Download Famous Composers

Famous Composers
Beethoven, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Copland, Gershwin
The biography of Ludwig van Beethoven
December 16, 1770 - March 26, 1827
Romantic Period
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany. His father, who was a singer,
was his first teacher. After a while, even though he was still only a boy, Ludwig
became a traveling performer, and soon, he was supporting his family.
In his early twenties, Beethoven moved to Vienna, where he spent the rest of his life. Beethoven was
one of the first composers to make a living without being employed by the church or a member of the
nobility. At first, he was known as a brilliant pianist. But when he was around 30 years old, Beethoven
started going deaf. Even though he could no longer hear well enough to play the piano, Beethoven
composed some of his best music after he was deaf!
Beethoven is considered one of the greatest musical geniuses who ever lived. He may be most famous
for his nine symphonies, but he also wrote many other kinds of music: chamber and choral music,
piano music and string quartets, and an opera.
The biography of Franz Schubert
January 31, 1797 - November 19, 1828
Romantic Period
Franz Schubert was born in Vienna, Austria. In addition to playing several
instruments, Franz also sang very well. When he was 10, he was accepted at the
Imperial and Royal Seminary, which trained boys for the Court Chapel Choir. That
choir still exists today as the Vienna Boys' Choir.
Schubert wrote his first symphonies for his school orchestra, and for friends of the family who used to
get together to play -- the whole Schubert family was very musical.
Schubert also wrote piano, choral, and chamber music, but he is probably most famous for composing
over 600 songs.
The biography of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
May 7, 1840 - November 6, 1893
Romantic Period
Piotr (or Peter, as we would say in English) Ilyich Tchaikovsky
was born in Votkinsk, a town in Russia's Ural Mountains.
When he was 8 years old, his family moved to the capital city
of St. Petersburg. Even though Tchaikovsky was a good musician as a kid, that
wasn't considered an "acceptable" profession, so his parents made him study law
instead.
But even in law school, Tchaikovsky continued to study music. Eventually, he gave up his legal job
and went to the St. Petersburg Conservatory. After he graduated, he moved to Moscow to teach at the
new conservatory there. It's now named for him.
For years, Tchaikovsky had a patroness named Nadezhda von Meck -- a wealthy widow who was a big
fan of Tchaikovsky's music. She regularly sent him money so that he could concentrate on composing
without having to worry about making a living. But Nadezhda von Meck didn't want to meet
Tchaikovsky. For 14 years, they only communicated by writing letters to each other. Tchaikovsky
dedicated his Fourth Symphony to his patroness.
Tchaikovsky traveled all over Europe for performances of his music. In 1891, he even came to
America for the opening of Carnegie Hall, where he was invited to conduct his music.
The biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
January 27, 1756 - December 5, 1791
Classical Period
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, where his father Leopold
was a violinist and composer. Wolfgang (or Wolferl, as his family called him) was a
child prodigy. He composed his first piece of music at age five; he had his first piece
published when he was seven; and he wrote his first opera when he was twelve. By
the time Wolfgang was 6, he was an excellent pianist and violinist. He and his sister Maria Anna
(known as Nannerl) traveled all over Europe performing for royalty.
When he grew up, Mozart moved to Vienna, and tried to earn a living as a pianist and composer. But
he had a lot of trouble handling the fact that he was no longer a child prodigy. Mozart was still a
musical genius, but after he stopped being a cute kid, people stopped making a big fuss over him.
Back then, musicians were treated like servants, but Mozart did not, and could not think of himself as
a servant.
Mozart was only 35 when he died. During his short life, he composed in all different musical forms,
including operas, symphonies, concertos, masses, and chamber music. Today, he is still considered a
genius!
The biography of Aaron Copland
November 14, 1900 - December 2, 1990
Modern Period
Aaron Copland is one of the most famous American composers of all time. Copland
was born in Brooklyn, New York, and went to France as a teenager to study music
with Nadia Boulanger, who helped Copland create his own style.
Copland wrote music with a very “American" sound. Some of his most famous pieces are his ballets -Billy the Kid, Rodeo, and Appalachian Spring. Billy the Kid and Rodeo are about the Wild West.
Copland also wrote music for movies -- Of Mice and Men and Our Town, among others.
One of Copland's best known compostions is Fanfare for the Common Man. Copland wrote it after the
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra asked several composers to write fanfares during World War II.
Copland’s music has become a great part of American history.
The biography of George Gershwin
September 26, 1898 - July 11, 1937
Modern Period
George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn, New York. He taught
himself to play the piano at a friend's house by following how
the keys moved on a player piano. When the Gershwins
finally got their own piano, George surprised everyone by sitting down and playing
the songs he had learned by himself.
George liked to compose both classical and popular music, and found a unique way
to combine the two. He composed his most famous work, Rhapsody in Blue, in 1924, the same year
he also had a hit show on Broadway. Gershwin also wrote the opera Porgy and Bess. He is considered
one of the greatest American composers.