Ludwig van Beethoven
Profile by:Brunnhilde
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer who was born in December, 1770, and died in March, 1827. He and his music were very popular during his lifetime, and is still popular today. He is considered one of the greatest composers who ever lived-and in my opinion, he is the greatest, because he is my very favorite composer of all time.
Brief Biography
Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany. He revealed that he had some good musical talents at an early age, and as he grew up he intended to study music with his favorite composer of the time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but instead ended up befriending Joseph Haydn, moving to Vienna, Austria at the age of 22, and studying with Haydn. He soon became a virtuoso pianist, and not long later, of course, a composer, and lived in Vienna for the rest of his life. During his years in Vienna, he wrote many of his most famous works (and some of his earliest works sounded a lot like Mozart), as well as wrote his well-known letters to the woman known as his "Immortal Beloved." By the year 1800, his hearing began to grow bad, and during the last decade of his life he was almost completely deaf. During his last few months, Beethoven was seriously ill and occasionally visited by friends. An autopsy revealed he had bad liver damage-which may have been from too much alcohol consumption-as well as dilation of the auditory. He died at the age of 56 during a thunderstorm. Beethoven is considered one of the best composers because of how great a musical genius he was and also because his musical talent is beyond compare.
Popular works
The 9 Symphonies (especially Symphony # 9 "Choral")
Sonata for piano #14, "Moonlight"
Sonata for piano #8, "Pathetique"
Piano Concerto no. 5 "Emperor"
Fur Elise
Fidelio (opera)
Egmont Overture
...and many, many more! |
| Frederic Chopin
Profile by: Joan
Frederic Chopin was born on March 1, 1810, in the village of Zelazowa Wola, Poland and died on October 17, 1849, in Paris, France. He is considered the greatest Polish composer and produced many influential piano works.
Brief Biography
Chopin began composing piano works at the age of 7 and began performing his works 1 year later. At the time, he was considered a child prodigy. Over the years, Chopin performed in Poland, Germany, Austria, and France. He settled in Paris in 1832. There, he was able to live well, socialize with high society, and even became hailed as a great piano teacher. Chopin fell in love with a French novelist Aurore Dedevant, AKA George Sand. In 1838, they spent a harsh winter on the French island of Majorca, and Chopin fell ill, but recovered. He and Sand moved back to Paris and the next 7 years were the happiest, most productive years of his life. In the 1840s, Chopin's bad health was back, and his relationship with Sand was falling apart. Chopin's behavior became unpredictable, and George Sand finally left him. He died in Paris at the age of 38.
Popular works
Etude #12 in C minor "Revolutionary"
Sonata #2 in B-flat major, op. 35 "Funeral March"
Fantasie Impromptu, op. 66
Waltz no. 1 op. 64, "Minute"
Polonaise in A-flat major op. 53 "Heroic" & Polonaise in F-sharp minor op. 44 "Tragic"
Nocturne op. 9 no. 2
Preludes op. 28, nos. 7, 15, and 20.
Many other preludes, etudes, waltzes, nocturnes, and mazurkas. |
|
.jpg)
