Composers

Born in Argentina (1978). Rodriguez arrived to Spain (the island of Majorca) in 1988, where he spent most of his childhood. At an early age, he began to study modern and classical music.

Rodrigo’s professional music career began in Spain. It was there that he discovered his first Asian instrument the Shakuhachi flute, a Japanese bamboo flute used by Buddhist monks in meditation practices. Fascinated by Japanese music, he travelled to Japan several times to enhance his knowledge. Read more…

Famous composer Robert Schumann was born in Zwickau, Saxony. He was the youngest child in his family. Schumann’s father used to sell books and during his earlier years he grew up studying literature and music. According to him, he had started composing even before he became seven. Schumann’s liking for music developed in his childhood days when he became inspired by Ignaz Moscheles, Franz Schubert and Felix Mendelssohn. One of the earlier works of Schumann is Papillons which is a blend of literature with musical representation. Papillons was created after getting inspired from a story in his favorite novel.
Schumman also created Carnaval, one of his most famous piano works, that is charaterized by his personal style. The noteable thing about this work is that all its sections start with notes of music emphasized by the German alphabets that spell Asch the town in Czech Republic. His other accomplishments include Fantasiestücke which is a collection of works for piano. In it Schumman has again combined literature and music together with artistic harmony. Similer qualites are found in his other two pieces, Warum and In der Nacht. Schumman has also produced great piano works, an example of such a work would be Kinderszenen that was finished in 1838. This musical piece has fun filled and childlike qualities associated with it. It is amazingly refreshing and portrays childhood very well. Read more…

Born December 11, 1803, Hector Berlioz is best known for his Symphonie Fantastique (1830), Grande Messe des Morts (1837), the choral symphony Romeo et Juliette (1939), and La Damnation de Faust (1946). In addition, he also wrote the Treatise on Instrumentation (1844), in which he provided a technical study of Western musical instruments. Rediscovered in the 1950s, Berlioz’s compositions and criticisms are important foundations for both classic and modern musical studies. He is the quintessential artist who’s not appreciated during his time.

Though not a musical prodigy, Berlioz started composing at an early age. Twelve to be exact. As would be the case later on his life as well, much of his musical pursuits were self-taught. For instance, Berlioz studied harmony via textbooks. His earliest musical instruments of choice were the guitar and the flute. For the most part, Berlioz’s formative education was concentrated on the literary arts and linguistics. At university, he would first study medicine, but ultimately leave it for music three years later (1824). His passion for music came from his own research, poring over books, scores, and operas.

In 1826, Berlioz began attending the Conservatoire de Paris, truly delving into the study of composition. That first year, he competed for the highly competitive scholarship “Prix de Rome.” He would not win, but would continue to pursue it until he did in 1830. With the prize, he also won an all-important five-year pension. That year would also mark the debut of one of his most important works Symphonie Fantastique, an orchestral work that would introduce new approaches to composition.

In addition, other major orchestral works included Harold en Italie (1834) and overtures for literary works by Shakespeare (King Lear) and Sir Walter Scott (Waverley and Rob Roy). His Romeo et Juliette (1839) was influenced by his love affair with actress Harriet Smithson, whom he would marry in 1833. In 1834, the two would welcome a son, but their marriage was overall unsuccessful and full of heartbreak. In 1841, they would officially part ways. Berlioz would marry once more in 1854 to Marie Récio, a long-time love. Their marriage however would also not be one of lasting bliss. As a Romantic, it’s not surprising to find Berlioz’s personal passions and disappointments would impact his work.

Among his choral works are La Damnation de Faust and the Christmas oratorio L’enfance du Christ. Among his operas, Les Troyens would prove pivotal in Berlioz’s renaissance. During his time, Berlioz’s style was a bit too removed from the establishment to be fully embraced. However, as time passed and distance provided perspective, his innovation came into sharper focus. Upon his death, it is said that Berlioz’s final (prescient) words were: “They are finally going to play my music.” And indeed they would, some 50 years later.

Berlioz’s final years were marked by fame abroad, though his home of Paris was as said, still resistant. He passed away on March 8, 1869, and was buried in Montmarte Cemetery. In the end, his legacy would prove to be not only his compositions, but his contributions to theory and the development of symphonic form and instrumentation. Along with Wilhelm Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt, Berlioz was regarded one of the “Great Trinity of Progress” for 19th century Romanticism. Though somewhat of an “outsider” during his time, Berlioz is today celebrated for that very maverick vision.

Born June 8, 1671, in Venice, Italy, Baroque composer Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni primarily composed operas and instrumentals during his career. Being from a wealthy merchant family, Albinoni was exposed to the arts from an early age, studying b0th violin and singing early on. He would ultimately make a career in Italy as an independent musician, and though more than 230 works can be credited to his name, the Venetian composer still considered himself an amateur for most of his professional life. Read more…