www.themissingpianist.com

Joseph Haydn and His Work in Vienna

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Joseph Haydn was born on March 31,1732 and died on May 31,1839. He was born in Rohar, Austria. Haydn was one of the most revered and prolific composers of the Classical Period. He in many circles is referred to as the ‘Father of Symphony’ and the Father of the String quartet’. Joseph Haydn’s brother, Michael was also a very revered composer. Another Haydn brother, Johan was a very skilled and respected tenor. Joseph was close friends and collaborators with Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. Haydn had a musical singing audition in Vienna and passed easily. He came to the attention of Georg von Rutter of the Saint Stevens Cathedral in Vienna. In 1740 Joseph Haydn moved to Vienna where he worked for almost a decade perfecting and performing as a pianist and composing. After 1745 his brother Michael joined Joseph in Vienna. After that assignment Hayden worked for Count Morzin’s small orchestra, playing the piano and composing arrangements for the Count’s orchestra. Hayden spent his remaining years in Vienna with his friend and co collaborator Mozart. In honor of Mozart’s friendship and collaboration with Haydn he dedicated a set of six quartets that is now called the Haydn quartets

The Unique Works of Johann Sebastian Bach

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Ah, Bach. He was, hands down, the most influential Baroque composer who ever lived. His works and legacy are as extensive as any other composer, and far more extensive than most. He has left his stamp upon many other composers of import, including the great Mozart and Beethoven. And, even when compared with the less restrained and regulated compsitions of the subsequent Classical and Romantic periods, his works manage to be extremely original and fresh while still remaining within the confines of the Baroque period. In order to fully appreciate his multifaceted talent, let us examine a few of his most well-known works.

The blazing and majestic Toccata e Fugue in D minor is probably the most famous organ work ever composed by Bach. Bach was primarily an organist rather than a multi-instrumentalist, ans considered by many musicologists and musical historians to be the finest known organist to ever have lived. It starts off with an impressive D minor passages – with just an echo of a harmonic minor scale. It then spreads out into a full on harmonic D minor toccata, later segueing into a fugue with masterful clarity. Though Bach wrote a great many other works, he is regarded as the master of the fugue. He modeled his works on the earlier fugue masters like Pachelbel, but completely transcended any previous attempts at the form.

Then we have the Brandenburg Concertos, so named after the relatively obscure patron Christian Ludwig, margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt. They are a perfect example of Bach’s mastery over the Baroque constraints, being both original in compositional style and adhering to the strict, structured form of the Baroque era. One gets the impression that, if Bach had lived in the Classical period or the transitional period between the Romantic and the Classical, he could have eclipsed even Beethoven in terms of musical genius.

Religious Influences in the Works of George Fredric Handel

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Setting biblical scriptures to music was his passion. “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself.” George Fredric Handel was said to have pronounced in the epiphany of his composition, “The Halellujah Chorus,” one of the greatest movements in classical music history.

Born in German in 1685, son of Lutheran parents, Handel’s father was a barber and thought little of his son’s ambitions to write music. Perseverance reigned, and Handel made his mark with his extraordinary talent as a piano/organ virtuoso.

While most of his musical success took place in Engliand, both fickle audiences and the Church of England attacked him for what they called his practice of writing biblical dramas performed in secular theaters. By 1741 he was deeply in debt, as a result of influences from the people and church, and could only foresee debtor’s prison as being his future home.

Miraculously, a wealthy friend sponsored Handel for a musical libretto on the life of Christ. “The Messiah” played by symphony orchestras during the Christmas holiday worldwide was the result. An avid Christian believer in the Holy Trinity, he sought not to entertain, but to teach audiences to become willing to believe in his God.

Frederic Chopin Created Subtle Colors with Intricate Sounds

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Among the classical composers of the 19th century, most people overlook the great composer Frederic Chopin. Chopin was born in a village west of Warsaw on February 22, 1810. His family moved to Warsaw in October 1810 where Chopin started piano training at the age of six. By the age of eleven, he performed in a concert for Czar Alexander I at the opening of the Polish Parliament.

At thirteen, Chopin enrolled at the Warsaw Lyceum. In 1829, Chopin debuted at a concert in Vienna. Due to trouble in his homeland of Poland, Chopin eventually settled in Paris in 1832. He stayed in Paris for the remainder of his days. In 1836, he started a relationship with author Georges Sand in 1836 who greatly influenced his music and life. On November 16, 1848 Chopin performed his last concert in London and on October 17, 1849 Chopin passed away at the age of 39 in the arms of Georges Sand.

Although his life was tragically brief, Chopin created music that has withstood the test of time. His piano works are treasured for his subtle gift of intricate melody. People still leave flowers at his Paris grave in remembrance of the composer.