Saturday, October 14, 2023 | Composer of the Week

Franz Joseph Haydn  ("Frahnz  JOE-seff  HIDE-in”)

• Born in Austria, 1732, 
• Died in 1809 at age 77
• Classical Period

Compositions Include:

• Over 100 symphonies, including the Farewell Symphony and the Surprise Symphony
• 84 string quartets
• 53 piano sonatas
• 25 concertos
• 12 masses
• 10 oratorios 

Other Details:

• Beginning at age 7, sang in the choir at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna until his voice changed at age 17
• While at St. Stephen’s studied singing, harpsichord and violin 
• Was very poor growing up and well into adult hood until he was hired by Prince Esterhazy at age 29

Saturday, October 7, 2023 | Composer of the Week

Aaron Copland   ("AIR-in  COPE-lund”)

• Born in United States of America, 1900
• Died in 1990 at age 89
• Contemporary Period

Compositions Include:

• A Lincoln Portrait
• Appalachian Spring
• The Cat and Mouse (at age 21)
• ballet Rodeo
• ballet Billy the Kid

 Other Details:

• Born in New York City to Jewish Russian immigrants
• After high school, played in dance bands
• Studied composition with Nadia Boulanger in Paris
• Combined elements of jazz, blues, and popular music into his classical compositions

Sunday, October 1, 2023 | Uncategorized

Johann Sebastian Bach ("YOH-han  seh-BAST-chen  BOCK")

• Born in Germany, 1685   
• Died in 1750 at age 65
• Baroque Period

Compositions Include:

• Goldberg Variations
• Brandenburg Concertos
• Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
• Well-Tempered Clavier Volumes I and II

Other Details:

• Worked as a church musician and organist
• Had 20 children, many of whom were also musicians
• at age 20, walked about 250 miles to meet and hear Dietrich Buxtehude in concert
• often wrote out other people's music