Born with the impressive name, Ferruccio Dante Michelangelo Benvenuto Busoni, this brilliant Italian composer was certainly destined to live up to the expectations that his remarkable title demanded of him. He took the music arena by storm on account of his original and colorful arrangements as a composer and his astounding, flamboyant piano skills.
Ferruccio Busoni was born near Florence in Italy, in April 1866. Both of his parents were accomplished musicians; his mother was a pianist and his father had trained in the clarinet. Classical music was literally in his veins and he was privileged to travel with his parents, as they toured during the early part of his childhood. He became his mother’s protégé at the age of eight and was a swift and able learner. He made his first public appearance as a pianist in Vienna, before his ninth birthday. Continue reading to THE ARTICLE »
Paul Hindemith, who is among one of the greatest neoclassical music composers, was born in Germany in 1895. As an early child Hindemith was taught the violin. He later entered the Hochsche Konservatorium in Frankfurt am Main. At the Hochsche Konservatorium he studied violin with Adolf Rebner. He also studied composition and conducting with Arnold Mendelssohn and Bernhard Sekles. In 1914 Hindemith became deputy leader of the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra and three years later he became leader of the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra. Hindemith founded the Amar Quartet in 1921. At the International Society for Contemporary Music festival at Salzburg, Germany in 1922, some of his pieces were showcased. This provided Paul Hindemith with an international audience. Following this, Continue reading to THE ARTICLE »
Master composer lives on through his beautiful interpretations of
Spanish folk-lore music. A tribute to a unique and inspired musician whose contributions to classical music are second to none.
Arguably the best Spanish composer that the 20th century has experienced, Manuel de Falla, was born in Cadiz, Andalucía, in the south west of Spain, in November 1876. From a tender age, he was tutored in the foundations of music theory by his mother, before progressing to piano lessons at the age of nine.
His creativity and passion for the music industry, led Manuel de Falla, with the help of some friends, to produce his first musical editorial in 1889. This literary work was entitled El Burlon, and was the first of a number of magazines that he collaborated on in the early years of his career. Continue reading to THE ARTICLE »
Inspired by the music of the 18th century, Neoclassical music brought about very talented composers and gave people a way to channel their emotions acquired from the Second World War.
Neoclassical music in the USA began right around the time of the Second World War. Neoclassical music was a 20th century development. It was inspired from the music of the 18th century as well as the Classical Period and the Baroque Period. For this reason, Neoclassical music can also be referred to as Neo-Baroque music.
Some of the heavy hitters in the Neoclassical music genre who also brought the popularity of Neoclassical Music in the USA were Bela Bartok, Leonard Bernstein, Nadia Boulanger, Benjamin Britten, Aaron Copland, Irving Fine, Paul Hindemith, Ernst Krenek, Carl Nielsen, Francis Poulenc, Dmitri Shostakovich, Erik Satie and Heitor Villa-Lobos. These were just a few of the many brilliant musicians involved Continue reading to THE ARTICLE »
Sergei Prokofiev was one of the greatest neoclassical music composers of the 20th century. He mastered several musical genres as a Russian pianist, conductor and composer and well known for his neoclassical style. Important works of Sergei Prokofiev include but are not limited to: Toccata in D minor, Piano Sonata no. 2 in D minor, Piano Concert No. 2 in D minor, Sarcasms, Op. 17 for piano, Chout, Op. 21 ballet in six scenes, Visions Fugitives Op. 22 set of twenty piano pieces, The Love for Three Oranges, Op. 33 opera in four acts, includes the famous Martch from the Love for Three Oranges, Symphony No. 1 in D Major Classical, The Fiery Angel, Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, The Prodigal Son, Four Portraits from “The Gambler”, String Quartet No. 1 in B Minor, Symphonic Song, Romeo and Juliet ballet, Peter and the Wolf, Alexander Nevsky, Violin Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, and three so-called War Sonatas; Piano Sonata No. 6 in A Major; Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat major; and Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major. His Symphony No. 1 has been one of the major works of Neoclassical music. When he wrote Romeo and Juliet ballet as an experienced composer, Continue reading to THE ARTICLE »
