Gershwin Facts:
Born: September 26, 1898
Died: July 11, 1937
Country: America
Gershwin Trivia:
Gershwin's first published song was "When You Want 'Em You Can't Get 'Em, When You've Got 'Em, You Don't Want 'Em." It was published in 1916 when Gershwin was only 17 years old and earned him a total of $5.
In 1931, George composed Of Thee I Sing, the first Broadway musical to win a Pulitzer Prize.
Gershwin wrote Porgy and Bess, widely considered to be the most important American opera of the 20th century.
Gershwin died at the age of 38 from a brain tumor.
May, 2009
Brahms Facts:
Johannes Brahms
Born: May 7, 1833
Died: April 3, 1897
Country:
Germany
Brahms was one of the leading composers during the Romantic Era.
Brahms started studying piano at the age of 7. He also studied the cello for a time.
Brahms' Lullaby is actually called
Wiegenlied, Op. 49 No.
4
(Click
HERE
to hear a portion of the Lullaby. Can you name the musical instrument being played?)
April, 2009
Rachmaninoff Facts:
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff
Born: April 1, 1873
Died: March 28, 1943
Country: Russia
Spelling of last name: you will often see Sergei's last name spelled either "Rachmaninoff" or "Rachmaninov." Some sources say that "Rachmaninoff" is the spelling Sergei used himself during the latter years of his life.
Rachmaninoff lived in the era when piano players were popular and he
recorded a number of his compositions for various (player piano) roll
manufacturers.
Sergei possessed an uncanny memory. He could hear a musical piece and then play it without music the next day, the next week or even the next year.
Rachmaninoff had extremely large hands and a very large finger reach - something which helped him immensely at the piano!
March, 2009
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Webber Facts:
Born:
March 22, 1948
Died:
Country: England
Webber Trivia:
Andrew started composing at age 6. He was only 9 years old when one of his compositions was published for the first time.
Mr. Webber's awards include: seven Tonys; three Grammys, including Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Requiem; seven Oliviers; a Golden Globe; an Oscar; two International Emmys; the Praemium Imperiale; the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre; and The Kennedy Center Honor.
Andrew Webber was knighted in 1992 and created an honorary life peer in 1997.
A number of songs from Mr. Webber's musicals have become major hits on their own: "Don't Cry For Me Argentina," "Memory" and "The Music of the Night," to name just a few.
Rossini Facts:
Born:
February 29, 1792
Died: November 13, 1868
Country: Italy
Rossini started his musical career by playing a triangle in his father's band.
Rossini made one public appearance as a singer - at age 13.
Gioachino wrote his first opera when he was 13 or 14.
Rossini's most famous opera is The Barber of Seville.
For Americans, Rossini's most famous overture is from his opera Guillaume Tell (William Tell); it was made famous as the opening for the 50s television show, The Lone Ranger. For a video, click HERE.
January, 2009
Franz Peter Schubert
Schubert Facts:
Born:
January 31, 1797
Died: November 19, 1828
Country: Austria
Schubert Trivia:
Schubert received music theory lessons from Antonio Salieri - the same man who was also a friend of Mozart.
In 1815, Franz composed over 20,000 bars of music - a prolific output for any composer.
Schubert was a great admirer of Beethoven and, per Franz's request, he was buried next to Beethoven.
Franz Schubert wrote over 1000 works, a substantial amount of compositions when you consider that he died at the early age of 31.
Franz Liszt, our October, 2007, Composer of
the Month, called Schubert "the most poetic musician who ever
lived."
Click HERE
to hear a Schubert composition.)
December, 2008
Johan (Jean) Julius Christian
Sibelius
Sibelius Facts:
Born:
December 6, 1865
Died:
September 20, 1957
Country: Finland
Sibelius
Trivia:
Sibelius and his wife, Aino, were married for 64 years.
Finlandia is probably Sibelius' most well-known composition.
November, 2008
W. C. Handy
Handy Facts:
Born:
November 16, 1873
Died:
March 28, 1958
Country: America
Handy
Trivia:
Handy met his wife-to-be in Henderson, KY, while he was performing at a
barbecue.
Handy actually did grow up in a log cabin!
W. C. was 40 years old when he published what would become his most famous work - St. Louis Blues.
In 1943, Handy lost his balance and fell from a subway station and totally lost his vision.
After the death of his wife, Elizabeth, Handy remarried at the age of 80!
Handy is called the "Father of The Blues" because his style of playing the blues contributed to its popularity.
October, 2008
Georges Bizet
Bizet Facts:
Born:
October 25, 1838
Died:
June 3,1875
Country: France
Bizet
Trivia:
Despite being against the rules, Bizet was admitted into the
Paris Conservatory at the phenomenal age of 9!
Bizet's most famous work is the opera, Carmen.
Georges wrote his first symphony at the age of 16.
While putting music to the written word, Holst sometimes would learn a new language so that he could better understand the translation of the manuscript with which he was working. He learned both Sanskrit and Greek for this very reason.
Bizet died at the early age of 36 from a heart attack.
September, 2008
Gustav Holst
Holst Facts:
Born:
September 21, 1874
Died:
May 25, 1934
Country: England
Holst
Trivia:
Although his father wanted him to become a pianist, Gustav suffered from
neuritis in his hands (from an early age) and had to switch to another
musical instrument.
Gustav's first opera, named The Revoke, has never had a public performance.
While putting music to the written word, Holst sometimes would learn a new language so that he could better understand the translation of the manuscript with which he was working. He learned both Sanskrit and Greek for this very reason.
Gustav's most famous composition is The Planets; The Hymn of Jesus also was very successful.
Gustav's daughter, Imogen, became a distinguished composer, teacher, author, and conductor in her own right.
Sir Edward Elgar (see Other Composers) died the same year as Gustav.
May, 2008
Pyotr Il'ich Tchaikovsky
Tchaikovsky Facts:
Born: May 7, 1840
Died:
November 6, 1893
Country: Russia
Tchaikovsky Trivia:
Tchaikovsky's well-known and oft-played composition, 1812 Overture, was written for an outdoor performance with cannons.
It is believed that Tchaikovsky never heard his 1812 Overture composition played with live cannons as the first performance was held indoors instead of outdoors as planned.
To view a video of the closing moments of the 1812 Overture, click HERE.
April, 2008
Edward Kennedy
"Duke" Ellington
Ellington Facts:
Born: April 29, 1899
Died:
May 24, 1974
Country: America
Ellington
Trivia:
Duke Ellington
is considered by many
to be America's greatest composer, bandleader, and recording artist.
Ellington wrote over three thousand compositions before his death in 1974.
In 1970, President Richard Nixon awarded
Duke Ellington the
Presidential Medal of Freedom on the
occasion of the Duke's 70th birthday.
Duke Ellington has the distinction of having had a United States President play the piano for him.
Ellington got his nickname "Duke" from a classmate who admired him and thus crowned him with the honorary title.
Incredibly, Duke hated his early piano lessons and actually quit taking them because he was "bored."
In 2009, Duke Ellington became the first African American to be featured on a US coin. (Click on "coin" for more info.)
De la Guerre Facts:
Born: March 17, 1665
Died:
June 27, 1729
Country: France
De la Guerre
Trivia:
Ms. De la Guerre was a French composer and harpsichordist, considered the most
notable of all French composers during the
Baroque period of music.
At the young age of 5, Elisabeth performed for King Louis XIV by playing the harpsichord and singing.
Sadly, her ballad "Les jeux à l’honneur de la victoire" has been lost and there is no known copy available.
Ms. De la Guerre's father, her two brothers and her husband were all organists.
De la Guerre wrote both instrumental pieces and vocal compositions.
A harpsichord does not sound like a piano - see why by clicking on this picture:
February, 2008
John Williams
Williams Facts:
Born: February 8, 1932
Died:
Country: America
Williams
Trivia:
Williams conducted the Boston Pops from 1980-1993, following the
well-liked and talented conductor, Arthur Fielder.
Williams once walked out of a Boston Pops rehearsal when some Pops members hissed at a new composition he had written.
Only Walt Disney has had more Academy Award nominations than John Williams.
John Williams has a son, Joseph, who is the former lead singer for the American rock band, Toto. He was also the singing voice for the Adult Simba in Disney's The Lion King.
On June 23, 2000, Williams became the first inductee into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame.
Williams was married to actress
Barbara
Ruick from 1956 until her untimely death in 1974. In 1980, he
married his current wife, Samantha Winslow.
January, 2008
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc
Poulenc Facts:
Born: January 7,
1899
Died: January 30,
1963
Country: France
Poulenc
Trivia:
Francis Poulenc is the most famous member of the French composer group
called "Les Six" ("The Six").
The five other composers of Les Six are: Mihaud, Honegger, Tailleferre, Durey, Auric.
Poulenc was an excellent pianist.
Poulenc's nickname was "Half bad-boy, half monk."
Poulenc was a bridge enthusiast, a dog lover, and a hypochondriac.
Poulenc's first piano teacher was his mother.
Poulenc's best-known works were: Stabat Mater, Gloria and Mass in G.
Francis composed music for all major genres including choral, piano, art song, chamber music, oratorio, opera, ballet, orchestral, sacred and secular.
Francis died of heart failure at age 64.
December, 2007
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria
Puccini
Puccini Facts:
Born:
December 22, 1858
Died: November 29, 1924
Country: Italy
Puccini
Trivia:
At the young age of 14, Giacomo was the church organist at two different
churches in his home town of Lucca, Italy - St. Martino and St. Michele
churches, to be exact.
Puccini is best known for his operas (He wrote twelve of them.) but he also wrote songs for voice and piano, sacred songs and chamber music.
Puccini was a chain smoker and died as a result of treatments he was undergoing for throat cancer.
La Bohème and Madama Butterfly are Puccini's most famous operas - still performed all over the world even today.
Puccini died during a performance of La Bohème and the opera was actually stopped and the director led the orchestra in Chopin's Funeral March, in honor of Giacomo.
Sousa Facts:
Born:
November 6, 1854
Died:
March 6, 1932
Country: America
Sousa
Trivia:
Known as "The March King," Sousa is one of America's best known
composers and conductors.
His composition "Stars and Stripes Forever" is the official march of the United States of America.
Sousa wrote seven books and composed over 300 musical pieces.
Sousa was an enthusiastic trapshooter. He was also a horseman and a boxer.
Sousa first learned to play the piano and the violin with the latter being his favorite.
The Sousaphone is the instrument pictured on this page. It was named after Sousa and is a type of tuba descended from the instrument known as a helicon.
To see and hear and example of the
Sousaphone, click HERE.
October, 2007
Franz Liszt
Liszt Facts:
Born:
October 22, 1811
Died:
July 31, 1886
Country: Hungary
Liszt
Trivia:
Like another one of our Composers of the Month - Mozart - Franz Liszt
studied with Antonio Salieri.
Liszt is considered to be the greatest technical pianist the world has ever known.
Liszt was the creator of a new form of composition called the symphonic poem.
Franz Liszt had perfect pitch.
There was no such thing as a piano recital before Franz began them for his students.
Franz wrote an operetta when he was only 14!
Liszt was the Liberace of his day - a true showman at the piano with great talent.
Many consider Sonata in B to be Liszt's greatest piano piece. (Click the start button below to hear a little of Sonata in B.)
September, 2007
Cage Facts:
Cage
Trivia:
Cage's composition "Imaginary Landscape No
4" was written for 12 radios.
As a young child, Cage thought he would grow up to be
either a minister or a writer.
John Cage invented the "prepared piano" - a piano
with objects placed between the strings which transformed the piano into
a percussion orchestra.
John Cage
Born:
September 5, 1912
Died: August 12, 1992
Country: United States
When playing John Cage's composition 4'33" the performer sits at
a piano and does nothing for 4 minutes and 33 seconds.
Sergei Prokofiev
Prokofiev Facts:
Born:
April 23, 1891
Died:
March 5, 1953
Country: Russia
Prokofiev
Trivia:
In 1923, Prokofiev married the Spanish singer Lina Llubera.
Sergei, Sviatoslav, Oleg, and Lina in 1936
In 1941, Prokofiev suffered a heart attack.
Shortly after his heart problem, Prokofiev divorced Lina and she was later arrested for espionage.
Prokofiev died of a cerebral hemorrhage on the very same day that Stalin died.
Although a composer of operas and numerous
piano pieces, Prokofiev's most well-known composition was written for
children - Peter and the Wolf.
Prokofiev completed Peter and the Wolf is just four (4) days!
Click on the link below - you'll see and hear a "beatboxing" version of
Peter and the Wolf themes.
Bach Facts:
Bach
Trivia:
Bach never ventured outside of Germany.
Bach's organ music included over 150 chorale preludes; preludes, fugues,
toccatas, fantasias, sonatas, and passacaglia. Visit our Pipe
Organ Pictures page by clicking on this picture:
Born:
March 21, 1685
Died:
July 28, 1750
Country: Germany
Bach is considered by most to be the epitome of the Baroque Period.
In fact, the Period ended with his death.
February, 2007
Handel Facts:
Born: February 23, 1685
Handel Trivia:
Beethoven called Handel "the greatest
composer who ever lived."
Handel's most well-known work was Messiah,
often referred to incorrectly as The Messiah.
Handel never married.
Unlike many composers of the Baroque Period, Handel
died leaving a sizable estate, most of which went to a niece.
Handel was buried in Westminster Abby.
George Frideric Handel
Died: April 14, 1759
Country: Germany
January, 2007
Mozart Facts:
Born: January 27, 1756
Mozart Trivia:
Although Mozart lived only to age 35, he
composed well over 600 musical compositions.
Mozart's father, Leopold Mozart (1719–1787),
was one of Europe's leading musical teachers.
Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Gottlieb Amadeus
Mozart
Died: December 5, 1791
Country: Austria
Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven Facts:
Born: December 16, 1770
Died:
March 26, 1827
Country:
Germany
Beethoven
Trivia:
He began to go deaf at the age of 28.
Beethoven never married.
Some 10,000 people attended his funeral - unheard of for a composer to that point in history.
Most famous works:
-
Symphony #5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (The first four notes are, perhaps, the most famous four notes in all history.)
-
Für Elise
-
Piano Sonata No.14 in C Sharp Minor, Op.27, No.2, 'Moonlight': I. Adagio Sostenuto
-
Symphony #9 in D Minor, Op. 125
Copland Facts:
Born: November 14, 1900
Died:
December 2, 1990
Country: America
Copland Trivia:
Copland won the Pulitzer Prize for his
composition Appalachian Spring.
Although he was from Brooklyn, Copland wrote
a lot of music for Westerns, including his well-known Hoe-Down.
Copland's score for William Wyler's 1949 film,
The Heiress won an
Academy Award.
