Beethoven:

His life:
Beethoven is one of the famous composers. Beethoven is well known composers for his famous songs so; let us know more about Beethoven! Ludwig van Beethoven does not have exact birth of date but, he was baptized in 17 th December 1770. Beethoven family has talents in music. Beethovens grandfather was really talented in music. Beethovens grandfather name was also Ludwig van Beethoven. He was a singer in the church, but later in 1732, he became singer in palace. Soon he had position in palace and Beethovens family was considered as middle class. Beethovens father Johann van Beethoven was also very talented in music. From when he was little he was forced to play/work in palace as singer so, he did not enjoy music. Because of the forced feelings, Johann love drinking alcohol. Beethovens mother was Maria who was very lovable woman. Beethoven loved his mother very much. Soon, Johann realized his son Beethoven is genius in music so, from that time, Beethoven learned piano from his dad. Over time, Beethoven came to love music, practicing of his own music sheet for many hours each day on the violin and piano. In later years Ludwig took lessons from the court organist, a position he would eventually achieve himself in the future. Beethoven had been substituting as organist since age 12 but, was finally became the official assistant organist in the Electoral Court chapel in 1784. When he was 17th (year 1787) he went to his dream city, Vienna to meet Mozart and learn more about his music. At that time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the most famous composer in the world along with Hayden. When he went to Vienna, he had a time with Mozart and played him 2 songs which he had composed. Mozart decided to take Beethoven as his student but, at that time, there was message from his brother which tells that Beethovens mother had serious illness. Unfortunately, he had to go back to Bonn, where his mother is. After few days Beethoven arrived at home, his mother passed away. After few years in 1792 when he went to Vienna again, Mozart already passed away too. Beethoven meets Joseph Haydn during his visit to Bonn in 1790. Haydn suggests that Beethoven move to Vienna to study music. Ludwig's first public performance in Vienna did not come until three years after he moved there to study music. His performance of his Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat gave him significant prestige in Vienna. Beginning in 1798, Ludwig von Beethoven began to experience some hearing problems beginning with ringing in the ears and other symptoms. These problems worsened over the coming years, eventually leading to his considering suicide in 1802. At the age of thirty, Beethoven completes his first of nine symphonies. In the middle

of his despair over losing his hearing, Beethoven considers suicide but then turns things around following his writing a letter now known as the Heilidenstadt Testament, after the small community outside Vienna where it was written. From the many years we could see incredible achievements of Beethoven in composing songs. In 1803, Beethoven releases Eroica Symphony. Considered one of Beethoven's greatest achievements the Fifth Symphony is also considered to be Beethoven's way of expressing his defiance at the loss of his hearing. Beethoven seeks and eventually receives custody of his brother's son, Karl. After 10 years of suffering from hearing and sights Beethoven passed away in Vienna at age of 57 in Vienna Austria.

Style of Music & Composition:

During his lifetime, there was a new interest in the heroic figure therefore; not surprising that the only opera that Beethoven wrote was about heroism and the fight for freedom. His other works also dealt with nonmusical ideas such as a glorification of the ideal of human brotherhood (his ninth symphony). Beethoven concentrated on piano sonatas, string quartets, and symphonies. Beethoven and his music are the bridge between the Classical and the Romantic century. Beethoven had a difficult child-hood; he was often angry and frustrated, but he also had personal charm about him. Beethoven's music experimented with new rhythms, and he composed music based on an idea, which he was opposed to a full rhythm. His works were composed for quartets, concertos, symphonies, and piano sonatas. To some, Beethoven is regarded as the father of modern music.

Music Style of Beethoven:

It is often said that Beethoven's music contained his own struggles for both political and personal freedom. His feeling for these freedoms can be heard somewhat in his Fifth Symphony, and wholeheartedly in his Ninth Choral Symphony, and in his opera Fidelio. He put an extreme amount of emotion into all his works. Beethoven's music is recognized around the world. He composed nine symphonies and pieces such as Fur Elise, and Moonlight Sonata The musical career of Beethoven can best be viewed in three different phases: 1st period: he composed his First and Second Symphonies, Opus 18, six string quartets, and the first fifteen of his thirty two piano sonatas .

2nd period: Beethoven began to build on Classical works, bringing them to a new level of expressiveness. In this stage he composed his Third Symphony, also known as Eroica. This piece was both longer than his other two symphonies and was so dramatic and emotional that it would change the symphonic form as the musical world knew it. 3rd Period: Beethoven was at his most creative, and he explored music further then he had ever done before. In his final piano sonatas and string quartets , Beethoven abandoned traditional form, while still keeping his own original sound. It is said that his musical defiance is due in part to his deafness which isolated him from society. Beethoven's music remembered today for its unique quality and for its defiance. His new styles bridged the Classical and Romantic era and brought the musical world from the old into the new. Beethoven was also the first composer to ever be appreciated by the public within his own lifetime

Main songs composed by Beethoven:

Beethoven composed 5 piano concertos, including the famous Emperor Concerto. He wrote 9 symphonies Symphony No. 1 in C major, op. 21 (1799-1800) Symphony No. 2 in D major, op.36 (1802) Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, op.55, "Eroica", (1804) Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, op. 60, (1806) Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67 (1807) Symphony No. 6 in F major, op. 68,"Pastoral" (1808) Symphony No. 7 in A major, op. 92, "The Apotheosis of Dance", (1812) Symphony No. 8 in F major, op.93 "The Little Symphony"(1812) Symphony No. 9 with a choir and soloists, in D minor, op.125 (1817-1825) - the 'Choral'. Beethoven was known for many other orchestral works. These included chamber music and overtures such as The Creatures of Prometheus, Coriolan Overture, Egmont, King Stephen and Zur Namensfeier. Beethoven wrote a number of piano sonatas, among which are the better known Pathtique, Moonlight, Waldstein and Appassionata sonatas. He wrote piano trios, a piano quartet, string trios, string quartets and sonatas for solo instruments and piano. Beethoven also wrote other shorter pieces such as the short, romantic composition, the Bagatelle in A minor, that became known as "Fr Elise". He wrote around 160 songs, actually known as "lieder", with piano. His only opera was Fidelio.

Symphony5: (2nd movement & 3rd movement)

.

The first movement is in the traditional sonata form that Beethoven inherited from his classical predecessors, Haydn and Mozart(in which the main ideas that are introduced in the first few pages undergo elaborate development through many keys, with a dramatic return to the opening sectionthe recapitulationabout threequarters of the way through). It starts out with two dramatic fortissimo phrases, the famous motif, commanding the listener's attention.
Note: B variation 3 should read B variation 2.

Beethoven Symphony No 5 slow movement

Movements 3 and 4.

Beethoven Symphony No 5 movements 3 and 4

Claude Debussy
His life:
Claude Debussy was born into a poor family in France, but his obvious gift at the piano sent him to the Paris Conservatory at age 11. Claude Debussys early life was like this; He was the oldest of five children, Claude Debussy was born on August 22, 1862 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. He actually wanted to be painter and his father wanted his son to be a navy. But, It was the pianist Antoinette Maute, a student of Chopin, who discovered his musical talent and prepared him for entrance to the Paris Conservatory at age 11. Debussy began as a pianist, but switched to composition. In 1880, Nadezhda von Meck, who had previously supported Russian composer Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, hired Debussy to teach piano to her children. With those people Debussy travelled all over Europe and he was very inspired from Rusian Composers. In 1884, Debussy entered his cantata The Prodigal Son in the Prix de Rome, a competition for composers, and he took home the top prize, which allowed him to study for two years in the Italian capital. While there, he studied the music of German composer Richard Wagner, specifically his opera Tristan und Isolde. Wagners influence on Debussy did not really work. Debussy wanted made his own song for the opera. Debussy returned to Paris in 1887 and attended the Paris World Exhibition two years later. There he heard a Javanese gamelana musical ensemble composed of a variety of bells, gongs and xylophones, sometimes accompanied by vocalsand the many next years Debussy incorporated the elements of the gamelan into his existing style to produce a wholly new kind of sound. The music written during this period came to represent his early masterpiecesAriettes oublies (1888), Prlude l'aprsmidi d'un faune(1892), and the String Quartet (1893)which were clearly delineated from the works of his coming mature period. Debussy's seminal opera, Pellas et Mlisande, was completed in 1895 and was a sensation when first performed in 1902, although it deeply divided listeners (audience members and critics either loved it or hated it). The attention gained with Pellas, paired with the success of Prlude in 1892, earned Debussy extensive recognition, and over the following 10 years he was the leading figure in French music, writing such lasting works as La Mer (1905) and Ibria(1908), both for orchestra, and Images (1905) and Children's Corner Suite (1908), both for solo piano. Soon, he died because of cancer of effects from World War 1.

Private life of Debussy: -Debussys private life was violent. -At the age of 18 he began an eight-year affair with Blanche Vasnier, wife of a Parisian lawyer. -On his permanent return to Paris and his parents' home on the avenue de Berlin in 1889, he began a tempestuous nine-year relationship with Gabrielle ('Gaby') Dupont, a tailor's daughter from Lisieux. During this time he also had an affair with the singer Thrse Roger, to whom he was briefly engaged. - He broke the engagement and he married with his friend Rosalie Texier. affectionate, practical, straightforward, soon, he got irritated because they both were very different. -soon,in 1904 Debussy was introduced to Emma Bardac, wife of Parisian banker. -Texier know that her husband is having affairs and Texier attempted suicide, shooting herself in the chest. However, she stilled survive. -Debussy and Bardac fled to England and had a daughter. -After ten years, 1918 Debussy died because of Cancer.. Music styles of Debussy: It has often been suggested that the whole-tone scale, and its ambiguities, forms the basis of Debussy's music. However, whole-tone relationships are used by him in conjunction with, or as part of, a much more complex group of melodic and harmonic usages -- interlocking pentatonic structures, for example, based on a fundamental principle of symmetry. Characteristics of his style are

chains of thirds, of seventh, ninth, or eleventh chords, or of related structures built on fourths or major seconds, arranged in pentatonic, whole-tone, diatonic, or chromatic patterns. Rhythmic and phrase structure are also built on parallelism and symmetry.

Rhythm, phrase, dynamics, accent, and tone color are largely freed from direct dependence on tonal motion because of Debussy's ambiguities. Thus, they tend to gain an importance in the musical process almost equal to that of melody and harmony. One may find individual sound patterns and even isolated sounds which seem to create their own context.

Major composition:
(5 major composition) *Pelleas et Melisande -Its an opera of five acts with music written by Claude Debussy and libretto of the composer Maurice Maeterlinck. It was premiered on April 30, 1902 at the Opra-Comique in Paris, with Jean Prier and Mary Garden in the leading roles. In Spain was representated in 1919 at the Teatro Tivoli in Barcelona. *Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (commonly known by its original French title, Prlude l'aprs-midi d'un faune) is a musical composition for orchestra by Claude Debussy with approximately 10 minutes in duration. Was first inagurated in Paris on December 22, 1894, conducted by Gustave Doret. *Clair de Lune Clair de Lune is a French folk song of the eighteenth century. The author is unknown. Is commonly taught to beginner students of various instruments, as it provides an easy way for students to become comfortable with how notes are played on their instrument. *La mer It was started in 1903 in France and completed in 1905 on the English Channel coast in Eastbourne. The piece was initially not well received partly because of inadequate practice and partly because of Parisian outrage over Debussy's having recently left his first wife for the singer Emma Bardac *Prelude to Tristan and Isolde Its an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Stransburgo. It was composed between 1857 and 1859 and premiered on 10 June 1865 under the baton of Hans von Bulow in Munich.

Important years:
1862: Born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France 1872: Joined the Paris Conservatoire, spending eleven years 1880: Debussy's Danse bohmienne was sent to Tchaikovsky for examination by Nadezhda von Meck 1884: His composition L'enfant prodigue won him the Prix de Rome and received a scholarship to the Acadmie des Beaux-Arts 1888: Visited Bayreuth where he got familiarized with Wagnerian opera 1889: At the Exposition Universelle in Paris, Debussy heard Javanese gamelan music 1890: He composed Suite bergamasque 1893: He composed String Quartet in G minor 1899: Married Rosalie ('Lilly') Texier, a fashion model 1901: Composed a set of pieces entitled Pour le piano 1902: Debussy's Pellas et Mlisande was premiered after ten years of work 1903: He was made the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour 1904: He was introduced to Emma Bardac and on 14 October, Texier attempted suicide 1905: Debussy and Bardac fled to England, via Jersey and on 2 August Debussy and Texier were divorced and on 30 October Emma gave birth to their daughter 1908: Debussy and Emma Bardac got married and Debussy wrote his famous Children's Corner Suite for his darling daughter 1910: The first book of Prludes, proved to be his most thriving work in piano 1911: Composed the music for Gabriele d'Annunzio's mystery play Le martyre de Saint Sbastien 1912: Composed the last orchestral work, the ballet Jeux written for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1918: Debussy died due to rectal cancer in Paris on 25 March 1919: Debussys daughter Claude-Emma expired in midst of the diphtheria epidemic of 1919

Clara Schumann
Her life:
Clara Wiek was born on the 13 September 1819 in Leipzig. Clara Schumann was a daughter of Friedrich, a noted piano teacher and also known as Marianne Wieck ne Tromlitz, a talented singer. When she was just four years old, her parents got divorced and Clara was raised by her father alone. Clara Schumann started receiving her piano lessons at the age of five from her father. In March 1828, at the age of eight, the young Clara Wieck performed at the Leipzig home of Dr. Ernst Carus, director of a mental hospital at Colditz Castle. In her teens, Clara fell in love with Robert Schumann, who was one of her fathers piano students, and later became one of the most prominent composers of the 19th century. Schumann was 9 years older than Clara and had been living in the same house as Clara to learn piano from Claras father as a piano student and boarder. Clara started composing the Piano Concerto in A Minor when she was just 14. Two years later, at the age of 16, she performed the completed concerto with the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra, conducted by Felix Mendelssohn. At the age of 18, Clara Wieck performed a series of recitals in Vienna from December 1837 to April 1838. Personal Life Claras father was in against that Clara Wieck getting married with Robert Schumann. But, on the 12 September 1840, they got married even thou Claras dad did not approve. Clara Schumann had to endure great pain during her lifetime. Her life was a great pain because 4 of her 8 children died and also her husband Robert died in front of Claras eyes. Her husband and one of her sons ended their lives in a mental asylum. Her first son, Emil died in 1847, when he was just one year old. Her husband Robert had a mental collapse, attempted suicide in 1854, and was committed to an insane asylum for the last two years of his life. Her daughter, Julie passed away, leaving two small children in 1872. In 1879, her son Felix died at the age of 25. Her son Ludwig suffered from mental illness. Her son Ferdinand also died at the age of 43, leaving behind his children to be raised by his mother Clara. She herself became deaf in later life and spent all her life in the wheelchair. Career Clara and Robert spent their musical life together. She was mainly a concert pianist whereas Robert was a composer. Robert encourage in composing made Clara encourage in compose too. Robert admired Clara's talents, but he also wanted to have a quiet, stable home life as well. Soon after they were married, she began talking about concert tours, which Robert hated. Eventually, due to Roberts mental instability, Clara was forced to take the family responsibilities. This stopped her from practicing, performing, and composing for her concerts.

During the 1849 revolution in Dresden, Clara with her husband and their children fled to safe territory. They received a warm welcome at Dusseldorf where Robert was offered a conducting position. But unfortunately he did not turn out to be a great conductor or administrator, and soon there were complaints and critics from the musicians. Clara was still loyal to her husband. She tried her best to protect her husband. Robert Schumann had mental problems which after two years later, he wanted to committed a suicide but , it did not work but, after few days he were dead, leaving Clara and eight children behind. Clara started to support her family through concerts and teaching. Her pianistic gifts were held in high esteem, which many considered to be equal or even superior to those of Liszt. For Clara, music was the only career she could have and she spent 60 years all her life time in concerts .During these painful days, she relied heavily on composer and pianist Johannes Brahms whose friendship and inspiration kept Clara strong in living her life. Brahms remained a loyal friend through her final days though they both were awe that their relationship. Their letters to each other covered all aspects of life: finances, family, career, and their music. Clara Schumann evidently felt that Brahms was writing his music for her, the way her husband used to do.

Death Whenever she performed, Clara underwent a physical pain. She was suffering from rheumatism (illness in the bone. Usually old people have this illness.). She went to spas, tried massages, water treatments and several other cures. Clara Schumann suffered a stroke in March 1896. Johannes Brahms canceled plans for an Italian vacation and waited for her to heal. When she was on her deathbed, she demanded her grandson Ferdinand to play her husband's F-sharp major romance, which was the last music Clara Schumann heard. On May 20, 1896, Clara Schumann passed away. Brahms attended the funeral and died some months later.

Major composition:

9 Caprices en forme de valse, 1832. Romance varie (C major), 1833. Valses romantiques, 1833. 6 Soires musicales: 1 (A minor) Toccatina; 2 (F Major) Notturno; 3 (G minor) Mazurka; 4 (D minor) Ballade; 5 (G major) Mazurka; 6 (A minor) Polonaise 1836. Concerto (A minor): 1 Allegro maestoso; 2 Romanze Andante non troppo con grazia, 1836. Impromptu (G major) "Souvenir de Vienne", 1838. Scherzo #1 (D minor), 1839. 3 songs: Lorelei, 1843. weh des Scheidens, das er tat, 1843.

Music Style of Clara Schumann

-she played songs usually for concert -also composed songs.

Important years: 1819: Born on the 13 September in Leipzig. 1828: At the age of eight, Clara Wieck performed at the Leipzig home of Dr. Ernst Carus. 1830: On November 8, at the age of 11, Clara Schumann gave her first public concert. 1837-1838: Clara Wieck performed a series of recitals in Vienna from December. 1840: Clara Wieck married Robert Schumann on 12 September. 1856: After the death of her husband, Robert Schumann Clara committed herself completely to the interpretation of her husbands works. 1878: Concerts were held at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig to celebrate golden jubilee of Claras performing career. 1878: She was appointed teacher of piano at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt am Mainin. 1891: On March 12, Clara Schumann played her last public concert. 1896: On May 20, Clara Schumann passed away.

Robert Schumann
born date : 8 june 1810 Death : 29 july 1859 Romantic Musician

His Life:
Robert born in Saxony, Zwickau, he is the last children of the family. He spent his childhood in music and cultivation of literature, influenced by his father who is a novelist, book seller and publisher, his father encouraged him to study music. ,He began to compose as young as seven years old. He had developed a love for music since Baccalaureus Kunzsch, teacher from Zwickau high school, began teaching Robert on General musical and piano instruction. Then he started working on his own music and composition without the aid of Kuntzsch. When hes 14 he worked his own essay on aesthetics of music. At his age he also read some famous poet-philosoper works. One of his major literature inspiration is Jean Paul Fredrich Richter. His interest in music sparked when he saw a musician, ignaz moscheles, performance. And he developed interest in Beethoven, franz schubert works. By 20 he started studying music again, trained by frederich wieck that also assured him that he is going to be a succesful pianist and that cleared his doubt to choose wether law or music. During his study with wieck, one of his finger got damaged, the cause is not exact but because of the injury, he abandonded the idea to become pianist, he started to work on composition instead. He later studied music theory trained by Heinrich Dorm.

Robert first met clara in the winter of 1832 when robert visit his relative that performed in a concert given by clara wieck. During the occassion robert mother said to clara that she must marry robert one day. In 1834 robert got engaged to ernestin von fricken, a rich bohemian noble adopted daughter. But later he broke off the engagemnt because he is attracted to clara wieck.

Their relationship continue and in 1837 he proposed clara against his father wish but was refused. Wieck ridiculed his daughter's wish to "throw herself away on a penniless composer. But their relation still going in secret, they use letters to communicate and robert often waited for hours just to see clara for a few minutes after her concert. Later he uses the melody from Schubert's "Ave Maria" in the postludein homage to Clara. Schumann's biographers have attributed the sweetness, the doubt and the despair of these songs to the varying emotions aroused by his love for Clara and the uncertainties of their future together. The couples had eight children and some of them died. Clara and robert both make composition . On 30 September 1853, the 20-year-old composer Johannes Brahms knocked unannounced on the door of the Schumanns carrying a letter of introduction from violinist Joseph Joachim. (Schumann was not at home, and would not meet Brahms until the next day.) Brahms amazed Clara and Robert with his music, stayed with them for several weeks, and became a close family friend. In the late years of his life, robert mental condition has worsened, he claims to hear the A5 tune in his ear. The condition later worsened, he started having angelic sound in his ear. Then he had a dream of ghost with a spirit theme, from the theme he mad3 5different variations. His mental condition keep worsening, he had many angelic vision that sometime turns to demonic vision. He attempted a suicide but then rescued by boatmen and taken home. He ask to be placed in asylum and stay there until his death. After robert die, clara devoted her life to popularize and performed roberts work.

Compositions
Carnaval, Op. 9 (1834) is one of Schumann's most characteristic piano works. Schumann begins nearly every section of Carnaval with a musical cryptogram, the musical notes signified in German by the letters that spell Asch (A, E-flat, C, and B, or alternatively A-flat, C, and B; in German these are A, Es, C and H, and As, C and H respectively), the Bohemian town in which Ernestine was born, and the notes are also the musical letters in Schumann's own name. Schumann named sections for both Ernestine ("Estrella") and Clara ("Chiarina").

Musical style
As a composer Schumann sports a long rap sheet: awkwardness in larger forms, muddy scoring, excessive doublings that always sound a little out of tune. But he was capable of achieving splendid orchestral effects his Third and Fourth Symphonies also reveal original and innovative approaches to for. In an effort to reinforce a feeling of unity in the Fourth Symphony, he specified that its four movements be played without a break, with the aim that the entire work would form a large, cyclical structure.

Important Years:
1830 he saw a performance and got encouraged

to learn music again

1837 he first proposed clara 1840 he married clara

Handel
Born date : 23 February 1685 Death : 14 April 1759 Place of birth : Halle, Duchy of Magdeburg

His life:
His father is barber-surgeon, his father dont let handel play any musical instrument but when the family is asleep handel secretly use a little clavichord in a room at the top of the house. At his young age Handel become a skillful clavichord pipe organ player. Later Handel went to Weisenfeels and met Duke Johan Adolf I. Then Handel and the Duke convinced his father to allow Handel take music lesson from Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow. He learnt about musical composition , contemporary styles, analyzing sheet music scores, working fugue subjects and copying music. In 1702, Handel started studying law at University of Halle following his fathers wish. He also earned an appointment as organist in the cathedral. In 1703 he got accepted as violinist and harpsichordist in the orchestra of Hamburg Oper am Gansemarkt. In the orchestra, handel met some famous musician like Johann Mattheson, Cristoph Graupner and Reinhard Keiser. His orchestra produces two operas in 1705 and other two in 1708. He received critical music training in hamburg italy and halle before going to england.

In 1712 Handel decided to move to England Permanently. He works as musician for Queen Anne and got yearly salary of 200 In 1717 Handel become house composer in Cannons, middle sex. There he composed a choral compositions in the twelve Chandos Anthems. He also composed for oratorios and cantantas for his opera. One of his major patrons is Richard Boyle. Within fifteen years in england, he had started 3 opera commercial companies to support english nobility with italian opera. But public come to see the vocal bravura of the soloist rather than the music

In 1737 he has physical breakdown , he has stroke that disabled 4 of his finger but he recovers fast and he change direction and address to middle class. One of his successful opera is Alexander feast which was well received, he made a transition to english choral works afterward. One of his successful oratorio is messiah performed in 1742 which was a success and then he state that he stopped working on opera and start making english oratorios. his oratorios is partially successful. He had a carriage accident in 1750 that causes serious injury. In 1751 one of his sight worsened because of cataracts. Later he died in 1759 at his home. He died rich and respected. During his life he composed 42 operas 29 oratorios and more than 120 duets trios and cantantas. One of his most famous work is messiah.

Musical style
His musical style is heavily influenced by italian baroque and middle german polyphonic choral tradition.

Major composition
The Water Music is a collection of orchestral movements, often considered three suites, composed by George Frideric Handel. It premiered on 17 July 1717 after King George I had requested a concert on the River Thames. The concert was performed by 50 musicians playing on a barge near the royal barge from which the King listened with close friends, including Anne Vaughan, the Duchess of Bolton, the Duchess of Newcastle, Countess of Darlington, the Countess of Godolphin, Madam Kilmarnock, and the Earl of Orkney. The barges, heading for Chelsea or Lambeth and leaving the party after midnight, used the tides of the river. George I was said to have enjoyed the suites so much that he made the exhausted musicians play them three times over the course of the outing.

Important Years:
1712 Handel settled in England AND received yearly income from Quenn Anne 1736 His alexander feast succeed 1742 his messiah succeed 1717 he become house composer at cannons

Maurice Ravel
Life
MusiRavel was born in Ciboure, France (near Biarritz, part of the French Basque region, bordering on Spain). His mother was Basque while his father was a Swiss inventor and industrialist. At seven years old, young Maurice begun piano lessons and composed pieces beginning about five or six years later. His parents encouraged his musical pursuits and sent him to the Conservatoire de Paris, first as a prepratory student and eventually as a piano major. During his schooling in Paris, Ravel joined with a number of innovative young composers who referred to themselves as the 'Apaches' because of their wild abandon. The group was well known for its drunken revelry. He studied music at the Conservatoire under Gabriel Faur for a remarkable fourteen years. During his years at the conservatory, Ravel tried numerous times to win the prestigious Prix de Rome, but to no avail. After a scandal involving his loss of the prize, even though he was considered the favorite to win that year, Ravel left the conservatory. The incident also lead to the resignation of the Conservatoire's director. Ravel was influenced by composer Claude Debussy; likewise, the same held true with Debussy in respect to Ravel. Ravel along with Debussy were the defining composers of the movement. Ravel was also highly influenced by music from around the world including American Jazz, Asian music, and traditional folk songs from across Europe. Ravel was not religious and was probably an atheist. He disliked the overtly religious themes of other composers, such as Richard Wagner, and instead preferred to look to classical mythology for inspiration. Ravel never married, but he did have several long-running relationships. He was also known to frequent the bordellos of Paris. During the First World War Ravel was not allowed to enlist because of his age and weak health and instead he became an ambulance driver. He had very few students which included Maurice Delage and Vaughan Williams. In 1932 Ravel was involved in an automobile accident that severely undermined his health. His output dropped dramatically. In 1937 he had an neuro-operation that he hoped would restore much of his health, but the operation was a failure and he died soon afterwards. Compositions

Jeux d'eau, Miroirs, Le tombeau de Couperin and Gaspard de la nuit, demand considerable virtuosity from the performer, and his orchestral music, including Daphnis et Chlo

Musical Style
Ravel's compositions rely upon modal melodies instead of using the major or minor scales for their predominant harmonic language. He preferred modes with major or minor flavors; for example, the Mixolydian instead of the major scale, and the Aeolian instead of the harmonic minor. As a result, there are virtually no leading tones in his output. Melodically, he tended to favor two modes: the Dorian and the Phrygian.

Major Compositions
The next of Ravels piano compositions to become famous was Miroirs (Mirrors, 1905), five piano pieces which marked a harmonic evolution and which one commentator described as intensely descriptive and pictorial. They banish all sentiment in expression but offer to the listener a number of refined sensory elements which can be appreciated according to his imagination. Next was his Histoires naturelles (Nature Stories), five humorous songs evoking the presence of five animals. Two years later, Ravel completed his Rapsodie espagnole, his first major "Spanish" piece, written first for piano four hands and then scored for orchestra. Though it employs folk-like melodies, no actual folk songs are quoted. It premiered in 1908 to generally good reviews, with one critic stating that it was "one of the most interesting novelties of the season". Next followed Ravel's music for the opera L'heure espagnole (The Spanish Hour), full of humor and rich in color, employing a wide variety of instruments and their characteristic qualities, including the trombone, sarrusophone, tuba, celesta, xylophone, and bells. The libretto was by Franc-Nohain, after his own comedy of the same name. Ravel further extended his mastery of impressionistic piano music with Gaspard de la nuit,

MUSIC PROJEC T THE COMPOSERS

(Beethoven, Debussy, Clara&Robert, Ravel, Handel)

BY: Stanley & Wonkyung

Picture of Composers: