Summary

Schumann

Robert Alexsander Schumann (1810-1856) was born into a small village in Germany. Because his father owned a book store, Schumann was more interested in literature than in music when he was little. He even tried to write novels and prose. When he was ten, he was motivated by the concert of Ignaz Moscheles, a contemporary piano player. After that, he started to learn music. Despite his father's support, his mother wanted him to study law to get a good job. So he followed his mother's will, majoring in law, but he didn't focus on study, instead, he spent time with friends discussing life and art. After listening one of Paganini's concert in 1830, he decided to became a piano player. After graduating from college, he learned piano from Friedrich Wieck, and fell in love with his daughter, who was also a famous piano player. Because he started playing the piano late, he practiced so hard that his finger got injured so he was not able to play the piano anymore. Afterward he focused on composition and music comment.
Schumann not only left us dozens of beautiful melody, but also introduced many great musician to us. If it were not for his effort, we would not cherish Beethoven and Schubert's work, and maybe we would not know Brahms and Chopin! His article about music comment is really a milestone in music field.
Let's listen to some of  his composition together.

Johann Strauss II

When it goes to waltz, we are likely to  think about the melody of The Beautiful Blue Danube. This composition not only made waltz popular but also brought peace to Austria and Prussia. At that time, the two countries were at war because they both wanted to lead German Confederation. At a party which the chancellors of the countries attended, when The Beautiful Blue Danube was played, the chancellor couldn't help but dance with each other because the melody was just so touching. By whom was such beautiful melody composed?

Johann Strauss II(1825~1899) was born into a great musical family in Austria. Though his father was a successful musician and little Johann did have talent in music, his father wanted him to become a banker instead of musician. Luckily, with his mother's help, little Johann was able to secretly learn music. When he was eighteen, his father left his family because he had an affair. This allowed him to focus on music and don't have to act sneakingly anymore. One year later, he hold his own  concert, which was definitely a challenge to his father's  reputation. Public was excited to see the competition between Johann Strauss the Elder and the Junior. It turned out that Johann Junior won this competition, and he even became more popular than his father. He was known as "the Waltz King".

At first, waltz was considered distasteful because the dance move consist of hugs between a man and a women, it was the Strauss family made it noble. Waltz music is in triple meter, and often written in 3/4 time. The melody of waltz music is brisk and lively so it is suitable to dance. Let's listen to some of the waltz music composed by Johann Strauss II, maybe you would like to dance too:)

Mendelssohn

Most musicians lived in poverty, but Felix Mendelssohn (1809~1847) was definitely an exception. His name, Felix, means happiness and joy, and maybe this brought him good luck. Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany. His father is a banker, and his mother had a wealthy background. This perfect circumstance allowed him to concentrated on learning music since he was little. Little Mendelssohn had showed his talent in music, he started composing when he was only 11! What's more, he had his own orchestra, so he had been able to listen to his works since his early age, which is a very rare, lucky situation at that time.
Due to his happy life, Mendelssohn's compositions are full of cheer and elegance. Though his works does not have obvious features, no one would doubt that he was a great musician because that his works are just perfect and flawless.
Another unforgettable thing about Mendelssohn is that he invented conductor's baton, he was the first conductor we define today.

Tchaikovsky

When we talk about ballet, we will definitely think about tutu (pink, fluffy skirt), lithe jumping and elegant circling. How about the story and background music?

Peter Lynch Tchaikovsky(1840~1893) had been interested in music when he was little, but his father thought that he could not make living by music, so he was sent to a law school and became a lawyer. In 1862, Tchaikovsky decided to quit his job and get into St.Petersburg Conservatory. After graduating, he became a music teacher and started to compose. 

Tchaikovsky wasn't good at socializing, some said he was just too shy to express his feeling, some said he offended many people because he often talked meanly. Maybe terrible relationship was why his compositions are full of emotions, that is, music was his only friend.

Tchaikovsky was representative for Russian Musician, the three ballet - Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker - are all his works.  

Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732~1809) was born into a small village in eastern Austria, there were twelve kids in his family. Since he had showed his gift in music when he was little, his father send him to his uncle, who was a conductor of a chorus, to learn more about music when he was six. His uncle taught him music theory, violin and cello.
Two years later, he joined the chorus of Stephansdom, he didn't leave there until he had his mutation period. After that, he made his living by teaching music, and try to compose in his leisure time. After his Missa caught public's attention, he was invited to be a conductor, and was able to focus on composition.
Haydn is well-known for his amiability and humor, members of his band even called him "papa Haydn".
Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart are called "the three classical musician". It goes without saying that he had composed many gorgeous melody. So let's enjoy his work together.

Schubert

Franz Seraphicus Peter Schubert(1797-1828) was born into a poor family in Vienna, his father was a poor teacher. Though his family was poor, they loved music very much, so Schubert was able to expose to music since he was little. When he was nine, his performance in music had become better than his father and brothers. Schubert got into a music school to learn how to compose when he was eleven, and he showed great talent. But because of the pressure of money from his family, he became a teacher just like his father. He taught at school during the day, and never stop composing at night. He usually composed using poem as lyrics, such like Goethe's poem.

In 1818, Schubert decided to quit teaching, focus on composition. Unfortunately, his work did't recieve good response, so his economic situation didn't turn well. Luckily, because of his good temper, he had many good friends who were willing to help him. They not only give him economic help, they also promoted his work.

Schubert died when he was only 31, his friends buried him near to Beethoven because of his admiration to Beethoven. Though his life was not long, he left us many great compositions.

 

Beethoven

Ludwig Von Beethoven(1770-1827) was born into a poor family in Germany, his grandfather found his talent in music when he was only three. Unfortunately, his grandfather soon passed away. Beethoven's father was a bad-tempered drunkard, and he requested Beethoven to become "the second Mozart" in order to earn more money and fame. Beethoven became antisocial because of his miserable childhood.
When Beethoven was seventeen, he went to Vienna to meet Mozart, and then learned how to compose from Haydn. He composed his first symphony when he was thirty, and soon was viewed as " the successor of Mozart". Some even regarded Beethoven as the initiator of Romanticism. At first, Beethoven intended to be a pianist, but after he noticed that he would became deaf in the no distant future, he decided to concentrate on composing.
Beethoven didn't lead a happy life, being mistreated by his father, becoming deaf though he was a musician, being frustrated in love. But he DO love life, and he showed his love in his music.
Let's enjoy some beautiful melody from Beethoven together.

Bach

Last week we talked about Mozart, this week, let's move on to the father of music - Bach.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was born into a great musical family. Unfortunately, he became an orphan when he was 10. After that, he had been raised by his brother, who was an church organist. That's when he started to play music. After he grew up, he also became an church organist, and gradually became famous for his improvisation.
Bach is representative of Baroque composer. His composition is precise and skillful, numerous and high-quality. He pushed polyphonic music to the climax, and separated music from religion. He is the one who developed homophonic music from polyphonic music, and that's why he is called "the father of music".
Let's hear some of his composition together.

To teach his wife music, Bach composed this well-known melody - Minuet in G Major.

Mozart

When we talk about great musicians, most people will think about Mozart. But, do we really know about him?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Austria in 1756. His father was a musician, so, since Mozart revealed his talent in music when he was little, his father had educated him with all his strength. Little Mozart soon became popular with aristocracy, he almost spent all his childhood in a cart touring around Europe. In this period, he had been exploded to music around Europe, this made his music more plentiful.
Although Mozart's career in music went well when he was little, he met obstacle after he grew up. Church didn't like his music, therefore, Mozart can only make little living by composing. What's worse, Mozart's wife was really bad at managing money. This made Mozart stressful, and finally fell down. He died when he was only 35.
Mozart composed many kind of music, such as symphony, concerto, opera, to name but a few. He had done more than six hundred composition in his short life. Though Mozart didn't led a happy life, his music contents happiness and innocence. now, let's enjoy his amazing music together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai5puwz3JNs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrFFED1muNQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WZV49khprw