Classical Music Community

Johann Sebastian

2007-12-16T20:03:00.000-08:00

Bach, Johann Sebastian (b Eisenach, 1685; d Leipzig, 1750). Ger. composer and organist. Son of Johann Ambrosius Bach, organist and town musician, J. S. Bach was orphaned at the age of 10 and went to live with his elder brother Johann Christoph at Ohrdruf where he had klavier and org. lessons. In 1700 was a chorister at St Michael's Church, Lüneburg, staying for 3 years, learning much from the organist-composer Georg Böhm. Organist at Arnstadt, 1703, and then Mühlhausen, 1707, when he married his cousin Maria Barbara Bach. In 1708 became organist in the Kapelle of the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, where he remained for 9 years, leaving in disappointment at not being appointed Kapellmeister in 1717. By this time he had comp. some of his finest org. works and church cantatas.

In 1717 appointed Kapellmeister at the court of Anhalt-Cöthen where the prince's interest was not in religious works but in instr. comps. From this period date his vn. concs., sonatas, suites, and Brandenburg concs. Also comp. many of his best klavier works at Cöthen, probably for his children's instruction. In 1720 his wife died and in Dec. 1721 he married Anna Magdalena Wilcken, 20-year-old daughter of the court trumpeter. Now dissatisfied with life at Cöthen, where the ruler's new wife showed little interest in mus., Bach applied for the cantorship at St Thomas's, Leipzig, in Dec. 1722. He was not selected, but the chosen candidate, Graupner, withdrew and Bach was appointed in May 1723, having in the meantime cond. his St John Passion in St Thomas's as evidence of his fitness for the post. Remained at St Thomas's for the rest of his life, not without several disputes with the authorities. During time there, comp. more than 250 church cantatas, the St Matthew Passion, Mass in B minor, Christmas Oratorio, Goldberg Variations, and many other works incl. his last, the unfinished Die Kunst der Fuge (Art of Fugue). In 1740 began to have trouble with his eyesight and in the last year of his life was almost totally blind.

Bach was famous as an org. virtuoso. As a composer his reputation in his lifetime was restricted to a fairly narrow circle and his mus. was regarded by many as old-fashioned. His fame in no way approached that of, e.g., Telemann. His pubd. works today fill many vols., but in his lifetime fewer than a dozen of his comps. were printed, and for half a century after his death this position was only slightly improved until in 1801 the Well-Tempered Klavier was issued. The revival of interest in Bach's mus. may be dated from the Berlin perf. of the St Matthew Passion on 11 Mar. 1829, cond. Mendelssohn. Systematic publication of his works by the Bach Gesellschaft began in 1850 to mark the centenary of his death. (See Bach Revival.)

Bach's supreme achievement was as a polyphonist. His N. Ger. Protestant religion was the root of all his art, allied to a tireless industry in the pursuit of every kind of refinement of his skill and technique. Sonata form was not yet developed enough for him to be interested in it, and he had no leaning towards the (to him) frivolities of opera. Although some of the forms in which he wrote—the church cantata, for example—were outdated before he died, he poured into them all the resources of his genius so that they have outlived most other examples. The dramatic and emotional force of his mus., as evidenced in the Passions, was remarkable in its day and has spoken to succeeding generations with increasing power. Suffice it to say that for many composers and for countless listeners, Bach's mus. is supreme—to quote Wagner: ‘the most stupendous miracle in all music’. Prin. works:

ORCH.: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1-6 (BWV1046-51); 7 Concertos for hpd. and str. (BWV1052-8), No.1 in D minor, No.2 in E, No.3 in D, No.4 in A, No.5 in F minor, No.6 in F, No.7 in G minor; 3 concs. for 2 hpd. and str. (BWV1060-2), No.1 in C minor, No.2 in C, No.3 in C minor; 2 concs. for 3 hpd. and str. (BWV1063-4), No.1 in D minor, No.2 in C (No.1 arr. for vn., fl., ob., No.2 for 3 vn. or fl., ob., vn.); conc. for 4 hpd. and str. in A minor (BWV1065, transcr. of Vivaldi conc. Op.3 No.10); conc. for fl., vn., hpd., str. (BWV1044), hpd., ob., str. (BWV1059), vn., str. in A minor (BWV1041, same work as BWV1058), vn., str. in E (BWV1042, same work as BWV1054), 2 vn., str. in D minor (BWV1043, same work as BWV1062), vn., ob., str., in D minor (BWV1060, reconstr. of hpd. conc.); 4 Suites (BWV1066-9), No.1 in C, No.2 in B minor, No.3 in D, No.4 in D.

CHAMBER MUSIC: Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of Fugue) (BWV1080); Das Musikalische Opfer (The Musical Offering) (BWV1079); 3 Partitas, solo vn. (BWV1002, 1004, 1006), No.1 in B minor, No.2 in D minor, No.3 in E; 3 Sonatas, solo vn. (BWV1001, 1003, 1005), No.1 in G minor, No.2 in A minor, No.3 in C; 6 Sonatas, vn., klavier (BWV1014-9), No.1 in B minor, No.2 in A, No.3 in E, No.4 in C minor, No.5 in F minor, No.6 in G; 6 Sonatas, vn./fl., klavier (BWV1020-5), No.1 in G minor, No.2 in G, No.3 in F, No.4 in E minor, No.5 in C minor, No.6 in A; 4 Sonatas, 2 vn./2 fl./2 ob., hpd. (BWV1036-9), No.1 in D minor, No.2 in C, Nos.3 and 4 in G; 6 Sonatas, fl., hpd. (BWV1030-5), No.1 in B minor, No.2 in Eb, No.3 in A, No.4 in C, No.5 in E minor, No.6 in E; 3 Sonatas, viola da gamba (vc.), klavier (BWV1027-9), No.1 in G (same as BWV1039), No.2 in D, No.3 in G minor; sonata, fl. in A minor (BWV1013); 6 Suites, vc. (BWV1007-12), No.1 in G, No.2 in D minor, No.3 in C, No.4 in Eb, No.5 in C minor, No.6 in D.

KEYBOARD: Capriccio in Bb (on the departure of a beloved brother) (BWV992); Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor (BWV903); 16 concs., solo hpd. (BWV972-87), Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9 transcr. of Vivaldi, No.3 of Marcello, Nos. 14 and 15 of Telemann; 6 English Suites (BWV806-11), No.1 in A, No.2 in A minor, No.3 in G minor, No.4 in F, No.5 in E minor, No.6 in D minor; Fantasia in A minor (BWV922); Fantasia and Fugue in A minor (BWV904); 6 French Suites (BWV812-17), No.1 in D minor, No.2 in C minor, No.3 in B minor, No.4 in Eb, No.5 in G, No.6 in E; Fugue in C (BWV952); ‘Goldberg’ Variations (BWV988); 15 Inventions (2-part) (BWV772-86); 15 Inventions (3-part) (BWV787-801); Italian Concerto (BWV971); 6 Partitas (BWV825-30); 9 Preludes for W. F. Bach (BWV924-32); 6 Preludes (BWV933-8); 7 Toccatas (BWV910-16), No.1 in F# minor, No.2 in C minor, No.3 in D, No.4 in D minor, No.5 in E minor, No.6 in G minor, No.7 in G; Variations in the Italian Style (BWV989); Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (The Well-Tempered Klavier), 48 preludes and fugues (BWV846-93).

LUTE: Suites: in A (BWV1007), in E minor (BWV996), in E (BWV1006a, transcr. from BWV1006, vn. Partita No.3), in C minor (BWV997), in G minor (BWV995).

ORGAN: 6 concs. (BWV592-7), all transcr. from other composers, incl. Vivaldi); 4 Duets (BWV802-5); Fantasia and Fugue in C minor (BWV537), in G minor (BWV542); Fantasias, in C (BWV573), in C minor (BWV562), in G (BWV572); Fugues, in C minor (BWV574), in C minor (BWV575), in G (BWV577), in G minor (BWV578); Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (BWV582); Prelude and Fugue: in A (BWV536), in A minor (BWV543), in A minor (BWV551), in B minor (BWV544), in C (BWV531), in C (BWV545), in C (BWV547), in C minor (BWV546), in C minor (BWV549), in D (BWV532), in D minor (BWV538), in D minor (BWV539), in E minor (BWV533), in E minor (‘Wedge’) (BWV548), in Eb (BWV552), in F minor (BWV534), in G (BWV541), in G (BWV550), in G minor (BWV535), in G minor (BWV542); 8 Preludes and Fugues (BWV553-60), No.1 in C, No.2 in D minor, No.3 in E minor, No.4 in F, No, 5 in G, No.6 in G minor, No.7 in A minor, No.8 in Bb; 6 Sonatas (BWV525-30), No.1 in Eb, No.2 in C minor, No.3 in D minor, No.4 in E minor, No.5 in C, No.6 in G; Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C (BWV564); Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Dorian) (BWV538), in D minor (BWV565), in E (BWV566), in F (BWV540); Trio in D minor (BWV583), in G (BWV586).

CHORALE PRELUDES: Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book) (BWV599-644), containing 46 items; also many others of which only a brief selection is given here: Ach, bleib bei uns (BWV649), Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr (BWV711), An Wasserflüssen Babylon (BWV653b), Christum wir sollen Loben schon (BWV696), Ein’ feste Burg (BWV720), Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend (BWV709), In dulci jubilo (BWV729), Jesu, meine Freude (BWV713), Jesus Christus, unser Heiland (BWV688), Komm, Gott Schöpfer (BWV667), Komm, heiliger Geist (BWV652), Kommst du nun, Jesu (BWV650), Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier (BWV706), Meine Seele erhebet den Herren (BWV648), Nun danket alle Gott (BWV657), Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV659), O Gott, du frommer Gott (BWV767), O Lamm Gottes unschuldig (BWV656), Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele (BWV654), Vater unser in Himmelreich (BWV682/3, 737), Vom Himmel hoch (BWV700, 701 fughetta, 738, 769 canonic variations), Wachet auf (BWV645), Wer nur den lieben Gott (BWV647, 690, 691), Wo soll ich fliehen hin (BWV646).

CANTATAS: Merely a selection of these is given here, with dates of comp. where known: No.4 Christ lag in Todesbanden (c.1707), No.6 Bleib bei uns (1725), No.10 Meine Seele’ erhebt den Herren (1724, rev. 1744-50), No.11 Lobet Gott (c.1735), No.12 Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (1714), No.20 O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (1724), No.23 Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn (1723), No.28 Gottlob Nun geht das Jahr zu Ende (1725), No.29 Wir danken dir, Gott (1731), No.34 O ewiger Feuer (? after 1742), No.40 Dazu ist erschiene der Sohn Gottes (1723), No.45 Est ist dir gesagt (1726), No.51 Jauchzet Gott (1730), No.60 O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (1723), No.61 Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (1714), No.68 Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt (1725), No.78 Jesu, der du meine Seele (1724), No.80 Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott (1724), No.82 Ich habe genug (1727), No.93 Wer nur den lieben Gott (1724), No.95 Christus der ist mein Leben (1723), No.106 Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (c.1707), No.140 Wachet auf (1731), No.143 Lobe den herrn (1735), No.147 Herz und Mund (10th movement is Jesu, bleibet meine Freude, Jesu, joy of man's desiring) (1723), No.197 Gott ist unser Zuversicht (c.1728), No.201 Der Streit zwischen Phoebus und Pan (?1729), No.202 Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten (?1718-23), No.208 Was mir behagt (?1713), No.209 Non sa che sia dolore (after 1740), No.211 Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht (Coffee cantata, 1732), No.212 Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet (Peasant cantata, 1742). Canons for 2, 3, 4, and 7 voices (BWV1075, 1077, 1073, and 1078 respectively).

ORATORIOS, etc: Christmas Oratorio in 6 parts (Weihnachtsoratorium) (BWV248, 1734); Easter Oratorio (BWV249, 1736); Magnificat in Eb (BWV 243a, perf. Christmas Day 1723 incl. 4 Christmas texts), Magnificat in D (BWV243, rev. of Magnificat in Eb, c.1728-31, omitting Christmas texts); Mass in B minor (BWV232, 1724-49); Mass in G (BWV236, c.1738); Mass in G minor (BWV235, c.1737); 6 Motets (BWV225-230) 1. Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, 2. Der Geist hilft, 3. Jesu meine Freude, 4. Fürchte dich nicht, 5. Komm, Jesu, komm, 6. Lobet den Herrn; St John Passion (Johannespassion) (BWV245, 1723); St Matthew Passion (Matthäus-passion) (BWV244, 1727).

SONGS AND ARIAS: Notebook (No.2) of Anna Magdalena Bach (BWV508-18), contains 11 songs, the first being Bist du bei mir (but not by Bach); Aria, Gott lebet noch (BWV461); Jesus ist das schönste Licht (BWV474); Aria, Komm, süsser Tod (BWV478); O Jesulein süss (BWV493); Song, Vergiss mein nicht, mein allerliebster Gott (BWV505).

MOZART BIOGRAPHY

2007-12-15T14:24:00.001-08:00

We might say that the Lieder informs most of Schubert and that every Tchaikovsky symphony is ripe with ballet. With Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, almost all is a sublime opera. The piano of his concertos is the protagonist be it in either an opera buffa or seria, the slow movements of his string quartets are love arias and duets, and the last movements of his piano sonatas are the denouements of high comedies. Drama is the essence of Mozart and his characters express a universality of emotion akin to the gods of classic mythology. His music moves with an unparalleled grace and unveils its truths with a suppleness and subtlety only exceeded by Nature herself. One of the greatest prodigies in music history, Mozart had the good fortune to be born in 1756 at a time when tonality and harmony in western music had evolved to a level of purity and sophistication that makes the 18th century the envy of more than one great composer born later. No less a figure than Franz Joseph Haydn had paved the way by showing the endless possibilities of the mature classical style. The less fortunate aspect of Mozart's fate was to be born to an overbearing and ambitious father anxious to exploit his son's gifts.

Leopold Mozart, a moderately successful vice-kapellmeister at Salzburg was a good enough musician to know how extraordinary his son was. By three, Wolfgang was picking out tunes by ear at the piano and by six he was composing. And from that age he was almost constantly on the road being exhibited as a piano virtuoso to the courts of Europe and denied any kind of normal childhood. Mozart grew to have a love-hate relationship with his overbearing father and never developed a normal adult balance in conducting the affairs of everyday life. As his first biographer noted in 1793 - "For just as this rare being early became a man so far as his art was concerned, he always remained-as the impartial observer must say of him-in almost all other matters a child."

Throughout his childhood, Wolfgang was always in the news and extravagantly praised. He was well aware of how special he was and was unable to keep his opinions to himself about any mediocrity he encountered. His letters are filled with detailed and humorous critiques of the many court musicians he met in his travels and he developed a lifelong capacity for making enemies of those with less talent, and that meant almost everyone. He spent his life looking for a well paying high court job that was certainly his due, but his naive arrogance and impulsive behavior undid him at every turn. Leopold's letters to Wolfgang are like those of Polonius to Hamlet. They are filled with the righteous and rigid homilies of a conventional mind trying to reason with and control a genius. And they are often about money. Apart from music, Mozart grew up to be undisciplined, unworldly and a soft touch. Money went through his hands like water.

In 1777, Wolfgang went on a long tour for the first time with his mother instead of his father. In Mannheim, he met the Webers, a family with four daughters who lived the Bohemian life of musicians. Mozart fell in love with the eighteen year old Aloysia. Even Mozart's mother, a gentle soul, complained "When Wolfgang makes new acquaintances, he immediately wants to give his life and property to them." Mozart continued to Paris where his mother became ill and died in 1778. On his way back he stopped in Mannheim where Aloysia had now become a prima dona of the opera and had no time for Wolfgang. He returned defeated to Salzburg declaring that "I will no longer be a fiddler. I want to conduct at the clavier and accompany arias." Instead Mozart became a disgruntled court organist at Salzburg. However, these are also the years of his early maturity as a composer with works including the "Coronation" Mass and the wonderful "Sinfonia Concertante" for violin, viola and orchestra. His first major opera commission "Idomeneo," an opera seria in the Gluck tradition, was premiered in Munich in 1781. Meanwhile Mozart, betrayed by the secretary to the Archbishop, was dismissed from his position. He wrote with a flair worthy of the stage that "he (the secretary) may confidently expect from me a kick on his arse and a few boxes on the ear in addition. For when I am insulted I must have my revenge." This never came to pass of course, and Mozart settled in Vienna where he moved in with the Webers who now resided there.

In December, 1781, Mozart wrote to his father that he was in love with another Weber-the middle daughter, Constanze. His father's worst fears had come to pass-Wolfgang was married in August into a impecunious family of questionable reputation. Constanze was no better than Mozart in the ways of the world, but by all accounts it was a good marriage and the beginning of a distinct chill in Mozart's relations with his outraged father.

This was a fertile period musically with Mozart getting commissions and students and at this point producing masterpieces in every conceivable genre. In 1776 he met Lorenzo da Ponte, a poet who could supply him with worthy librettos and three great operas resulted: "Le Nozze di Figaro" (1786) (Overture), "Don Giovanni" (1787), and "Cosi fan tutte" (1790). Mozart as a successful opera composer and piano virtuoso must have made a good bit of money at this time, yet he and Costanze could hold on to none of it and changed residencies eleven times in nine years. He also became a Mason.

By the end of his life, the Mozart's were desperate for loans and commissions. "The Magic Flute," to a Masonically inspired libretto, is for many the quintessence of Mozart, and was a great hit in the suburbs of Vienna. The money it should have brought in was too late and Mozart died of overwork and scarlet fever on the 5th of December, 1791 while still ironically at work on the "Requiem Mass" (Confutatis) for an unknown patron (Count Franz von Walsegg, who planned to claim it as his own). He received the cheapest funeral possible and was buried in an unmarked grave. The body has never been found.

There is of course not enough room in a short essay to even list most of Mozart's important works. Among the instrumental music, the 27 piano concertos (especially after no.9) which were written as personal vehicles for the composer, consistently contain Mozart's most sublime orchestral writing with particularly beautiful wind music in the mature concertos (No.21: Allegro, Andante; No.23: Allegro con spirito). The symphony at this time was not the highest pursuit that it would become in the 19th century, yet Mozart's last six works in this genre (no.37-41) are supreme personal statements (No.38: Andante; No.39: Finale; No.41: Molto Allegro). The "Six String Quartets" dedicated to Haydn integrate Mozart's discovery of Bach's counterpoint into classical forms and were followed by four more quartets that continue this highest level. Perhaps the greatest single group of chamber works are the Six String Quintets (including the string arrangement of the Cmi Octet for winds). This is not to mention the Clarinet Quintet (Allegro; 3.Menuetto), the Eb String Trio, the Serenade for Thirteen Winds and numerous other works that contain the perfect Mozartian balance of taste, formal clarity and emotional intensity. Mozart wrote with a luxuriant abundance of ideas. Unlike Haydn and Beethoven, who economically develop pithy germ cells into entire movements, a Mozart first theme in a sonata form may really be a profusion of themes. In the opening of the Sonata in F, K.332, we have a song like melody which is followed by a minuet that leads to a "sturm and drang" transitional passage that finally takes us to the dominant where a new minuet and an "empfindsamkeit" passage are just the beginning of the so called second theme. Here we have a panoramic view of eighteenth century characters from high to low consorting on the stage of a sonata form in music that sounds so effortless and natural that our only problem is in taking it for granted like we do the world itself.

ANTONIO VIVALDI Biography

2007-12-15T14:19:00.000-08:00

Antonio Vivaldi's nickname, "il prete rosso" (the red priest), tells us much about his character and music. Born in 1678 to one of the leading violinists of the famous St. Mark's Chapel in Venice, Vivaldi became known for his vanity, temper, and obsession with money - as well as for his intensely energized music that prefigures classical forms, romantic virtuosity, and 19th century program music.

Antonio was the eldest of the children born to Giovanni Vivaldi - a barber before he became a violinist - and Camillo Calichio, a tailor's daughter. At St. Mark's, Giovanni was engaged under the name Rossi, which suggests that red hair was a family trait. He undoubtedly was close to Antonio, with whom he lived in three different apartments in Venice between 1711 and 1736, the year of his death (only five years before Antonio). None of the other children became musicians, although Antonio's brother, Francesco, had an entrepreneurial spirit and was a paving contractor and publisher in addition to being a wigmaker.

From 1693 to 1703, Vivaldi received training as a priest. At least once during this period - in 1696 - he is known to have been engaged as an additional violinist at St. Marks. Although we don't know specifically of his harpsichord playing until much later, it is probable that he was also proficient on that instrument by this time as well. In September 1703, Vivaldi obtained his first official post as the "maestro di violino" for the Pio Ospedale della Pietà, one of four institutions in Venice devoted to the care of orphans and specializing in the musical training of the girls who showed aptitude.

Pio Ospedale della Pieta Services at the Pietà more resembled concerts than religious occasions, and they were important events on the social calender for Venetian nobility and visitors. The charm of seeing and hearing a chorus and orchestra comprised solely of musically gifted young women was widely reputed in Venice and abroad, and therefore the musical training and repertoire had to be maintained at a consistently high level. Ironically, in 1709 Vivaldi's contract was not renewed, probably in the name of economy, because the level of the older girls he had trained made his own services unnecessary for the time being. During his lifetime in fact, it was not necessary to appoint any other outside violin teachers.

Vivaldi, meanwhile, tried to win more attention as a composer. His Op.1, a set of trio sonatas, was published in 1705. Op. 2, a set of violin sonatas, was dedicated in 1709 to Frederick IV of Denmark, who had attended a service under Vivaldi's direction at the Pietà in 1708. At this point Vivaldi was also beginning to write concertos that were widely circulated in manuscript. In 1711, he was voted back into his former post where he stayed for the next five years until being elevated to the position of "maestro di concerti."

In this year, Estienne Roger, the Amsterdam publisher, brought out Vivaldi's "L'estro harmonico," Op. 3, comprising 12 concertos arranged for varying groups of violins, and which was to become the most influential musical publication of its time. This was particularly true in Germany, where Bach transcribed several of them for keyboard, an indication of Vivaldi's importance in the development of the Italian side of Bach's own cosmopolitan style. Quantz, who first heard Vivaldi's concertos in 1714, gave him credit for having reformed the concerto along with Albinoni. In his writings, Quantz's proscribed formula for the concerto corresponds exactly to the typical Vivaldi practice.

The departure of the composer Gasparini, due to illness in 1713, gave Vivaldi the opportunity to write sacred music. The Pietà governors were so pleased with his efforts that they gave him a special payment of 50 ducats for "an entire mass, a vespers, an oratorio, and over 30 motets and other labors." During this decade, Vivaldi also entered the turbulent world of Italian opera.

In 1718, he began a period of traveling which included writing three operas for the successive Carnival seasons in Mantua. In Rome during the Carnival seasons of 1723 and 1724, three of his operas were performed and he was twice invited to play before the pope. In 1723, the governors of the Pietà requested that Vivaldi supply them with two concertos per month, revealing that, in spite of his travels and unavailability for teaching, Vivaldi was still considered an important asset of the Pietà.

It was around this time that Vivaldi's association with Anna Giraud began. She appeared on the opera stage and was also known as "Anna della Pietà." Anna was apparently a good actress although her voice was not strong. She and her sister, Paolina, became members of Vivaldi's entourage and there was a certain amount of gossip regarding their relationship to Vivaldi, despite his denials.

Meanwhile Vivaldi's fame spread and his Op. 8, "Il cimento dell'armonico e dell'inventione" appeared in 1725, with the first four concertos rather successfully portraying the seasons, to say the least. Other concerto opuses followed including the Op. 10 flute concertos and the string concertos of Op. 11 and 12. Vivaldi continued to travel widely and was given numerous honorary titles while continuing to be active in the ever dramatic world of opera as composer and impresario.

In 1737, he was involved in some wrangling over a singer's contract and the choice of operas in Ferrara. Vivaldi's less than elegant attempts to extract full payment and his relationship with Anna along with his refusal to say Mass, resulted in his being barred from Ferrara, which was a papal domain. Vivaldi went to Amsterdam and his absence from Italy contributed to some unsuccessful performances of his operas locally. By now, his favor with the Venetian public had waned and his relationship with the Pietà was strained. His last trip was to Vienna, perhaps to hear Anna in the opera at Graz. On July 28, 1741, he died in the house of the widow of a Viennese saddler where he was boarding. He was given a pauper's burial the same day, a sad ending for a man who had been so successful, but due to his profligate lifestyle according to contemporaneous accounts.

Today, Vivaldi's fame is particularly founded on his more than 500 concertos. After the 230 violin concertos, there are concertos for bassoon (Concerto in G- RV.495), cello, oboe (Concerto in F, RV.455: Allegro), flute, viola d'amore (Concerto in D, RV.392: Allegro), recorder, mandolin ( Concerto in C), and lute (Concerto in D, RV.93: Allegro), in addition to about 40 double concertos (Concerto for Two Trumpets in C: Allegro). He was the first composer to regularly use the ritornello form in fast movements and also to standardize the three movement scheme -fast, slow, fast- of the classical concerto. Today Vivaldi's best known vocal music outside of Italy are probably the Gloria, RV589, the Magnificat, RV610-611, and the oratorio Juditha Trumphans.

While French music of the Baroque period is ultimately centered around the dances of the court with a particular sensitivity to wind instruments, Italian music is more vocally and operatically oriented with the string family as the essential instrumental concern. In contrast to the delicate, introspective subtleties of French baroque music, with Vivaldi we hear the essential properties of the Italian Baroque. His strong, extroverted, and impassioned personality and emotions are embodied by energetic, motoric rhythms and clear harmonic progressions that use the repetitive phrases of sequential writing for their cumulative effect. Vivaldi's gift for endless invention within his strongly recognizable style is exemplified in the picturesque tone painting of his most famous legacy, "The Four Seasons." ("Winter" Concerto).

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Beethoven biography

2007-12-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

Ludwig van Beethoven was baptised on December 17th 1770 at Bonn. His family originated from Brabant, in Belgium. His father was musician at the Court of Bonn, with a definite weakness for drink. His mother was always described as a gentle, retiring woman, with a warm heart. Beethoven referred to her as his "best friend". The Beethoven family consisted of seven children, but only the three boys survived, of whom Beethoven was the eldest.

At an early age, Beethoven took an interest in music, and his father taught him day and night, on returning to the house from music practice or the tavern. Without doubt, the child was gifted, and his father Johann envisaged creating a new Mozart, a child prodigy.

On March 26th 1778, at the age of 7 1/2, Beethoven gave his first know public performance, at Cologne. His father announced that he was 6 years old. Because of this, Beethoven always thought that he was younger than he actually was. Even much later, when he received a copy of his baptism certificate, he thought that it belonged to his brother Ludwig Maria, who was born two years before him, and died as a child.

But the musical and teaching talents of Johann were limited. Soon Ludwig learned music, notably the organ and composition by renowned musicians, such as Gottlob Neefe. Neefe recognised the how extraordinarily talented Beethoven was. As well as teaching him music, he made the works of philosophers, ancient and modern, known to Beethoven.

In 1782, before the age of 12, Beethoven published his first work: 9 variations, in C Minor, for Piano, on a march by Ernst Christoph Dressler (WoO 63). And the following year, in 1783, Neefe wrote in the "Magazine of Music", about his student: "If he continues like this he will be, without doubt, the new Mozart".

In June 1784, on Neefe's recommendations, Ludwig was appointed organist of the court of Maximilian Franz, Elector of Cologne. He was 14. This post enabled him to frequent new circles, other than those of his father and friends of his family. Here he met people who were to remain friends for the rest of his life: The Ries family, the von Breuning family and the charming Eleonore, Karl Amenda, the violinist, Franz Gerhard Wegeler, a doctor, and a dear friend who also went to Vienna, etc.

At home, little by little, Ludwig replaced his father. Financially first of all, because Johann, often under the influence of drink, was less and less capable of keeping up his role at the court. The young Beethoven felt responsible for his two younger brothers, an idea he kept for the rest of his life, sometimes to the extent of being excessive.

Prince Maximilian Franz was also aware of Beethoven's gift, and so he sent Beethoven to Vienna, in 1787, to meet Mozart and to further his musical education. Vienna was, after all, the beacon city in terms of culture and music. There exist only texts of disputable authenticity on the subject of this meeting between Mozart and Beethoven. Mozart is thought to have said "Don't forget his name - you will hear it spoken often."!

But a letter called Beethoven back to Bonn: his mother was dying. The only person in his family with whom he had developed a strong and loving relationship passed away on July 17th 1787.

Five years later, in 1792, Beethoven went back to Vienna, benefiting from another grant, for two years, by the Prince Elector, again to pursue his musical education. He never went back to the town of his birth. His friend Waldstein wrote to him: "You shall receive Mozart's spirit from Haydn's hands"...

At Vienna, the young musician took lessons with Haydn, then with Albrechtsberger and Salieri. He captured the attention of, and astonished, Vienna, with his virtuosity and his improvisations on piano. In 1794, Beethoven composed his opus 1, three trios for piano. The following year, Beethoven made his first public performance at Vienna (an "Academy") whereby each musician was to play his own work. Then followed a tour: Prague, Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin before leaving for a concert in Budapest.

Beethoven made numerous acquaintances at Vienna. Everybody in the musical and aristocratic world admired the young composer. These music-lovers were Beethoven's greatest supporters. He became angry regularly with one or another of them, often making honourable amends soon afterwards. His talent excused his excessive, impulsive behaviour.

In 1800, Beethoven organised a new concert at Vienna including, notably, the presentation of his first symphony. Although today we find this work classical, and close to the works of Mozart and Haydn, at the time certain listeners found the symphony strange, overly extravagant, and even risqué. This genius, Beethoven, who was still a young, new composer, was already pushing the established boundaries of music.

In 1801 Beethoven confessed to his friends at Bonn his worry of becoming deaf. At Heiligenstadt, in 1802, he wrote a famous text which expressed his disgust at the unfairness of life: that he, a musician, could become deaf was something he did not want to live through. But music made him carry on. And he wrote that he knew that he still had many other musical domains to explore, to discover, and to pass on. Beethoven did not commit suicide, rather, knowing that his handicap was getting worse and worse, he threw himself into his greatest works: exceptional sonatas for piano (notably The Storm, opus 31), the second and the third symphonies- The Eroica - and of course many more.

Beethoven wrote this third symphony in honour of a great man, Bonaparte. He was seen as the liberator of the people, opening, from the French Revolution, a door to hope. When the First Consul declared himself Emporor, Beethoven became enraged and scowled out Bonaparte's name from the score.

On April 7th 1805 the Eroica symphony was played for the first time.

Meanwhile, Beethoven had finally finished his opera, Leonore, the only opera he ever wrote. He wrote and re-wrote four different overtures. The name of the opera therefore changed to Fidelio, against the wishes of the composer. November 20th 1805 was the date of the opening performance … before a thin audience of French officers. This was because Napolean, head of the army, had captured Vienna for the first time. This happened again in 1809.

In the years that followed, the creative activity of the composer became intense. He composed many symphonies, amongst which were the Pastoral, the Coriolan Overture, and the famous Letter for Elise. He took on many students, those he found young and attractive, and he therefore fell in love with several of them. The Archbishop Rudolph, brother of the emperor, also became his student, his friend and eventually one of his benefactors.

In 1809, Beethoven wanted to leave Vienna, at the invitation of Jérome Bonaparte. His long-standing friend, the Countess Anna Marie Erdödy, kept him at Vienna with the help of his wealthiest admirers: the Archbishop Rudolph, the Prince Lobkowitz and the Prince Kinsky. These men gave Beethoven an annual grant of 4 000 florins, allowing him to live without financial constraint. The only condition was that Beethoven was not to leave Vienna. Beethoven accepted. This grant made him the first independent composer. Before this contract musicians and composers alike (even Bach, Mozart and Haydn), became servants in the houses of wealthy aristocratic families. They were thus part of the domestic staff, with no more rights than any other, but with the added task of composition and performance. Thus, for the musician of the day, Beethoven had outstanding circumstances: he was free to write what he wanted, when he wanted, under command or not, as he pleased.

In 1812, Beethoven went for hydrotherapy at Teplitz, where he wrote his ardent letter to "The Immortal Beloved". This letter which was found in a secret draw with the Heiligenstadt Testament, has not stopped the theories and suppositions of researchers and biographers ever since. Numerous women amongst his students and friends have been, in turn, proposed as the recipient of this letter. Unless a new document is discovered (perhaps within the possessions of a private collector) it is likely that the truth about this mysterious woman will remain a secret.

At the end of July 1812, Beethoven met Goethe, under the organisation of Bettina Brentano. These two great men admired each other, but didn't understand each other. The composer found the poet too servile, and the poet last estimation was that Beethoven was "completely untamed". Beethoven admired Goethe, he put to music several of his poems. I always regretted not having been better understood by Goethe.

Then one of his benefactors, the Prince Lobkowitz, fell into financial difficulty, and the Prince Kinski died from falling off his horse. Kinski's descendant decided to put an end to the financial obligations towards Beethoven. Here started one of the composer's many attempts at saving his financial independence.

The Czech Johann Nepomuk Maelzel took up contact with Beethoven. Inventor of genius, and probably inventor of the metronome, Maelzel had already met Beethoven and had created various devices to help Beethoven with his hearing: acoustic cornets, a listening system linking up to the piano, etc. In 1813, Beethoven composed 'The Victory of Wellington', a work written for a mechanical instrument made by Maelzel, the "panharmonica" (or "panharmonicon"). But it was above all the metronome which helped evolve music and Beethoven, who had taken interest straight away, noted scrupulously the markings on his scores, so that his music could be played how he wished.

The Academy of 1814 regrouped his work, as well as the seventh and eighth symphonies. This was also the time of the re-writing of Leonore as Fidelio, Beethoven's only opera. This work eventually became successful before the public.

Then the Congress of Vienna met, which brought together all the heads of state to decided the future of Europe after Napoleon. This was one of Beethoven's moment of glory. He was invited to play many times, bringing him recognition and admiration of which he could be truly proud.

On November 15th 1815, Kaspar Karl, Beethoven's brother, died. He left behind his wife, whom the composer referred to as 'The queen of the night' due to the pastimes of the widow, as well as a son, Karl, who was 9. Here Beethoven's life was to change dramatically. His brother had written that he wished Karl's guardianship to be exercised by both his wife and his brother Ludwig. Beethoven took this role very seriously, but the 45 year old celibate who could no longer hear found it difficult to live with and understand a child, and then a young man. This cohabitation was the cause of a new trial against the mother of the child, a generation conflict and numerous troubles.

In 1816, Carl Czerny (future teacher of Franz Liszt and once Beethoven's student) became Karl's music teacher, but didn't find the talent in the boy which Beethoven hoped him to posses. At this time , he ended his cycle of lieders 'To the distant loved one'and drafted the first theme for his ninth symphony.

Two years later, the Archduke Rudolph became Cardinal and Beethoven began composing his mass in D. It was never ready for the intronisation, but the work was rich beyond compare.

Gioachino Rossini triumphed in Vienna in 1822 where he met Beethoven again. The language barrier and Beethoven's deafness meant that they could only exchange brief words. The Viennese composer tolerated Italian opera only in moderation - he found it lacked seriousness.

The ninth symphony was practically finished in 1823, the same year as the Missa Solemnis. Liszt, who was 11, met Beethoven who came to his concert on April 13th. He congratulated the young virtuoso heartily who, years later, transcribed the entirety of Beethoven's symphonies for piano.

May 7th 1824 was the date of the first playing of the ninth symphony and despite musical difficulties, and problems in the sung parts, it was a success. Unfortunately it was not financially rewarding. Financial problems constantly undermined the composer. He always had money put to one side, but he was keeping it for his nephew.

Then began the period of the last quartets, which are still difficult even for today's audience, which knows how to interpret his other works. He started to compose his tenth symphony.

In 1826, Beethoven caught cold coming back from his brother's place, with whom he had rowed again. The illness complicated other health problems from which Beethoven had suffered all his life. He passed away encircled by his closest friends on March 26th 1827, just as a storm broke out.

The funeral rites took place at the church of the Holy Trinity. It is estimated that between 10 000 and 30 000 people attended. Franz Schubert, timid and a huge admirer of Beethoven, without ever having become close to him, was one of the coffin bearers, along with other musicians. Schubert died the next year and was buried next to Beethoven.

The actor Heinrich Anschütz read the funeral prayer written by Franz Grillparzer, (a great writer), in front of the doors of theWähring cemetery (now Schubert Park).

Writer by Dominique PRÉVOT