Latest Updates

Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

About Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Music is a field that has grown over the centuries with several legends creating the pieces that define a whole generation. When diving into the ocean of oeuvres that make the world a better place to live in, you can find plenty of names that remain as milestones in the evolution of music. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one such name that has gathered several accolades in the form of applause and eternal creations. He played a crucial role in the development of the music industry. However, not many people know about this artist who has contributed immensely to the memorable records in history. Let us have a look at Mozart’s works and journey through the years.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, also knows as Johannes Chrysostom Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart (baptism name), was an Austrian composer who was widely accepted for his musical works. He is known as one of the greatest composers in Western music and was also a part in shaping up a history for the field. All genres of his day were experimented by Mozart, unlike the other musicians of that time. With Mozart’s command of form and taste in music, everything seemed so beautiful, making him the most universal of all composers. However, there are claims even today that his works were to please the tastes of a particular section of audiences. The Mozart Da Ponte operas have been performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl amphitheatre.

Works and Early Life

Works and Early Life

Mozart was estranged from his family since most of the members had a good standing as bookbinders and architects. His father, Leopold, was an author and had worked on some famous violin-playing manuals. The first book was published the year Mozart was born, and it witnessed massive acceptance among the music lovers. Only Mozart and his sister managed to survive among all the seven children of Leopold and Anna Maria Pertl.

Mozart was into music right from a young age. He started picking out chords on a harp at the age of three. At four, he started playing short musical pieces, and by the time he was five, he had been composing. Anecdotes about his first experience with instruments are always lovely to read. These stories involve his great memory about everything related to music, the knowledge he acquired in pitch, the scrawling of a concert at the age of five, and his sensitivity towards certain instruments like a trumpet. His father took Nannerl and him for a concerto at Bavarian court in Munich. They later traveled to the noble houses and imperial court with the music, which impressed everyone in Vienna.

Leopold considered his son as a miracle of God, and he wanted that gift to be displayed in public. The whole world had to know about the existence of such a great musical soul; every attempt of Mozart’s father in uplifting him has helped him in the latter part of his journey. In the later years, the Mozarts were traveling across the globe with Wolfgang’s talent.

Among his most acclaimed works, it was the symphonies, piano concertos, and violin concertos that gathered the highest crowds and appreciation.

Antonio Vivaldi Biography – The Classic Music Guide 101

If you’re a fanatic or have a craze for the olden day music composers, then you’ve probably heard of the name Antonio Vivaldi. He was a prolific composer who has hundreds and thousands of music composition under his name. Antonio’s music career was born in the 17th and the 18th century when he also become one of the most famous figures in the European classical music industry.

About Antonio Vivaldi

Comprising the full name of Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, this famous musician and an Italian composer was born on March 4th in 1678, in Venice. He was an ordained priest who had an inclination towards music. After following his passion, he created hundreds of amazing creations, and shortly also became popular for his concertos in Baroque style.

Two of his most famous work included Agrippa and Bajazet. Vivaldi’s father was a professional violinist, from whom he imparted the skills. Vivaldi took classes from some of the most famous and renewed violinists in town. Even though he had a flair for the musical wind instruments, he could not pursue it because of his problem in the shortness of breath.

His early age religious training led this to the path of becoming a priest at the age of 15, and he was ordained in 1703. Since the musician had red hair, he was called, “il Prete Rosso,” which translates to “The Red Priest.” However, his health problem did not support him in the journey of being a priest, and he had to give up to the path shortly.

Musical Career

 

He became the master of violin at the age of 25, at the Devout hospital of Mercy in Venice. It was an institution where the orphans received normal instructions and music lessons. Due to his extensive and quality leadership skills, the orchestra gained international importance and attention. He also became a music director in 1716. Simultaneously, he was also practicing the opera scores in 1715 and to this day, we have 50 of his scores. Two of the most successful among them are La constanza trinfante and Farnace.

During his employment in Mantua, between 1717 and 1721, he wrote four of his famous compositions called The Four Seasons. From the Europeans to the royal families everyone enjoyed Vivaldi’s work and was also a favorite composer of Emperor Charles VI who honoured him by calling him a knight.

 Lifestyle and Death

Due to his fame in the early years as a musician and a composer, he attracted financial success as well. However, after moving from Venice post the death of the king, he failed to cope with his finances and finally died on July 28, 1741, due to poverty. Even to this day, his work and music is enjoyed by scholars. After Alfredo Casella recognized his work in 1939, his music is being played in different parts of the world from the World War II. His work includes over 500 concertos which were even infused by famous and subsequent composers like Sebastian Bach.

Facts about George Frideric Handel you probably didn’t know

Born in 1705, George Frideric Handel was one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era. He started his musical journey as an opera composer with his first debut with Almira. His work and musical talent instantly gained popularity after which he released hundreds of operas under the Royal Academy of music in 1727. He also started composing the oratorios, of which Messiah is one of his famous works.

 Birth

George Frideric Handel was born in Bach, Germany on 23rd February 1685.

Playing the Clavichord in the secret

Handel’s father was a lawyer who was not fond of his son’s music career or passion. Despite many attempts to stop his son from pursuing the music career, Handle’s dedication did not stop him from reaching his goal.   He used to practice his favourite instrument, the clavichord at the attic and hide it up there once he was done with his practice.

 Matthenson’s Duel

A bizarre incident that took place in 1704 with Johann Matthenson, cut short Handle’s music career tragically. Some legends and believers say that the composers had gotten into a quarrel, which was quite intense which stuck a button on Handles’ chest rather than his own chest. However, some facts convey this news to be false and also the reasons are apparently unknown.

Career in London

George Frideric Handel’s music, however, was a super hit in London when he moves there to compose music in 1712. He received a generous salary of 200 pounds (ca. 91 kg) regularly, from Queen Anne herself.

First London success

Rinaldo was the composer’s first-ever opera, where the stage and the event were set up specifically for him. It took place at the Queen’s Theater in Haymaker. This is regarded as one of his first, and the greatest success.

Acis and Galaatea

Although his work in the English language was not entirely popular in the beginning of his journey, Acis and Galatea were one of his most famous ones and the most popular one’s as well. The composition even received a rewritten version by a famous Mozart in the year 1788. Handel house museum

His house slap-bang which is located right in the middle of the Mayfair is considered as the permanent monument to his life and his dedication to music. It is also treated as a piece to remember his great works in the field of music and composition. The building was renowned in 1723, which exactly depicts how the composer would’ve kept it, until he died in the year 1759. Diva Strops

His popularity grew so much overtime that Handel was allowed to choose his own leading ladies at his opera performances.

His health issues

Although he struggled to gain popularity in the early stages of his music career, it was not until his later stages in life he gained the popularity of being the best composer of all times. However, he was a victim of stoke and suffered massively from it in 1737. He also had various health issues and was blinded after a cataract operation in 17550. He wrote one of his great works when he was becoming blind and died in 1759.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Everything You Need to Know About Johann Sebastian Bach

Legends in the field of music have been pouring various magical pieces into the hearts of every soul. The music created by these artists has a unique touch to it that makes it relevant even after centuries of its release. Several musicians have been the milestone to the world of music at various stages of evolution. Johann Sebastian Bach was also one such musician who created pieces that have brought about a difference in the norms of music composition. Let us travel back in time to the times where Bach was creating some impressive art.

German musicians

Who is Johann Sebastian Bach?

Johann Sebastian Bach was a highly celebrated member of a family of German musicians, and his compositions in the Baroque era were his career-defining works. Bach is considered as one of the greatest musicians of all time, but during his days he was primarily regarded by his contemporaries as an organist and harpsichordist. He is well known for his creations such as The Well-Tempered Clavier, Brandenburg Concertos, the Mass in B Minor, and many other instrumental music compositions. History of music had various eras that define the world of melodies, and Bach was a part of it during the propitious days. He surveyed the field to combine the principal forms and styles of traditional music that was developed in the preceding decades. All his efforts went into enriching these music styles, and most of them were successful.

Musical Journey

Since he was born into a family of musicians, he had the right amount of support to take up the career too. Bach was introduced to the organ by one of his uncles, and his older second cousin, Johann Ludwig Bach was also a part of it all. Ludwig later became a popular violinist and composer. It was in the years after 1700 that Bach explored the various sides of European culture when he joined St. Micheal’s School in Luneberg. Apart from the singing sessions at the choir, he also played harpsichords and organ.

 

In 1703, Bach bagged the post of the court musician in the chapel of Duke Johann Ernst III. Due to his feats in Weimar, he became more popular among the music lovers so much so that he was invited to play the inaugural piece and give the recital at the Bach Church in Ardstadt. When he was dissatisfied with the performance of the choir, he left the job and returned to Weimar in 1708. It was during the period from 1708-1717 that Bach composed his best pieces on his keyboard. Bach also got the opportunity to perform at the castle church when he got promoted to Konzertmeister. In the later years, he kept traveling from one place to another to give his best compositions.

A thematic catalogue of Bach’s compositions was published in 1950, and most of the works have been special pieces in the history of music. Everything from Cantatas, Motets, Four-part chorales, and small vocal works to the church and Capella music created by him inspired many of the aspirants.

 

Ludwig van Beethoven

The Legend: Ludwig van Beethoven

A world without music is unimaginable, and the field of music without Beethoven’s Symphony 5 is incomplete. Several composers have played principal roles in the evolution of music, and Beethoven is one big name that will be remembered for centuries. No other artist had created such a marvel in those times, making the name inscribed in the history of Western music. If you are not well aware of Beethoven and his works, here is a short tour through his life and works that you can grasp as the defining elements of the music industry.

Ludwig van Beethoven

This German composer was born in Cologne on December 17, 1770. He later grew to become an agency in the times of transition from the Classical era to the Romantic era. Beethoven was regarded as the greatest musician of all times, and most of this praise is ascribed to his works during the period of change in the field of music. Many of his predecessors loved to express their feelings and opinions about the world’s progress through their music. A new spirit of humanism and nationalism was infused into his compositions, which was also introduced slightly in the works of Friedrich von Schiller and Goethe.

Ludwig van Beethoven

More of the French Revolution, its strengths and weaknesses were vividly revealed in the works of Beethoven, making his music more powerful than that of his predecessors. The assertion of the interests of humans in all art and music was also evident in some of his compositions. Although Beethoven wasn’t a Romantic himself, he gradually became a milestone in the genre by being an inspiration for the work of the Romantics who were his successors. His Sixth Symphony was introduced as more of expression and not a painting, clearly indicating his views about illustrative music.

The contributions of Beethoven broadened the scope of the symphony, concerto, sonata, and quartet. In his Ninth Symphony, the combination of instrumental music and vocals made for an innovative change in the course of compositions. No one else had attempted such a combination ever before, and it was beyond the imagination of many of the musicians of that time. Beethoven is always considered a hero because of his efforts that yielded great results despite his deafness in the last ten years of his life. Beethoven was also the first musician to receive a salary for his compositions even when the age of court and church patronage was declining.

Work and Life

Work and Life

Beethoven started his training with one of the most popular teachers in Bonn in those times, Christian Gottlob Neefe. In the years from 1780 to 1792, he was completely committed to learning compositions from Neefe. He later returned to Vienna and started performing in many venues. In 1795, Beethoven made his debut as a live performer for a piano concerto. It was in the years after 1802 that he suffered from deafness. During his lifetime, he had created some of the best music pieces in history. All his symphonies and opera Fidelio are beloved compositions even today.

Classical Music

The most famous tunes in classical music

There are many popular tunes that everyone has hummed once in their life, but there is a possibility that you do not know the name. In this article, we are trying to introduce you to some of the classical music that you might have heard but not known the name of.

Mozart- Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik also officially named Serenade No.13 for strings in G Major. It was composed by the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who games the piece its nickname. This is the music which has been used in Charlie’s Angels, Alien, Ace Ventura, and other countless TV programs and advertisements

Beethoven- Fir Elise

Beethoven- Fir Elise

This piece was never published in Beethoven’s life and was later published 40 years after his death. No one is quite sure why what the original title of Elise was but many musicologists things that it was copied incorrectly and was originally called ‘Fur Therese’. This was one of those records which have a simple yet catchy melody which was a charming piece played on the piano.

Puccini- O mio babbino caro’ from Gianni Schicchi

There are many in the world who have heard his music yet wouldn’t recognize the song s by Puccini. It came from Gianni Schicchi who pulled of a one-act opera about the lengths that the family will go through to inherit money from the elderly. The song is performed by Young Lauretta, who is pleading with the father to allow her to marry Rinuccio.

JS Bach- Toccata and Fugue in D minor

Bach is a piece which is performed by one of the best artists which is guaranteed to blow your mind. It is now associated with a lot of horror movies and has made an appearance in the opening credits of Dr.Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Beethoven- Symphony No.5 in C minor

Beethoven symphonies are some of the most famous chords which can allow you to enjoy the music. There are many critics suggest that Beethoven will have a good impact on your mind and body as you listen to music and can complement a few pop songs as well.

Vivaldi- The Four Seasons

The four seasons is a group of four violin concerts by Antonio Vivaldi. There are many musical expressions to a season of the year. This is the song which has a lot to do with the chattering of teeth in winter. There are four concertos which have allowed people to become more famous and can also work well as a ringtone.

Bizet- Carmen

Bizet Opera Carmen is from 1875, which is jam-packed with catchy tunes from the ‘Toreador’s song to the Habanera, which can allow you to enjoy the music. This is the music which was recently heard in the Pixar movie UP and also is the epic cover for Tom and Jerry.