold, Wolfang Mozart
began playing the clavier at the age of 3. By age 5
he began composing, and by 10 he had written his
first symphony. He could play any music put in front
of him on the clavier, organ, or violin. He wrote his
first opera at 14. Wolfgang was a child musical
prodigy. His father, a violinist, guided Wolfgang's
career as a touring concert artist throughout
Europe. Throughout his life, Mozart never had any
difficulty in getting his music performed or
published, and it was very much admired and
appreciated by audiences in Vienna and throughout
Europe. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a short
man with piercing eyes and long hair which he
groomed carefully. He was outgoing, always
friendly, and enjoyed the company of others. He is
considered one of the greatest composers of the
eighteenth century.
Mozart
directing
his
Requiem
on his
death-bed
(from the
painting by
Mihaly
Munkacsy)
Early 1892: Tchaikovsky begins
work on the music for the
Nutcracker. Upon completion of
the score in the summer of 1892
Tchaikovsky wrote that the music
he composed was "infinitely
poorer than The Sleeping Beauty"
(which he had composed and
premiered in 1890.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Music Style: Classical/Romantic Lifetime: 1770-1827
Ludwig van Beethoven began taking piano lessons
at age four. When Ludwig turned eight, his father
decided to make money from his son's talent. He
presented Ludwig as a concert pianist and
advertised that the eight year old Ludwig was only
six years old. Although Ludwig never a child
musical prodigy like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
by 14 he was quite a good musician and become
he assistant organist at a local church. At 17, he
met Mozart, who predicted a great career in music
Beethoven. By age 19, he was playing violin in
local orchestras and giving music lessons to help
support his family. The period 1800-1815 was
prolific of Beethoven. By 1815 (age 45) he had
completed 8 symphonies, 27 piano sonatas,
numerous sonatas for various string instruments,
10 piano trios, 11 string quartets, dozens of
orchestral works, and numerous vocal solos and
choral works. Composing was difficult for
Beethoven. He anguished over every piece. He
had begun losing his hearing in his 20s. By his
mid-40s he gave up his performing career,
devoting as much time as possible to composing.
The last 12 years of his life were spent composing
while he slowly but steadily lost all of his hearing.
He fell in love several times but never married; his
poor origins prevented him from marrying the
upper-class women he desired. In practical
matters such as renting an apartment, organizing
performances of his music, or publishing his
music, he was disaster. Beethoven was short,
stocky, and muscular. He dressed carelessly. He
was often restless and moody, and worked at
composing every morning with intense
concentration. He would fly into a rage at small
matters which upset him, yet he was always loyal
to his friends and supporters.
Frederic Chopin
Music Style: Romantic
Lifetime: 1810-1849
Called a "musical genius" when he was a teenager,
Chopin composed a remarkable variety of brilliant
pieces warlike polonaises, elegant waltzes, romantic
nocturnes, and poetic ballades and etudes. He began
to take piano lessons when he was 6 years old. He
started to compose music even before he knew how to
write down his ideas. At the age of 8 he performed in a
public charity concert. Chopin's first published musical
work, a rondo, appeared when he was 15 years old.
When Chopin graduated from the lyceum, at 17, he
was recognized as the leading pianist of Warsaw and a
talented composer. After Chopin gave two successful
concerts in Vienna when he was 19, he began writing
works designed for his original piano style. An
important influence was a romantic friendship with
Baroness Dudevant, better known as the novelist
George Sand. Chopin died of tuberculosis, at age 39.
He wrote few concertos and sonatas. Instead he
perfected freer musical forms. Among his compositions
are some 50 mazurkas, 25 preludes, 24 etudes, 21
nocturnes, 17 waltzes, 11 polonaises, 4 ballades and 3
sonatas.
Chopin
(Drawing by Rudolph
Lehmann, 1847)
(Photo: The
only known
photograph of
Chopin taken
by Bisson in
1849, the year
of Chopin’s
death).
Five
Great Composers
Music Styles
Baroque, Classical,
and Romantic
1685 to 1849
Brief biographies
J. S. BACH
BEETHOVEN
MOZART
Ludwig van Beethoven
composing at a piano.
Painting by Hermann
Junker.
TCHAIKOVSKY
CHOPIN
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