John Field

Nationality: Irish

Born: Dublin, July 26^th 1782

Died: Moscow, January 23^rd 1837

Type of music: Piano music

Main works: 18 Nocturnes

John field seems to elude the classical music repertoire today, especially in the concert format. It seems unjust, as he is one of the very first romantics, and would be influential to many composers after him.

He learned piano reluctantly with instruction from his father, a violinist at a Dublin theatre, but would make significant progress under Muzio Clementi, who also employed Field as a piano salesman in his showrooms.

Until Field, Composition was restricted to coercive form, but he introduced a new writing style, which consisted of single movement pieces. He is credited as the first composer to publish a new type of piece called a “Nocturne”. These are single movement pieces rich with feeling and emotion.

Field's 18 Nocturnes are lyrical and melancholic, a reflection of his own weak disposition and character. He was not confined to the service of the church or the nobility and disregarded fame, so his Nocturnes were a means to express his emotions to himself and for himself. It is said he would practice with coins on the back of his hands to perfect his gentle playing style that was required for these pieces. The Italian school believe the Nocturnes of the romantic period were inspired by the 'Notturno', an Italian song with a grander character and lavish melodies, so when John Field played his Nocturnes for the aristocratic audiences of Milan, Venice and Naples in 1832, they were left somewhat disappointed by his delicate touch and melancholy.

Nocturnes are synonymous with the composer Frederic Chopin, who played Field's Nocturnes in his own public performances. Chopin admired this new style of composition and would set out to develop it to his own taste. The two sets of Nocturnes still share many similarities.

Many other composers of the romantic era owe thanks to John Field's new style of writing, as it opened the opportunity for such pieces as Lieder ohne worte, impromptus, ballads and other types of lyric pieces.

"I am a pianist” - Field

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Ludwig Van Beethoven

Nationality: German

Born: Bonn, Baptized December 17^th 1770

Died: Vienna, March 26^th 1827

Type of music: Symphonies, String quartets, Piano concertos, Piano sonatas

Main works: 9 symphonies including no.6 (Pastoral), 32 piano sonatas including no.8 (Pathetique), 5 piano concertos

While Mozart lived under the constraints of the classical period, Ludwig Van Beethoven came of age during the French revolution. This was a time of vast social changes and political unrest, which would shape Beethoven's work immeasurably. He worked with the classical traditions but remained an individual in a changing world. The Romantic era was coming.

Beethoven was born into a musical family, although by around the age of 9 or 10 he was taught by the organist Christian Neefe, who helped him write and publish his very first compositions, a set of keyboard variations which were published in 1783. In 1787, Neefe also sent Beethoven to Vienna to have lessons with Mozart and in 1792, He travelled to Vienna again for lessons with Haydn, and he settled there.

Beethoven quickly made a name for himself and by 1795 he had given his first public concert, during which he played a newly composed piano concerto of his own. A year later he had composed and published a set of piano trios and three piano sonatas. Although Beethoven was using classical traditions, his music was emotive and full of passion, seen his first symphony composed in 1800.

By 1802, Beethoven came to terms with his hearing loss and would eventually become deaf. His romantic nature would make him continue to compose and achieve as much as possible in his lifetime. His anguish and despair seems to be apparent in his work, for example in symphony no.3, which contains a funeral march.

Beethoven composed one opera, 'fidelio', a story of the French revolution, although after it's debut in 1805, Beethoven continued composing instrumental music due to it being unsuccessful.

In 1808, Beethoven's symphonies no.5 and no.6 were premièred at the same concert. Symphony no.6 was innovative for its programmatic content, as it depicted various scenes in Austrian country life. This was a trait that would help define music in the romantic era.

Unlike Haydn, Beethoven was not employed under the service of one family, but he did have many patrons to gave him financial security. The famous 'emperor' piano concerto no.5 is dedicated to one of these patrons, Archduke Rudolph.

By 1818 Beethoven was withdrawing himself from public life, after becoming completely deaf. He continued to compose. Some of his most introspective and emotive work appeared after this time, including his last three piano sonatas. Between 1822-24, Beethoven composed his infamous Choral symphony, which was unique for the vocal setting in it's final movement.

"Nature would burst should she attempt to produce nothing save Beethovens” - Schumann

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Mozart

Nationality: Austrian

Born: Salzburg, January 27^th 1756

Died: Vienna, December 5^th 1791

Type of music: Symphonies, Opera, piano concertos, string quartets

Main works: Marriage of Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787), 41 symphonies, 24 string quartets, 21 piano concertos, 17 masses

Mozart is one of the most recognised names in western classical music, if not the most. He may not be seen as a revolutionary as Beethoven is, but among his works are some of the most emotive pieces of music in the classical repertoire, particularly his operatic works. Unlike any other composer, Mozart wrote in all the styles of the time and was successful in each genre he composed in.

Mozart's family, (particularly his father Leopold) were key to his success as a musician. Leopold was a court musician for the Archbishop of Salzburg, and from an early age he showed of Mozart's talent for keyboard playing to members of aristocracy in Europe. In 1763, Mozart and his family travelled to Paris and London where Mozart would play for the monarchy, and it was in London that Mozart wrote his first symphonies.

In May 1769, Mozart's first opera, 'La finta semplice' was performed at the Archbishop's palace. Leopold then took Mozart took Italy, the birthplace of opera, and he received his first full opera commission for 'Mitridate, re di ponto' which had it's debut in 1770. Mozart's last trip away was to Paris where he wrote Symphony no.31 and a concerto for flute and harp. The Parisian audience were uninterested and when Mozart's mother died suddenly, he returned home.

Mozart carried on writing music for the court, including sacred music, symphonies, serenades and piano concertos. In 1781, Mozart ended his engagement with the Archbishop and stayed in Vienna, where he composed, taught music and gave concerts. In his first years there he composed the opera 'Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail' and several piano concertos.

In 1785, Mozart began composing his most famous Opera 'The Marriage of Figaro'. It is based on a French play by Pierre Beaumarchais but Mozart's literary collaborator for this was the Italian poet Lorenzo Da Ponte, who also wrote the librettos for 'Don Giovanni' and 'Cosi fan tutte'. Surprisingly, Figaro failed to impress the audiences in Vienna, and in 1787 the opera was taken to Prague, a city which fell in love with the masterpiece.

Mozart's 'Don Giovanni' was even less well received than Figaro and Mozart began struggling financially as well as experiencing ill health. In 1788 he composed his last three symphonies, including no.41 (Jupiter) in the space of a few weeks.

In 1791, he was commissioned to write his infamous Requiem Mass. By this time, Mozart's health was rapidly deteriorating and he died in December 1791. His Requiem was finished by his own pupil, Franz Sussmayr. Mozart's financial affairs means he was laid to rest in an unmarked grave.

"Mozart is sunshine” - Dvorak

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Joseph Haydn

Nationality: Austrian

Born: Rohrau, March 31^st 1732

Died: Vienna, May 31^st 1809

Type of music: Symphonies, String quartets, Opera, Oratorios

Main works: 104 symphonies, 15 operas, 12 masses, string quartets, Violin concertos, keyboard concertos

Haydn is arguably the most important composer of the 18^th Century. He personally made one of the biggest contributions to the development of different forms of classical music, including the symphony, concerto, string quartet and sonata. His work would also influence future greats such as Mozart and Beethoven, who was a pupil of Haydn. Haydn stands in a pivotal moment in music history due to the fact he was one of the last composers to be in the service of aristocracy. He sought freedom from this and managed to do so near the end of his career.

His talent was recognised at the early age of 6 by his family, and after he turned 8, he became choirboy at St Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. After leaving the choir in 1749, he worked as a music teacher in Vienna over the next 10 years, until he became engaged in the service of the Esterhazy family.

He took up this post in 1761 at Eisenstadt, and was required to train the choir and orchestra there, and also compose music upon request. Some of the first works composed here were the 3 symphonies, 'Morning', 'Noon' and 'Night'. Haydn's musical output grew significantly when he began serving under Prince Nikolaus, and they moved to Eszterhaza in a new summer palace where Haydn wrote approximately 25 operas for performance. Haydn wrote the 'Farewell Symphony' in a plea to move back to Eisenstadt as the court musicians had families in Vienna. This symphony among others was written in the 1770's and exhibited a wide range of emotions and styles. This literary inspired work also influenced both his string quartets and piano sonatas that he wrote around this time.

His fame eventually allowed him to compose music for other patrons and also get his scores published. In 1790 prince Nikolaus died and he also became free to travel, which included a visit to London. In 1791 Oxford University awarded in an honorary doctorate in music.

In Haydn's later years btween 1796 and 1802 he composed 6 masses, including 'The Creation' in 1798. His last public appearance was at a performance of this mass for his 76^th birthday celebration. He died in the May of 1809 and the vast majority of Vienna's arts patrons attended his funeral. It included a performance of Mozart's Requiem.

"So far as genius can exist in a man who is merely virtuous, Haydn had it” - Nietzsche

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Christoph WIllibald Gluck

Nationality: German

Born: Erasbach, July 2^nd 1714

Died: Vienna, 15^th November 1787

Type of music: French/Italian opera

Main works: Ofeo ed Euridice (1762), Alceste (1767)

Gluck lived in the Rococo age, which saw the transition from the Baroque era to the classical period. To pursue his musical interests, he left home at 13 and entered the service of a nobleman in Vienna. He then moved with him to Italy, where his musical career took off.

By 1744, 8 of Gluck's operas had been produced in Italy. After 1745, Gluck spent years travelling around Europe with an opera company until he eventually married and moved to Vienna in 1754. It is here he attained the post of composer at the court theatre.

Together with the poet Raniero de Calzabigi, Gluck evolved opera according to the changing tastes of audiences at the time. He wrote comic operas and also ballet's such as 'Don Juan' in 1761. This would later influence Mozart's 'Don Giovanni'. In 1762 he also composed the opera 'Orfeo ed Euridice', a setting of a tragic love story also used by Monteverdi in the Renaissance.

On the preface to the score of the opera 'Alceste', Gluck wrote that he wanted to free opera from the traits “which have so long disfigured Italian opera and made of the most splendid and beautiful of spectacles the most ridiculous and wearisome.”

"Hearing Iphigenie, I forgot that I am in an opera house and think I am hearing a Greek tragedy” - Baron Grimm

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Jean-Philippe Rameau

Nationality: French

Born: Dijon, Baptized 25^th September 1683

Died: Paris, September 12^th 1764

Type of music: Opera, opera-ballet

Main works: Castor et Pollux (1737), Pieces de clavecin (1741)

Like Scarlatti, Rameau began his musical career as an organist and held several posts in various towns and cities in France, until he moved to Paris in 1722. In the same year he released his famous treatise on theory and harmony in music, 'Traite de L'harmonie'.

He then started to work as a harpsichord teacher, and during this time he composed numerous volumes of character pieces for keyboard, influenced by the style of François Couperin.

In 1733, Rameau's first opera 'Hippolyte et Aricie' had it's debut at the Paris opera after he became acquainted with the playwright Abbe Simon-Joseph Pellegrin, who wrote the libretto. He went on to write approximately 30 more stage works, including the ballet 'Pygmalion'.

Rameau's opera work became overshadowed by the Italian opera that had found it's way into the musical culture in France, and he was no longer popular. His work became popular again in the mid 20^th Century.

"The expression of thought, of sentiment, of the passions, must be the true aim of music” - Rameau

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Domenico Scarlatti

Nationality: Italian

Born: Naples, October 26^th 1685

Died: Madrid, July 23^rd 1757

Type of music: Harpsichord music

Main works: Approximately 550 keyboard sonatas

Scarlatti attained the position of organist the Neapolitan royal chapel at the young age of 16. This combined with his vast output of keyboard music has left a long standing legacy on the music world.

In 1709, Domenico served Queen Maria Casimria in Rome, where he met Handel who was born in the same year. He worked briefly as maestro di capella at the Julian Chapel in the Vatican until 1719 when he left for Portugal.

In Portugal, Scarlatti took the engagement of Maria Barbara, daughter of the king. He taught her music and then followed her to Spain in 1728 when she married the Crown prince of Spain. He remained in her service and dedicated all his keyboard sonatas to her.

The sonatas are infamous for their virtuosity and demanded a good technique. The music itself often engaged a fast tempo and numerous note repetitions. Scarlatti explored many of Spain's musical traditions in his sonatas, such as the Flamenco style.

"He had broke through all the rules of composition” - Charles Burney

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George Frideric Handel

 

Nationality: German

Born: Halle, February 23^rd 1685

Died: London, April 14^th 1759

Type of music: Italian opera, English oratorios

Main works: Water music (1717), over 40 operas, 12 concerti grossi (1739), Messiah (1742)

Handel was an exact contemporary and compatriot of J.S. Bach, although unlike Bach, he would lead a nomadic career which took him to Italy and then his resting place, England. In 1703 at the age of 18, Handel moved to Hamburg to pursue is interest in opera, but soon departed for Italy, the birthplace of the genre.

By 1707, Handel had composed his first complete opera, 'Rodrigo', which was staged at a theatre in Florence. Following it's success he moved to Rome where he worked at the court for Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. Here he met both Corelli and Scarlatti and also composed his firs oratorio, a setting of the resurrection story which had it's debut in 1708. Handel briefly moved back to Germany, being appointed Kapellmeister to the elector in Hanover. However he took leave immediately and left for London.

Handel would begin composing operas for the middle classes of England, before having to return to Hanover once more, where he spent time composing conerti grossi and overtures. In 1712 Handel returned to London, where he spent the rest of his life as a royal composer.

In 1719 the Royal Academy of Music was established, and Handel became the resident composer. For the next 8 years he composed 14 operas for the Academy, including 'Admeto' and 'Giulio Cesare'. Their fame attracted some of Europe's finest operatic performers.

After George I died in 1727, Handel composed 4 coronation anthems for his successor, George II. This includes the famous 'Zadok the Priest', which has been performed at every coronation in England ever since.

Shortly after this time, the Academy had financial issues, and Handel changed musical direction. He began composing instrumental music and English oratorios, including the famous 'Messiah' which had it's debut in Dublin 1742. This was followed by 15 more successful oratorios including 'Judas Maccabaeus' in 1746 and 'Solomon' in 1748. In 1749 Handel composed his last royal commission, the music for the royal fireworks. 

 

Handel's influence over music and culture in England meant upon his death in 1759, he would be granted a full state funeral at Westminster Abbey.

"The most excellent musician any age ever produced” - Handel's Epitaph

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Johann Sebastian Bach

Nationality: German

Born: Eisenach, March 21^st 1685

Died: Leipzig, July 28^th 1750

Type of music: Sacred music, Cantatas, instrumental music, keyboard music

Main works: Brandenburg Concertos (1721), Goldberg variations (1722), Well tempered clavier (1722-44), Mass in B minor (1749), The art of fugue (1750)

Bach today isn't just considered to be the best composer of the Baroque era, but possibly the greatest composer of all time. During his lifetime he mastered several keyboard instruments, while devoting himself and his music to the service of the church. He was born into a family of successful musicians, and at the age of 10 Bach moved to Ohrdruf to live with his brother who was an organist. It is most likely he taught Bach before he attained a place at St Michaels school in Luneburg. Here he studied music and sang in the choir until he left in 1702.

Bach briefly worked as a violinist at the Weimar ducal court before he was appointed the position of organist at a church in Arnstadt. Here he began his compositional career and in the winter of 1705-06, it is said Bach walked approximately 260 miles to Lubeck to see Dietrich Buxtehude performing. (Another virtuoso organist).

In 1708 Bach moved again to the Weimar ducal court. Here Bach took up the position of organist at the ducal chapel. Here Bach began to compose cantatas for court performances, and also instrumental music for the court orchestra.

However in 1717, after his relationship with Duke Wilhelm Ernst had broken down, he took up the position of Kapellmeister for Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cothen. Here most of the works Bach composed were secular compositions, as needed. This includes the Brandenburg concertos, his famous double concerto in D minor, orchestral suites and sonatas.

In 1721, Bach remarried to the singer and harpsichordist Anna Magdalena for whom he dedicated 'The Well Tempered Clavier' to. In May of 1723 Bach moved to his final post which was the Cantor at a school in Leipzig. Here Bach taught music and also provided music for the two churches in the town. Most notably, Bach composed roughly 250 Cantatas for Sunday church services, which are works written for voices and orchestra. He also composed two settings of the Passion, his famous Mass in B minor and the Christmas Oratorio. One of Bach's last major compositions was the Goldberg variations, a work based on a fugue setting written for Harpsichord.

Bach's music held little influence during the classical period, but was rediscovered in the 19^th Century, particularly by Mendelssohn, and his music is still performed all over the world today.

"Johann Sebastian Bach has done everything completely, he was a man through and through”. - Franz Schubert

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Dietrich Buxtehude

Nationality: Danish

Born: Oldesloe, 1637

Died: Lubeck, Germany, May 9^th 1707

Type of music: Organ music, cantatas

Main works: 120 sacred cantatas

Buxtehude was a direct contemporary of Pachelbel, and was also a virtuoso organist. He certainly influenced J.S. Bach as Pachelbel did, and it's said that in the winter of 1705-06, Bach in fact walked from Thuringia to Lubeck just to hear Buxtehude performing.

In 1668 he attained the position of organist at St Mary's church in Lubeck, Germany, a competitive post that was also very lucrative for him. He subsequently spent the rest of his days in Lubeck.

Buxtehude's duties for the church would include composing music for the main services, but he also resurrected an old tradition of giving concerts on the 5 Sundays before Christmas. These performances became as famous as his playing.

His musical output includes cantatas, several oratorios, organ works including preludes, fantasias, fugues and variations based on chorale themes, chamber and keyboard music.

"I should place an organist who is mater of his instrument at the very head of all virtuosi”. - Beethoven

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Johann Pachelbel

Nationality: German

Born: Nürnberg, Baptized September 1^st 1653

Died: Nürnberg, March 3^rd 1706

Type of music: Organ music

Main works: Canon and Gigue in D major, Organ chorales, 6 suites for 2 violins

Pachelbel's work today has gone largely forgotten, with the exception of a single piece of music called 'Canon in D major'. However at the time he made an enormous contribution to church music in protestant Germany, most notably with his organ music.

He began his career as an organist at St. Stephen's cathedral in Vienna and in 1677 he attained the post of organist in the town of J.S. Bach's birthplace, Eisenach. A year later he moved to the town of Efurt and stayed there for 12 years as the organist of the church. Here he met with the family of J.S. Bach and was teacher to his elder brother, Johann Christoph. From 1684 he spent two years as the organist in Stutgart then three years as the town organist in Gotha, before moving back to his birthplace.

His organ chorales are complex polyphonic pieces based on protestant hymns and would influence J.S. Bach in his compositional career. Other keyboard styles he worked in were toccatas, fantasias, chaconnes and variations.

Hexachordum apollinis is a group of 6 arias with variation for organ or harpsichord, written in 1699. Pachelbel also wrote 6 suites for two 2 violins and keyboard, a set of 28 canonic variations, motets, sacred concertos and 11 settings of the magnificat for chorus and instrument.

"A perfect and rare virtuoso”. - Daniel Eberlin

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Antonio Vivaldi

Nationality: Italian

Born: Venice, March 4^th 1678

Died: Vienna, july 28^th 1741

Type of music: Instrumental music, Violin concertos

Main works: Over 400 concertos published in sets, including 'Lestro armonico' (1711)

Vivaldi's vast musical output made him one of the most influential musicians of the baroque era. His contribution to the concerto form was unrivalled at the time and would have a lasting effect on successive composers.

In 1693, Vivaldi began his training for priesthood, while continuing to study violin at home with his father. After being ordained in 1703, he attained the position of violin teacher at a Venetian orphanage for girls. This conservatoire had an excellent reputation for music and during Vivaldi's first six years there, he published a set of 12 'trio sonate de camera' and a set of violin sonatas. He also began writing concertos which became his preferred style.

Vivaldi wrote over 200 violin concertos, about 27 cello concertos, and approximately 12 flute concertos, 3 piccolo concertos, 20 oboe concertos and 37 bassoon concertos.

The most famous concerti, 'the four seasons', were published in a collection in 1725 and are of his most famous works. They are laden with programmatic content, depicting various elements of the seasons, such as birdsong in spring and ice skating in winter.

A set of 12 concertos for 1, 2 or 4 solo violins was published in Amsterdam in 1711 with the name 'Lestro armonico' that became widely successful in Europe. J.S. Bach even wrote 5 keyboard transcriptions of them.

In 1711 when he returned to Pieta he also wrote sacred music as well as instrumental music. Most noteably Gloria which is still performed today.

Vivaldi also wrote operas for Italian courts and opera houses in Mantua, Venice and Rome. Several have survived although they are mainly used for academic purposes.

"He is an old man, who has a prodigious fury for composition. I heard him undertake to compose a concerto, with all the parts, with greater despatch than a copyist can copy”. - Charles de Brosses

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Henry Purcell

Nationality: English

Born: London, 1659

Died: London, 21^st November 1695

Type of music: Opera, instrumental music, odes, anthems

Main works: Dido and Aeneas (1689), King Arthur (1691), Te Deum and Jubilate in D (1694), Funeral music for Queen Mary (1695)

Most European countries had continuing musical traditions after the Renaissance period, however England's musical heritage was limited. Henry Purcell was the first prominent composer in England during the Baroque era.

His musical career started when he became a chorister at the Chapel Royal, and in 1679 he went on to succeed John Blow (1649-1708) as the organist of Westminster Abbey. In 1682 he attained the position of organist at the Chapel Royal and a year later was also an organ maker and 'keeper' of the king's instruments.

Purcell's court appointments included writing odes and welcome songs for various occasions and festivities. These works are some of his least well known with the exception of his 1692 Ode for St Cecilias day.

The last ten years of Purcell's life was spent writing music for stage, when Opera in England did not really exist as such. He wrote incidental music for several operas produced at London theatres. These included 'The fairy Queen' and 'The Tempest' which were loosely based on Shakespeare. He provided music for over 40 plays by prominent playwrights at the time.

Apart from dramatic music, Purcell's musical output was greatly varied, having written anthems, a Magnificat, a te deum, numerous solo songs and partsongs, instrumental music for fantasias, trio sonatas and keyboard music.

Among his last works include the funeral music for Queen Mary, which was used as his own funeral a short time afterwards, having died at the early age of 36.

"Mr Purcell, in whose person we have at length found an Englishman equal with the best abroad”. - John Dryden

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Arcangelo Corelli

Nationality: Italian

Born: Fusignano, February 17^th 1653

Died: Rome, January 8^th 1713

Type of music: Violin music, Sinfonias, Concertos

Main works: 4 sets of 12 trio sontas, 12 solo sontas, 12 Conertos

During the 17^th century, Italy was perfecting the craft of violin manufacturing, most notably the Stradivari family, still known today for being exquisite instrument makers. Corelli was a product of this musical culture, and became one of the most influential performers in Europe.

Corelli was Born in Fusignano, and took violin lessons in nearby Faenza from a priest. In 1666 he moved to Bologna and studied music properly with several talented performers. By 1675 he had made his professional debut, and played in church performances commissioned by Rome's prelates, and several secular theatre productions.

In 1679 Corelli became a chamber musician to Queen Christina of Sweden who had exiled. His first compositions, a set of 12 'Sonate de chiesa', were dedicated to the Queen. He then attached himself to the more influential cardinal Pamphili. From 1684 Corelli was playing regularly at events organised by Pamphili and he dedicated a set of chamber trios to the cardinal. By July 1687 Corelli was formally appointed as the Cardinal's music master. In 1690 he was engaged by another Cardinal, Pietro Ottoboni, a significant patron of music. Corelli dedicated a second set of Chamber trios to Ottoboni in 1694.

Corelli began writing sinfonias and concertos and their success sealed his reputation as one of Europe's most famous musicians. In 1707 Corelli met Handel, who was working in Rome, and performed in one of Handel's early Oratorios. Shortly after this time he retired from performing and dedicated his time to composition before his health deteriorated and he died in 1713.

His legacy has lived on and his works have been reprinted several times, quickly becoming popular all over Europe. He was influential to plenty of his successors, including Bach, Tellemann and Handel.

"I have never met with any man that suffered his passions to hurry him away so much whilst he was playing on the violin as the famous Arcangelo Corelli, whose eyes will sometimes turn as red as fire”. - François Ragunet

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