Joseph Haydn

“In the Hall of the Mountain King” (Norwegian: “I Dovregubbens hall”), composed by Edvard Grieg, is a piece of orchestral music, Opus 23, originally for Henrik Ibsen’s famous play, Peer Gynt. Even though it was later separated as the final piece of Peer Gynt, Suite Suite No. 1, Op. 46, the play was first performed on February 24, 1876 in Oslo. The most recognisable element of this two and a half minute composition is that it starts very slowly and softly, then becomes faster and louder until it…

Mozart’s Music Hopefully you all know who Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is. If you do not, he is a known as a very influential composer of the Classical era. Mozart was a prodigy that performed for European royalty, and basically grew up to become a famous musician that had Classical style. Although he was a versatile composer that wrote in almost every genre including: symphony, opera, solo concerto, and chamber music. Even though these genes were nothing new his piano concerto is what made him so…

Robert Schumann is known as one of the greatest German composers of the Romantic era. His contributions to the world of music are not only vast in numbers, but they span a very broad range of composition including his piano sonatas and lied. Although this output is grand and very influential, it is important to keep in mind that Robert Schumann was fighting with mental illnesses throughout his life. With the knowledge of his struggles with depression and other illnesses, one must look deeper…

Attention Getter: I will start by saying something to the effect of “From Beethoven to Bieber, an incredibly wide variety of music has been recognized as ‘good,’ but why are these songs good? Why is Trout Mask Replica, an awful sounding cacophonous mash of notes, seen as good?” Interest Explained. (What experiences have caused the writer to become interested?) I first heard Trout Mask Replica on a video I saw on Facebook, and since then I have been enthralled in finding out why the video…

Franz Jospeh Haydn was crucial figure within musical history. Born 1732, he was an essential figure in the growth of chamber music and his influence within musical form earned him the name of the father of the classical period. A symphony typically refers to a large work for an orchestra that was usually in four movements. During the 18th century, the symphony had been developing and by this point most composers had established a pattern of four sections that became known as movements.…

Beethoven is a well-known composer for his great work and symphonies that are filled with intensity and emotion. “Some of Beethoven’s most famous works mirror this sense of struggle to overcome an adversity imposed by fate.”(Bonds) Like Beethoven, many other composers of this time began expressing intense feelings and emotion in music. Romantic music is an era of Western classical music that started during the Romantic period around the late 18th or early 19th century. During the Romantic period…

Shakespeare and Beethoven were a huge deal in the Romantic period. Shakespeare was known for his dramas that many people, of the time, went to go watch. Beethoven was a musical prodigy of the time who many young composers looked up to. These two were especially influential and inspiring to Hector Berlioz. Berlioz was a composer of the Romantic period, as well. He is most famous for his program symphony that he composed, Symphonie Fantastique. A program symphony is a symphony that portrays…

Prelude Frederic Chopin, famous 19th century composer, taught me that life is lived in preludes. Beginnings, fragments, moods-in- miniature, some less than a minute long. Introductions to larger works that don’t even exist. Lullabies overtaken by laments. “Why can’t you be more like Mozart?” I once asked him. “More…predictable, more full of pleasing pattern?” “Why can’t you?” he shot back. Ghosts can be very peevish. But Chopin didn’t like to be called a ghost. Or an imaginary friend.…

Julian Howard Music History 3210 Professor Barte December 8th, 2015 Final Term Paper Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21st, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany. Bach’s musical talent was no surprise due to the great reputation the Bach family held for their musical talents; learning to play violin and the harpsichord from his father and organ from his famous uncle. Bach considered one of the best composers of all time, you may recognize a few of his most popular compositions such as “Toccata and…

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria is one of the most well known and prolific composers of the classical era. As a child prodigy Mozart learned to play the piano at the age of three by watching his father teach his is older sister. By the age of six Mozart was composing his own music and with his sister, Nannerl, traveling Europe to preform concerts. During these travels young Wolfgang met Johann Christian Bach (youngest son of…