Listen to something from the classics - what could be better?! Especially on weekends, when you want to relax, forget about the worries of the day, the worries of the work week, dream about the beautiful, and just cheer yourself up. Just think, the classics were created by brilliant authors so long ago that it’s hard to believe that something can survive so many years. And these works are still loved and listened to, they create arrangements and modern interpretations. Even in modern processing, the works of brilliant composers remain classical music. As Vanessa Mae admits, classics are genius, and all genius cannot be boring. Probably, all great composers have a special ear, a special sensitivity to tone and melody, which allowed them to create music that is enjoyed by dozens of generations not only of their compatriots, but also of classical music fans all over the world. If you are still in doubt if you love classical music, then you need to meet Benjamin Zander and you will see that in fact, you are already a longtime fan of beautiful music.
And today we will talk about the 10 most famous composers in the world.
Johann Sebastian Bach
The first place is deservedly Johann Sebastian Bach. A genius was born in Germany. The most talented composer wrote music for harpsichord and organ. The composer did not create a new style in music. But he was able to create perfection in all the styles of his time. He is the author of over 1000 essays. In his works Bach combined different musical styles with which he met throughout his life. Often musical romanticism was combined with the Baroque style. In life Johann Bach as a composer not receiving the recognition he deserved, interest in his music arose almost 100 years after his death. Today he is called one of the greatest composers ever living on earth. His uniqueness as a person, teacher and musician was reflected in his music. Bach laid the foundations of modern and contemporary music, dividing the history of music into pre-Bach and post-Bach. It is believed that music Bach gloomy and gloomy. His music is rather fundamental and solid, restrained and concentrated. Like the reflections of a mature, wise person. Creation Bach influenced many composers. Some of them took an example from his works or used themes from them. And musicians all over the world play music Bach admiring her beauty and perfection. One of the most notorious works "Brandenburg Concerts"- excellent proof that music Bach cannot be considered too gloomy:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart rightfully considered a genius. At the age of 4 he already played the violin and harpsichord freely, at the age of 6 he began to compose music, and at 7 he already skillfully improvised on the harpsichord, violin and organ, competing with famous musicians. Already at the age of 14 Mozart- a recognized composer, and at the age of 15 - a member of the music academies of Bologna and Verona. By nature, he had a phenomenal ear for music, memory and the ability to improvise. He created an amazing number of works - 23 operas, 18 sonatas, 23 piano concertos, 41 symphonies and much more. The composer didn't want to imitate, he tried to create a new model, reflecting the new personality of the music. It is no coincidence that music in Germany Mozart called "the music of the soul", in his works the composer showed the features of his sincere, loving nature. The greatest melodist attached special importance to the opera. operas Mozart- an epoch in the development of this type of musical art. Mozart widely recognized as one of the greatest composers: his uniqueness lies in the fact that he worked in all musical forms of his time and in all achieved the highest success. One of the most recognizable works "Turkish March":
Ludwig van Beethoven
Another great German Ludwig van Beethoven was an important figure of the Romantic-classical period. Even those who know nothing about classical music know about him. Beethoven is one of the most performed and respected composers in the world. The great composer witnessed the grandiose upheavals that took place in Europe and redrawn its map. These great coups, revolutions and military confrontations are reflected in the composer's work, especially symphonic. He embodied in music pictures of the heroic struggle. In immortal works Beethoven you will hear the struggle for freedom and brotherhood of people, unshakable faith in the victory of light over darkness, as well as dreams of freedom and happiness of mankind. One of the most famous and amazing facts of his life is that the ear disease developed into complete deafness, but despite this, the composer continued to write music. He was also considered one of the best pianists. Music Beethoven surprisingly simple and accessible to the understanding of the widest range of listeners. Generations change, and even eras, and music Beethoven still excites and pleases the hearts of people. One of his best work - "Moonlight Sonata":
Richard Wagner
With the name of a great Richard Wagner most often associated with his masterpieces "Wedding Chorus" or "Ride of the Valkyries". But he is known not only as a composer, but also as a philosopher. Wagner considered his musical works as a way of expressing a certain philosophical concept. WITH Wagner a new musical era of operas began. The composer tried to bring the opera closer to life, music for him is only a means. Richard Wagner- the creator of musical drama, the reformer of operas and the art of conducting, the innovator of the harmonic and melodic language of music, the creator of new forms of musical expression. Wagner- the author of the world's longest solo aria (14 minutes 46 seconds) and the world's longest classical opera (5 hours and 15 minutes). In life Richard Wagner was considered a controversial person who was either adored or hated. And often both at the same time. Mystical symbolism and anti-Semitism made him Hitler's favorite composer, but blocked the way for his music to Israel. However, neither supporters nor opponents of the composer deny his greatness as a composer. Great music from the very beginning Richard Wagner absorbs you without a trace, leaving no room for disputes and disagreements:
Franz Schubert
Austrian composer Franz Schubert- musical genius, one of the best song composers. He was only 17 when he wrote his first song. In one day he could write 8 songs. During his creative life, he created more than 600 compositions based on poems by more than 100 great poets, including Goethe, Schiller and Shakespeare. That's why Franz Schubert in the top 10. Although creativity Schubert very diverse, in terms of the use of genres, ideas and reincarnations, vocal-song lyrics prevail and determine in his music. Before Schubert the song was considered an insignificant genre, and it was he who elevated it to the degree of artistic perfection. Moreover, he combined seemingly unconnected song and chamber-symphonic music, which gave rise to a new direction of lyrical-romantic symphony. Vocal-song lyrics are a world of simple and deep, subtle and even intimate human experiences, expressed not by words, but by sound. Franz Schubert lived a very short life, only 31 years old. The fate of the composer's works is no less tragic than his life. After death Schubert many unpublished manuscripts remained, stored in bookcases and drawers of relatives and friends. Even those closest to him did not know everything he wrote, and for many years he was recognized mainly only as the king of song. Some of the composer's works were published only half a century after his death. One of the most beloved and famous works Franz Schubert - "Evening Serenade":
Robert Schumann
With a no less tragic fate, the German composer Robert Schumann- one of the best composers of the romantic era. He created amazingly beautiful music. To get an idea of 19th-century German Romanticism, just listen to "Carnival" Robert Schumann. He was able to break out of the musical traditions of the classical era, creating his own interpretation of the romantic style. Robert Schumann was gifted with many talents, and even for a long time could not decide between music, poetry, journalism and philology (he was a polyglot and freely translated from English, French and Italian). He was also an amazing pianist. And yet the main vocation and passion Schuman there was music. His poetic and deeply psychological music largely reflects the duality of the composer's nature, an outburst of passion and a retreat into the world of dreams, awareness of the vulgar reality and striving for the ideal. One of the masterpieces Robert Schumann which everyone needs to hear:
Frederic Chopin
Frederic Chopin, perhaps the most famous Pole in the world of music. Neither before nor after the composer was a musical genius of this level born in Poland. The Poles are incredibly proud of their great compatriot, and in their work Chopin more than once glorifies the motherland, admires the beauty of landscapes, laments the tragic past, dreams of a great future. Frederic Chopin- one of the few composers who wrote music exclusively for the piano. There are no operas or symphonies in his creative heritage, but piano pieces are presented in all their diversity. Artworks Chopin- the basis of the repertoire of many famous pianists. Frederic Chopin- Polish composer, who is also known as a talented pianist. He lived only 39 years, but managed to create many masterpieces: ballads, preludes, waltzes, mazurkas, nocturnes, polonaises, etudes, sonatas and much, much more. One of them - "Ballad No. 1, in G minor".
Franz Schubert wrote music during the transition from the Viennese Classical period to the Romantic period. His works are very expressive, emotional, written using the idioms of the Viennese classical style. Schubert had just crossed the 30-year mark when he died, but he managed to leave a vast musical legacy for future generations. Today, classical music without the works of Schubert is not possible. It is still unknown why Schubert died - at the beginning of the 20th century, German doctors were sure that he died of typhoid fever, a disease of the poor. Today, some doctors believe that he died of advanced syphilis. It can be argued that Schubert himself knew about his incurable illness as early as 1823. In addition, he also suffered from a fever in recent days, but today the opinion of syphilis is more strengthened.
Personally, we think that one must take into account the fact that Schubert lived in unsanitary conditions, and that during his last days he ate and drank very little - and this is typical of gastrointestinal diseases.
Frederic Chopin The interest attracted to how and what kind of compositions Chopin wrote is naturally aroused - his creations are not only good from an aesthetic point of view, but also from a technical point of view. A glance at the notes that Chopin wrote will immediately explain all his eccentricity - the manuscripts of his works are teeming with strikethroughs, insertions, etc. It is rare to find several versions of one work that would be identical. Sheet music published "at the same time" in different countries varies - even after the work was published, Chopin found a way to correct it. In general, Chopin believed that composer's work should be creative, unlimited neither by the limits of publication, nor by other reasons. Perhaps this is what led to the fact that Chopin's music is included in a large list called "classical music".
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart one of the most interesting composers, a child prodigy, a unique child who showed incredible talents in music. Mozart already played the harpsichord well at the age of 3-4 and came up with his own compositions. Many attributed magical abilities to him - and, according to a well-known story, his rival Salieri could not stand envy and poisoned Wolfgang. Mozart had a perfect ear, a great sense of music and easily created the most complex scores. Most of Mozart's works were written for the entertainment of courtiers, so they are light, airy, although from the pianist's point of view they are quite serious. Perhaps Mozart is classical music.
Georg Friedrich Handel(born 23 February 1685 in Hull, died 14 April 1759 in London) was a Baroque composer. He became famous, first of all, for his numerous operas. His work includes about 40 operas and 25 oratorios. Handel left compositions in all musical genres that existed at that time. Handel's father Georg (1622-1697) was a barber and surgeon of the Lutheran faith and served as court surgeon to the Duke of Weissenfels of Saxony.
Georg Handel took his son with him, before he was 8 years old, to Weissenfels. Thus, the baby met the court musicians and played the organ in the presence of the duke. He immediately recognized the boy's talent and had a serious talk with his father, who listened to his arguments, although he himself was not interested in music.
After returning, Handel became a student of Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, organist of the Madonna Church. With him, he studied composition, learned to play, in addition to keyboard instruments, also on the oboe and violin. Motets also had to be composed every week. Handel is then sent to the court in Berlin at the age of twelve, where he makes a great impression with his musical ability. The Elector of Brandenburg (later the Prussian King Frederick I) proposes to send the boy to Italy for training and then determine him at the court in Berlin.
In October 1712, Handel returned to London, where he spent the rest of his life. He first lived for one year with a wealthy music lover, Barn Elmes, in Surrey. For the next 3 years he lived with Earl Burlington near London.
Franz Liszt was born on October 22, 1811 in Raiding, then the Kingdom of Hungary, today - Austria (Burgenland). He was one of the most famous and most successful virtuoso pianists of the 19th century, as well as a brilliant composer. Everyone who studied at a music school must have come across his name and works. He was born in the first half of the 19th century, in October. Since childhood, the composer began to write music and give concerts. F. Liszt wrote sketches, communicated with such composers as Chopin, Salieri and Paganini. He turned piano works into pop music, changing the perception of the piano from a chamber, salon instrument, into an instrument designed for a wide audience. Franz Liszt made arrangements for other musical works, giving them a new sound. He created variations and fantasies on well-known motifs. Franz Liszt also visited Russia and communicated with Russian composers and musicians, in particular, with Glinka.
He was engaged in symphonic work and often wrote plays based on historical or fictional events. In his works, one can also find images of famous writers, in particular, Faust and Mephistopheles.
Franz Liszt played a big role in the development of the musical genre in his homeland - in Hungary.
F. Liszt died in 1886, at the age of 75. The place of his death was the city of Bayreuth.
Johann Sebastian Bach(born March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, died July 28, 1750 in Leipzig) is a German composer of the Baroque era. Today he is considered one of the greatest musical creators of all time, who significantly influenced later music and whose works are performed all over the world both in the original and in countless adaptations.
Immediately after his entry into the church service, Bach began to compose or remake cantatas for appropriate performances. During this systematic work, an average of about one work a week arose during the first years, then the pace slowed down. Early in 1725, Bach met with the poet Christian Friedrich Heinrich Aliens Picander, who finally delivered the text for the Matthew Passion, which was first shown in 1727 or 1729. In 1729, Bach took over the management of the music college founded by Telemann in 1701, which he headed until 1741, probably even until 1746. Along with teaching, he represented German and Italian instrumental and vocal music, in addition, he wrote some of the his secular cantatas, such as Hercules at the Crossroads, which he called "Dramma per la Musica" or "Dramma per Musica" and which are similar in structure to the opera. In the peasant and coffee cantata it is shown that he could also write in the humorous genre. The latter, in all likelihood, was performed at the Zimerman Coffee House when he gave concerts with a musical collegium.
Ludwig van Beethoven(born December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany; died March 26, 1827 in Vienna) was a Viennese classical composer. He is considered the composer who brought the music of that era to its highest development. Ludwig van Beethoven was born into a musician's family. Beethoven's father was struck by the little Wolfgang Mozart, who performed as a composer at the age of 6 and was known as a child prodigy. With the goal of making his son a child prodigy, he began giving him piano lessons. Young Beethoven also learned to play the organ and clarinet. However, his father's strict attitude hindered the development of the boy, who was raised out of bed in the middle of the night to demonstrate his piano playing skills to his father's friends. This led to Beethoven becoming often tired at school and suffering from a lack of concentration. At the age of 11, he was forced to leave school. Otherwise, Beethoven's childhood was not problem-free. His father was an alcoholic, his mother was very ill and of his 6 brothers and sisters only two survived. Yes, when he also fell ill at the age of 5 with inflammation of the middle ear, his parents did not notice this, and this is considered one of the causes of deafness that arose later. While Beethoven had a strained and reserved attitude towards his father, he was very fond of his mother. Beethoven's father's colleagues in the Bonn court recognized Ludwig's talent and made sure that his father finally decided to transfer his son's further musical education into the hands of other musicians. Among Beethoven's most famous patrons and teachers in Bonn during the following years were Christian Gottlob Näfe (piano, organ and composition) and Franz Anton Ries (violin). 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, overtures (Prometheus, Coriolanus, Eleanor), vocal works, Fidelio's opera, piano works, 32 piano sonatas, ballets and stage music, chamber music, quartets, cello sonatas.
Nicolo Poganini, born October 27, 1782 in Genoa, was an Italian violinist, guitarist and composer. At the time he was the leading and most virtuoso violinist. Appearance (he was thin, had jet-black hair and brown eyes) and his brilliant playing technique made him a legend during his lifetime. Paganini received his first violin lessons at an early age, including from his father (Antonio Paganini), who forced him to take regular lessons. If, in his father's opinion, he was not diligent enough, little Nicolò did not receive any food, and beatings often took place. He earned his livelihood by traveling around Italy as a virtuoso violinist. Between 1805 and 1809 he had a stable position with Princess Elisa Baciotti Lucca, Napoleon's sister. This was his only permanent position. Since 1813, Paganini was constantly on concert tours, where he bewitched his listeners with the "magic art of the violinist." Vienna, London, Paris, again Vienna and so endlessly In Paris in 1833 he met Hector Berlioz, from whom he took composition lessons. He died in 1840 in Nice while on vacation.
Q Out of his 8 violin concertos, 6 remain today.
В· Today, his 24 capriccios belong to the standard repertoire of the best violinists. They are so difficult that it was possible only 50 years after his death to play them without simplifications.
В· 12 sonatas for cello and guitar.
В· 6 quartets for cello, violin and guitar.
В· 60 etudes in variations for cello and guitar.
Classical music is nowhere near as popular today as it was in its golden age from the 17th century to the early 20th century, but it is still impressive and an inspiration to many. The famous musical composers who created these great works may have lived hundreds of years ago, but their masterpieces are still unsurpassed.
Notable German composers
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most important names in the history of classical music. He was an innovator of his era, expanding the scope of the symphony, sonata, concerto, quartet, and combining vocals and instruments in new ways, although he was not so interested in the vocal genre. The public did not immediately accept his innovative ideas, but fame did not take too long to wait, so even during the life of Beethoven, his work was duly appreciated.
Beethoven's whole life was marked by a struggle for healthy hearing, but deafness nevertheless overtook him: some of the great composer's most important works were created during the last ten years of his life, when he was no longer able to hear. Some of the most famous works of Beethoven are "Moonlight Sonata" (No. 14), the play "For Elise", Symphony No. 9, Symphony No. 5.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Another world famous German composer is Johann Sebastian Bach - a brilliant author, whose works in the 19th century aroused interest even among those who were not interested in serious, classical music. He wrote both organ music, and vocal-instrumental, and music for other instruments and instrumental ensembles, although he still managed to bypass the operatic genre. Most often, he was engaged in writing cantatas, fugues, preludes and oratorios, as well as choral arrangements. It was Bach, along with Georg Friedrich Handel, who were the last composers of the Baroque era.
Throughout his life, he created more than a thousand pieces of music. The most famous works of Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565, Pastoral BWV 590, "Brandenburg Concertos", "Peasant" and "Coffee" cantatas, mass "Matthew Passion".
Richard Wagner
Wagner was not only one of the most influential composers in the entire world, but also one of the most controversial - because of his anti-Semitic worldview. He was a supporter of a new form of opera, which he called "musical drama" - in it all the musical and dramatic elements merged together. To this end, he developed a compositional style in which the orchestra plays as strong a dramatic role as the performing singers.
Wagner himself wrote his own librettos, which he called "poems". Most of Wagner's plots were based on European myths and legends. He is best known for his eighteen-hour cycle of epic operas in four parts called Der Ring des Nibelungen, the opera Tristan und Iseult, and the musical drama Parsifal.
Famous Russian composers
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka
Glinka is usually referred to as the founder of the Russian national tradition in music, but his Russian operas offered a synthesis of Western music with Russian melodies. Glinka's first opera was A Life for the Tsar, which was well received at its first production in 1836, but the second opera, Ruslan and Lyudmila, with a libretto written by Pushkin, was not so popular. Nevertheless, it was a new type of drama - the heroic-historical opera, or epic.
Glinka became the first of the Russian composers who achieved world recognition. The most famous works of Mikhail Ivanovich: the opera "Ivan Susanin", a fantasy waltz for a symphony orchestra and an overture-symphony on a circular Russian theme.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Tchaikovsky is one of the most popular and famous composers in the world. For many, he is also the most beloved Russian composer. Tchaikovsky's work, however, is much more western than the works written by other composers of his contemporaries, as he used both folk Russian melodies and was guided by the legacy of German and Austrian composers. Tchaikovsky himself was not only a composer, but also a conductor, music teacher and critic.
No others famous composers Russia, perhaps, is not famous for creating ballet productions in the way that Tchaikovsky is famous for. Tchaikovsky's most famous ballets are The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. He also wrote operas; the most famous are The Queen of Spades, Eugene Onegin.
Sergei Vasilyevich Rahmaninov
The work of Sergei Vasilyevich absorbed the traditions of post-romanticism and took shape in a unique style in the musical culture of the 20th century, unlike any other in the world. He always gravitated towards large musical forms. Basically, his works are full of melancholy, drama, strength and rebellion; they often displayed images of the folk epic.
Rachmaninov was known not only as a composer, but also as a pianist, so piano works occupy a significant place in his work. He began learning piano music at the age of four. Rachmaninov's defining genre was the piano concerto and orchestra. Rachmaninoff's most famous works are the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and four concertos for piano and orchestra.
Famous composers of the world
Giuseppe Francesco Verdi
It is difficult to imagine the 19th century without the music of Giuseppe Verdi, one of the classics of Italian musical culture. Most of all, Verdi strove to bring musical realism to the opera production, he always worked directly with singers and librettists, interfered in the work of conductors and did not tolerate false performance. He said that he liked everything that was beautiful in art.
Like many composers, Verdi gained the greatest popularity thanks to the creation of operas. The most famous among them are the operas Othello, Aida, Rigoletto.
Frederic Chopin
The most famous Polish composer Frederic Chopin always illuminated the beauty of his native land in his works and believed in its greatness in the future. His name is the pride of the Polish people. Chopin stands out in the field of classical music in that he wrote works only for piano performance than others. famous composers with their variety of symphonies and operas; now Chopin's works have become the basis for the work of today's pianists.
Chopin was engaged in writing piano pieces, nocturnes, mazurkas, etudes, waltzes, polonaises and other forms, and the most famous among them are the Autumn Waltz, Nocturne in C sharp minor, Spring Rhapsody, Impromptu Fantasy in C sharp minor.
Edvard Grieg
The famous Norwegian composer and musical figure Edvard Grieg specialized in chamber vocal and piano music. Grieg's work was tangibly influenced by the legacy of German romanticism. Grieg's bright and recognizable style can be characterized by such a direction as musical impressionism.
Often, when creating his works, Grieg was inspired by folk tales, melodies, and legends. His work had a huge impact on the development of Norwegian musical culture and art in general. The most famous works of the composer are the overture "In Autumn", the concerto for piano and orchestra of 1868, the music for the play "Peer Gynt", the suite "From the time of Holberg".
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
And, of course, the most famous composers of all time cannot do without this name, which even people who are far from classical music know. An Austrian composer and virtuoso performer, Mozart created a number of operas, concertos, sonatas and symphonies that had a huge impact on classical music and, in fact, shaped it.
He grew up as a child prodigy: he learned to play the piano at the age of three, and at five he was already creating small pieces of musical works. The first symphony was written by him at the age of eight, the first opera at the age of twelve. Mozart had a phenomenal ear for music and an amazing ability to play many musical instruments and improvise.
During his life, Mozart created more than six hundred musical works, some of the most famous among which are the opera Le Nozze di Figaro, the symphony No. 41 Jupiter, the 3rd part of the sonata No. 11 Turkish March, the concerto for flute and harp with orchestra and "Requiem" in D minor, K.626.
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Have you ever heard a good song somewhere and thought: “How cool it would be to play it!”. And indeed, knowing the basics of musical notation, one can discover endless musical possibilities. How to learn notes - find out in our article.
Great composers, whose names are widely known all over the world, have created a huge number of valuable works. Their creations are truly unique. Each of them has an individual and unique style.
Great composers of the world (foreign). List
Below are foreign composers of different centuries, whose names are known throughout the world. This:
- A. Vivaldi.
- J. S. Bach.
- W. A. Mozart.
- I. Brahms.
- J. Haydn.
- R. Schuman.
- F. Schubert.
- L. Beethoven.
- I. Strauss.
- R. Wagner.
- G. Verdi.
- A. Berg.
- A. Schoenberg.
- J. Gershwin.
- O. Messiaen.
- C. Ives.
- B. Britten.
Great composers of the world (Russians). List
He created a large number of operettas, worked with light musical forms of a dance character, in which he was very successful. Thanks to Strauss, the waltz became an extremely popular dance in Vienna. By the way, balls are still held there. The composer's legacy includes polkas, ballets and quadrilles.
And G. Verdi - the great ones who created a huge number of operas that won the sincere love of the audience.
The German Richard Wagner was the most prominent representative of modernism in the music of this century. His opera heritage is rich. Tannhauser, Lohengrin, The Flying Dutchman and other operas are still relevant, popular and staged.
The Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi is a very majestic figure. He gave Italian opera a new breath, while he remained true to operatic traditions.
Russian composers of the 19th century
M. I. Glinka, A. P. Borodin, M. P. Mussorgsky, P. I. Tchaikovsky are the great composers of classical music of the 19th century who lived and created their works in Russia.
The works of Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka determined national and world significance in the history of Russian music. His work, which grew up on Russian folk songs, is deeply national. He is rightfully considered an innovator, the ancestor of Russian musical classics. Glinka worked fruitfully in all of his operas Ivan Susanin (A Life for the Tsar) and Ruslan and Lyudmila opened the way for two leading directions. Of great importance in the development of musical art were his symphonic works: "Kamarinskaya", "Waltz-Fantasy" and many others.
Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin is a great Russian composer. His work is small in scope, but significant in content. The central place is occupied by heroic historical images. He closely intertwines deep lyricism with epic breadth. The opera "Prince Igor" combines the features of folk-musical drama and epic opera. His first and second symphonies mark a new direction in Russian symphony - heroic-epic. In the field of chamber-vocal lyrics, he became a real innovator. His romances: "Sea", "For the Shores of the Far Homeland", "Song of the Dark Forest" and many others. Borodin had a significant impact on his followers.
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky is another great Russian composer of the 19th century. He was a member of the Balakirev circle, which was called "The Mighty Handful". He worked fruitfully in a variety of genres. His operas are beautiful: "Khovanshchina", "Boris Godunov", "Sorochinsky Fair". In his works, the features of creative individuality were manifested. He owns a number of romances: "Kalistrat", "Seminarian", "Lullaby to Eremushka", "Orphan", "Svetik Savishna". They capture the unique national characters.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - composer, conductor, teacher.
Opera and symphonic genres were leading in his work. The content of his music is universal. His operas The Queen of Spades and Eugene Onegin are masterpieces of Russian classical music. The symphony also occupies a central place in his work. His works became known throughout the world during his lifetime.
Representatives of the new Viennese school
A. Berg, A. Webern, A. Schoenberg are great composers who lived and created their works throughout the 20th century.
Alban Berg became world famous thanks to his amazing opera Wozzeck, which made a strong impression on the listeners. He wrote it for several years. Its premiere took place on December 14, 1925. Today, Wozzeck is a classic example of 20th-century opera.
Anton Webern is an Austrian composer, one of the brightest representatives of the new Viennese school. In his works he used serial and dodecaphone technique. Conciseness and conciseness of thought, concentration of musical and expressive means are inherent in it. His work had a strong influence on Stravinsky, Boulez, Gubaidulina and many other Russian and foreign composers.
Arnold Schoenberg is a prominent representative of such a musical style as expressionism. Author of serial and dodecaphone technique. His compositions: the Second String Quartet (F-sharp minor), "Drama with music for choir and orchestra", the opera "Moses and Aaron" and many others.
J. Gershwin, O. Messiaen, C. Ives
These are the great composers of the 20th century who are known all over the world.
George Gershwin is an American composer and pianist. He became extremely popular thanks to his large-scale work Porgy and Bess. This is a "folklore" opera. It is based on the novel by Dubos Hayward. No less famous are his instrumental works: "Rhapsody in the Blues Style for Piano and Orchestra", "An American in Paris", "Second Rhapsody" and many others.
Olivier Messiaen - French composer, organist, teacher, music theorist. In his remarkable theoretical works, he outlined new and rather complex principles of musical composition. Theological ideas were reflected in his works. He was very fascinated by the voices of birds. Therefore, he created the "Catalogue of Birds" for piano.
Charles Ives is an American composer. His work was influenced by folk music. Therefore, his style is extremely unique. He created five symphonies, five violin sonatas, two piano sonatas, the cantata "Heavenly Country" and many other works.
Russian composers of the 20th century
S. S. Prokofiev, I. F. Stravinsky, D. D. Shostakovich are the great composers of the 20th century.
Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev - composer, conductor, pianist.
His music is varied in content. It contains lyrics and epic, humor and drama, psychologism and characterization. Opera and ballet creativity laid down new principles and techniques of musical dramaturgy. His operas are The Gambler, The Love for Three Oranges, War and Peace. Prokofiev worked in the genre of film music. His cantata "Alexander Nevsky", created in collaboration with director S. Eisenstein, is widely known.
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky - émigré composer, conductor.
His work is divided into Russian and foreign periods. His brightest ballets: "Petrushka", "The Rite of Spring", "The Firebird". Stravinsky also made a great contribution to the symphonic genre.
Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich - composer, teacher, pianist. His work is multifaceted in genres and figurative content. Especially his importance as a composer-symphonist. His fifteen symphonies reflect the complex world of human feelings with experiences, struggles, tragic conflicts. His opera "Katerina Izmailova" is an excellent work of this genre.
Conclusion
The music of great composers is written in different genres, contains multifaceted plots, constantly updated techniques that correspond to a particular era. Some composers have excelled in a few genres, while others have successfully covered almost all areas. Of the entire galaxy of great composers, it is difficult to single out the best. All of them have made a significant contribution to the history of world musical culture.
The concept of "composer" first appeared in the 16th century in Italy, and since then it has been used to refer to a person who composes music.
19th century composers
In the 19th century, the Viennese School of Music was represented by such an outstanding composer as Franz Peter Schubert. He continued the tradition of romanticism and influenced a whole generation of composers. Schubert created over 600 German romances, taking the genre to a new level.
Franz Peter Schubert
Another Austrian, Johann Strauss, became famous for his operettas and light musical forms of dance character. It was he who made the waltz the most popular dance in Vienna, where balls are still held. In addition, his legacy includes polkas, quadrilles, ballets and operettas.
Johann Strauss
A prominent representative of modernism in the music of the late 19th century was the German Richard Wagner. His operas have not lost their relevance and popularity to this day.
Giuseppe Verdi
Wagner can be contrasted with the majestic figure of the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, who remained true to operatic traditions and gave Italian opera a new breath.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Among the Russian composers of the 19th century, the name of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky stands out. He is characterized by a unique style that combines European symphonic traditions with Glinka's Russian heritage.
Composers of the 20th century
Sergei Vasilyevich Rahmaninov
One of the brightest composers of the late 19th - early 20th centuries is rightfully considered Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov. His musical style was based on the traditions of romanticism and existed in parallel with the avant-garde movements. It was for his individuality and the absence of analogues that his work was highly appreciated by critics around the world.
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky
The second most famous composer of the 20th century is Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky. Russian by origin, he emigrated to France, and then to the USA, where he showed his talent to the fullest. Stravinsky is an innovator, not afraid to experiment with rhythms and styles. In his work, the influence of Russian traditions, elements of various avant-garde movements and a unique individual style can be traced, for which he is called "Picasso in Music".
