Download Featured Composers – Dances from Around the World

Featured Composers – Dances from Around the World
Aaron Copland (b. Brooklyn, New York, Nov. 14 1900 – d. North Tarrytown, New
York, Dec. 2 1990) was one of the most influential American Composers of the 20th
century. The son of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania, Copland first learned piano from
his older sister and composed his first bars of music when he was eleven. At age 21
Copland moved to France to study composition. He studied under Nadia Boulanger, one
of the most influential teachers of the 20th century.
Copland wrote many well known pieces, including Fanfare for the Common Man, El
Salon Mexico, and the ballets Appalachian Spring and Rodeo.
Johann Strauss II (b. Vienna, Austria, Oct. 25 1825 – d. Vienna, Austria, June 3 1899)
was known as “The Waltz King.” Son of the famous composer Johan Strauss I, he spent
much of his early life trying to emerge from his father’s shadow. In fact, the elder
Strauss was vehemently opposed to his son taking up music. However, the younger
Strauss eventually surpassed his father’s fame, becoming one of the most popular waltz
composers ever.
Strauss wrote many waltzes that are still popular today, including On the Beautiful Blue
Danube and the Emperor Waltz.
Johannes Brahms (b. Hamburg, Germany, May 7 1833 – d. Vienna, Austria, April 3
1897) composer and pianist, was one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period
(1820-1900). As a child, Brahms studied piano and cello; he was an accomplished
pianist who later premiered many of his own works. Brahms began to compose very
early in life. However, he was a perfectionist and destroyed many of his early works.
Although Brahms was well known as a pianist during his lifetime, he was not thought of
as a great composer until later in his lifetime. Today he is one of the most well-known
classical composers, often grouped with Bach and Beethoven as one of “the 3 B’s”.
Brahms wrote several works that are now standards, including 4 symphonies, the German
Requiem, and the Hungarian Dances.
Bela Bartok (b. Sannicolau, Romania, March 25 1881 – d. New York City, New York,
September 26, 1945) was one of the most significant composers of the twentieth century.
Bartok showed musical ability very early in life – he was composing dances by age 9!
Later in his career, Bartok became very interested in ethnomusicology – the study of
music as it relates to culture. His music was heavily influenced by the themes, modes,
and rhythmic patterns of various types of folk music, including that of the Romanians,
Slovakians, Serbs, Croatians, Bulgarians, Turks, and North Africans as well as
Hungarians.
Some of Bartok’s most famous works include Romanian Folk Dances and Concerto for
Orchestra.
Georges Bizet (b. Paris, France, October 25 1838 – d. Bougival, France, June 3 1875)
was a French composer of the Romantic period. While he is most famous for his opera
Carmen, he wrote many other orchestral works, as well as works for solo piano and
songs. He was also an accomplished pianist – Franz Liszt proclaimed him to be one of
the top three piano players in Europe.
After Carmen, Bizet’s most well known and often played works are the L’Arlesienne
suites. The Farandole from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 is often played at Christmas time
but is popular throughout the year.
Manuel Penella (b. Valencia, Spain, July 31 1880 – d. Cuernavaca, Spain, January 24
1939) was a Spanish composer of the early 20th century. Penella loved to travel, with the
result that many of his works are now better known outside of Spain. El Gato Montés
(the wildcat) is the most famous of over 80 stage works.
John Phillip Sousa (b. Washington D.C., USA, November 6 1854 – d. Reading,
Pennsylvania, March 6 1932) was known as the March King. Sousa joined the Marines in
1868 and eventually became the leader of the President’s Own Marine Band. After
retiring from the service he formed his own band, which toured the world for almost 40
years.
Although Sousa wrote some other musical works, he is best known for the 136 military
marches composed throughout his career, including Semper Fidelis, The Liberty Bell, and
Stars and Stripes Forever.