The acclaimed Russian composer, Dmitri Shostakovich , was born in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) in 1906. He was born into a musical family and was taught to play the piano by his mother – herself a well reputed piano teacher – from a very early age. He was sent to music school at the age of thirteen to continue his tuition. It wasn’t long before he started composing his own music. He was regularly performing his work in public by the time he was fourteen years old. The news of his talent spread quickly and his reputation began to precede him. 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 »
Perhaps the most famous Neoclassical musician and composer was Igor Stravinsky. Stravinsky’s best known compositions were The Firebird, Pulcinella, The Soldier’s Tale, Apollon Musagete, The Rite of Spring, his Symphony of Salms, Orpheus and L’Histoire du oldate, and Symphony in Three Movements. In these works Stravinsky changed things up by using mostly the piano, wind instruments and choral works instead of the typical grand orchestra style of ballet of the time. Especially Pulcinella is an important work in his career asit was Pulcinella that led him to neoclassical style. First performance of Pulcinella was a big success with costumes produced by Picasso and simple, modern music of Igor Stravinsky. Continue reading to THE ARTICLE »
