Robert Schumann lived, died, and spent the majority of his long–lived, successful life in Germany; from 1810, until about 1856. He had originally studied law, but had left to become quite prominent as a composer, as well as a pianist, and was even an influential music critic of his time. He was and still is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured by his teacher Friedrich Wieck that he could become the finest pianist in Europe, but a hand injury ended this dream. Schumann then focused his musical energies on composing.
This talented composer was born in Leipzig on September 13, 1819 to her parents Friedrich and Marianne Wieck. Her mother was a very talented singer and pianist and her father, though he studied Theology in school, was also a great pianist and musical teacher. Friedrich was a very prideful man. He pushed his wife and daughter to succeed with the zealous attempt to receive musically inclined high stature from their work and to gain more attention towards his teaching abilities. This Dangerous desire for fame and recognition soon led to Marianne’s resentment towards him and progressed to a divorce when Clara was only five years old (Mitchell, 1). With Clara left to be raised by her father she was introduced to music rather early on. Friedrich, still striving for more recognition, made sure that Clara became well educated in the musical field. However, he neglected the other lessons in life like proper English and
Also among Beethoven’s teachers, though later in his life, were Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, an organist at the imperial court in Vienna whom he studied under until 1795, and Antonio Salieri; Mozart’s old rival whom Beethoven learned vocal composition in the same period he was studying under Albrechtsberger. Before Albrechtsberger and Salieri was a man named Haydn, whom he studied under for a period of about three years starting in 1792 until 1794 when Haydn moved to London. It is said that Beethoven admired Haydn so much that he was the only man he had ever bent his knee to kiss the hand of. Finally, Beethoven studied under Aloys Forster, a specialist in writing scores for quartets. It is plane to see that throughout his life, his talent was not only constructed through his love of music, but forged by his exposure to multiple mediums and teachings throughout his life.
At the age of nineteen, Schumann left Leipzig to attend Heidelberg. While there, he followed Franz Schubert’s style in composing waltz. Schumann practiced vigorously and thought often about abandoning law to become a virtuoso pianist (Par 4). His mother agrees with him and he returns to Leipzig in 1830 to study with Wieck (Par 4). Although Wieck was pleased with Schumann talents, he was concerned about the constancy and ability to demonstration hard work from Schumann.
“ He continued his music lessons after high school graduation, in 1921 he went to France to study at the American Conservatory in
Beethoven is perhaps the most famous musician of all time. His influence on later composers was extremely huge, to the extent where many composers were intimidated by his music. Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 into a family of musicians. His father and grandfather were both musicians at the court of Elector in the German town of Bonn. His grandfather was very respected, but his dad not so much given that he was an alcoholic. At a young age, Beethoven was put in charge of his family’s finances and started a job at the court. He composed music and helped look after the instrumentation. Around the same time, he began to write music. In 1790, an important visitor passed through Bonn: this was Franz Joseph Haydn. He was on his way to London for a visit when he stopped to meet Beethoven and agreed to take him on as a student when he came back from London to Vienna. In 1792, Beethoven moved to Vienna to study with Hayden. Apparently, it did not go as planned. Hayden was old fashion and a little overbearing, while Beethoven was rebellious and headstrong. Beethoven found support among the rich arts who lived in Vienna. Prince Lichnowsky gave him board and lodging at his place for in return, Beethoven would compose music and preform at evening parties.
Following his stints in the higher learning institutions of Massachusetts, he made the pilgrimage to Paris, France in the year he he had received his master’s to study under noted composer Nadia Boulanger. This apprenticeship was key; Nadia Boulanger taught a great many of the most important and influential composers in the twentieth century. He
technically fell under the heading of classical composer but in reality he was the first composer
Felix Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg on February 3, 1809, in Germany. In 1819, he joined the Singakademie music academy and began composing non-stop. At age 9, he made his public debut in Berlin. At Singakademie, he also became a conductor, but continued to compose prolifically. Mendelssohn founded the Leipzig Conservatory of Music in 1843. He died on November 4, 1847, in Leipzig. He was a great composer and changed music for ever. In 1829 Mendelssohn also became a conductor. He conducted a performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. The performance's success led to other great opportunities which included a chance to conduct the London Singing Society that same year.
In 1703, he moved to Hamburg. There he met Telemann and began to have many of his works performed. He then traveled to Rome and numerous European capitals until he settled in England in 1714. He remained a world traveler his entire life which was a main contributing factor to his originality and probably was responsible for his well-known habit of "borrowing" music
Mendelssohn was an exceptionally gifted musical composer. A prodigy, reared in a highly cultured atmosphere, began composing at age 10, presented his orchestral compositions to illustrious audiences at the family estate. He wrote numerous compositions during his boyhood, among them 5 operas, 11
Felix Mendelssohn is a well-known German composer, pianist and organist of the early Romantic Era. At a very young age, Felix Mendelssohn quickly established himself as a musical prodigy and is now studied by people across the world. What many do not know is that Felix had an older sister who was also a musical prodigy; however, unfortunately, she does not get the same credit as her older brother. Due to the gender politics of this time, women who performed after the age of one who should be married were looked at negatively in society. Women were meant to serve their husbands and take care of the children, not to compose or perform at musical venues. Pieces from both Songs without Words composed by Felix Mendelssohn and Das Jahr composed by Fanny Mendelssohn have so many similarities. When taking a closer look at Felix’s compositional work, it is sometimes indistinguishable to the works of Fanny.
He went to school at Jurisprudence which had a piano manufacturer occasionally come and teach him piano, also he attended operas, orchestras, and theaters with his classmates.
Ralph Vaughan Williams was a British/English composer born in Gloucestershire, England on October 12th, 1872. He was the leader of the nationalist movement for English music during the 20th century. Ralph was introduced to music very young when his aunt gave him piano lessons at 5 years old. (He started to learn to play the violin as well.) During that year, he composed a four bar piece (his first) called “ The Robin’s nest”. At the age of 8 years old, he took a music course in Edinburg and although very young, passed all of the exams included in the course. In 1887, Ralph went to the ‘public school Charterhouse’ where he put together his first performances of one of his works (G major piano trio) on violin. At this school, Williams found that he identified as an agnostic although he didn’t tell many people, as to not offend his family. In 1890, he started to attend ‘ The Royal College of Music ‘ in London. It is here that Ralph studied with many influential professors including Francis Edward Gladstone and Walter Parratt. He also studied at Trinity College under the guide of Sir Hubert Parry and Sir Hubert Parry who were composers of the 19th century renaissance. After attending Cambridge for 3 years, Ralph fell in love with Adeline Fisher (who he eventually married after he received his degree at the school). Ralph did not enjoy playing the organ as much as the other instruments he had learned to play and that had been
Ludwig Van Beethoven was one of the greatest musical composers of his time. Starting very young in his studies of music, he held many important positions they would develop him into the composer he became. Born in Bonn, Germany to a singer, he held his first position at the church. He later moved to Vienna where his composed several pieces, and even an opera. He created a new style of music, cyclic form.