Louise Sullivan
Susan O’Regan
Music History Perspectives MUSC6002
11 December 2015
Sibelius & Finnish Nationalism
My project is based on Jean Sibelius and Finnish Nationalism. This year marks the 150 anniversary of the Finnish composer. We will review how Sibelius kept with the traditions of folklore and mythology of the Finnish nation. Sibelius’s love for Finnish landscape and nature influenced a lot of his music. What were Sibelius’s feelings regarding his country's ruler-ship under the Russian empire? We will also take a look into who was Jean Sibelius, what were the motives behind his violin concerto as some people view this as not being based on nationalism, and why did the Finnish accept Sibelius as a national composer? In examining some of Sibelius’s compositions, each one highlights how Sibelius felt about his
Investigating how Poetry, Mythology, and the Russian empire influenced his Finnish Musical Identity.
Biography. Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was a composer during the late romantic era into the early 20th century. He composed seven symphonies, a violin concerto, a range of chamber and choral music. Christened Johan Julius Christian Sibelius in Hämeenlinna Finland 1865, culturally dominated by Sweden, but ruled by the Russian empire until 1917. As a child he spoke Swedish, but as a young man he embraced the Finnish language changing his name to Jean. Along with his brother and sister he enjoyed playing piano, at fifteen years of age he started violin lessons, but most of all he enjoyed composing music. Having finished school he moved to Helsinki to study law, which he later abandoned to study composition with Martin Wegelius and
They were two great composers who were associated with the Sistine chapel choir Josquire Despres and Giovanni Palestrina. Their music was stunning and beautifully which was brilliantly and magnificent religious music ever created its complex polyphonic composition which it has three
Described as "the brightest star on the Canadian contemporary music scene" , Alexina Diane Louie is one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary composers. Notably named "Composer of the Year" by the Canadian Music Council in 1986, Louie's music has been widely commissioned and performed by top orchestras in Canada, as well as internationally. She is mostly known for her distinctive compositional approach of fusing the styles of Asian and Western music together, creating a unique style that sets her apart from her contemporaries. Though her musical style is well known, the journey behind realizing this style is not. One could hastily assume that her inspiration from fusing the music of the East and West would be effortless because of her Chinese heritage. However, the path for Louie to experience Asian music and use it as inspiration is actually quite complex, which makes understanding it essential to truly appreciate her works. It is important to recognize that even though Louie is of Chinese heritage, she did not grow up along with Asian music. Therefore, it is intriguing to figure out how and why she came towards her decision to fuse Eastern and Western styles in her compositions. By being aware about how her style developed, we can thoroughly understand why she composes in this distinctive way. In addition to her style, Louie has also been a very strong advocate for Canadian composers and their works, which is important to understand as it emphasizes her impact in the world as a Canadian composer herself. To understand Louie's compositions, as well as her role as a Canadian composer, we must discuss Louie's biography and education to discover how they have impacted her composition process
Johannes Brahms was a German Composer, Pianist and conductor of the 19th century or the Romantic period. He was one of the 3 B's or the Big three: Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Johannes was a very self-critic man he burned many of his pieces before he could get anyone's opinion on them and he burned all of his compositions that he wrote before the age of 19.
TitleAuthor/ EditorPublisherDate James Galways’ Music in TimeWilliam MannMichael Beazley Publishers1982 The Concise Oxford History of MusicGerald AbrahamOxford University Press1979 Music in Western CivilizationPaul Henry LangW. W. Norton and Company1941 The Ultimate Encyclopaedia of Classical MusicRobert AinsleyCarlton Books Limited1995 The Cambridge Music GuideStanley SadieCambridge University Press1985 School text: Western European Orchestral MusicMary AllenHamilton Girls’ High School1999 History of MusicRoy BennettCambridge University Press1982 Classical Music for DummiesDavid PogueIDG Books Worldwide,Inc1997
In Germany, the ideas of nationalism were prevented from finding an outlet in the world of political ideology and instead found outlets in music. This started in a very subtle manor. Take for example the increasing use, by Beethoven, of the German language in his instructions in his music. In his Adieux Sonata (op. 81a), Beethoven's farewe...
Antonin Dvorak was one of the leading composers of the late Romantic period and one of many composers that utilized portions of music from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds in his compositions. The idea of Music Nationalism can be found in many of his works, especially in his Symphony no. 9 in E minor “from the New World”, which incorporates ideas from the American culture.
John Warrack, author of 6 Great Composers, stated, “Any study of a composer, however brief, must have as its only purpose encouragement of the reader to greater enjoyment of the music” (Warrack, p.2). The composers and musicians of the Renaissance period need to be discussed and studied so that listeners, performers, and readers can appreciate and understand the beginnings of music theory and form. The reader can also understand the driving force of the composer, whether sacred or secular, popularity or religious growth. To begin understanding music composition one must begin at the birth, or rebirth of music and the composers who created the great change.
This paper will explore the life of the great composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach was considered one of the greatest composers of all time. He created amazing, famous compositions that made a big impact in today’s world. He went through rough times like many people do, the loss of his parents and finding a way back to the old routine was not an easy task. Bach came from generations of musicians and was given a religious education which is something that played a big role in his life when becoming a musician. We will analyze and learn the significance of some of his great compositions, the stories and what inspired him to compose music.
Gustav Holst once said that, “Failure is the most important part of an artist's training, and one you cannot afford to do without”. A composer’s life is often one of many peaks and valleys that, in the end, help to forge them into a world renowned composer whose legacy stands the test of time. The life of composer Gustav Holst is no exception to this. From an early age he had to overcome several physical and emotional hurdles. However, by the time of his death Holst had become a mainly self-taught composer, who learned from experience and experimentation, constantly searching for the right sound.
Frederic Chopin, a Polish Nationalistic composer of the Romantic period, is a famous musician. Chopin’s compositions are individualistic to his talent and love of the piano. Chopin lived in Warsaw as a child and spent a great deal of his life living Paris amongst other artists of the Romantic period. He was influenced by people surrounding him and even more from his childhood in Poland. The Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-Flat major opus 61, is musically representative of Chopin and the Romantic period, nationalistic styles from Poland and unique innovations especially from Warsaw.
Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg in 1809. His father Abraham Mendelssohn was a banker, while his mum Lea Mendelssohn was a highly educated artist and musician. Mendelssohn first had his piano lesson from his mum, but soon he was sent to study with the best teachers at that time such as Marie Bigot and Ludwig Burger. He also took composition lessons with Karl Zelter, who was the professor of the University of Berlin. Under their proper guidance, he completely showed his music talent- he first appeared as pianist at nine and as a composer at ten. At his age of twelve, he already composed nine fugues, five symphonies for strings, two operas and a huge number of smaller pieces. When he was sixteen, the publication of his Octet in E-flat Major for strings and Overture to A Mid Summer Night’s Dream marked his full maturity.
Being the son of a professional violinist enabled Vivaldi to meet and learn from outstanding musicians and composers. As a result, alo...
Salome, Frank. (2205). Jazz and its Impact on European Classical Music. Journal of Popular Culture, 38(4), pg. 732. Retrieved from
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was undoubtedly one of the greatest composers of not only the classical era, but of all time. On January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria, Mozart was born into an already musically talented family. His father Leopold, a composer and musician, and sister Nannerl toured parts of Europe giving many successful performances, including some before royalty. At the young age of 17, Mozart was appointed Konzertmeister at the Salzburg Court. It was there that young Mozart composed two successful operas: “Mitridate” and “Lucio Silla”. In 1981 he was dismissed from his position at the Salzburg Court. He went on to compose over 600 works including 27 piano Concertos, 18 Masses (including his most famous, the Requiem), and 17 piano sonatas. Mozart was not often known for having radical form or harmonic innovation but rather, most of his music had a natural flow, repetition and simple harmonic structure.
Franz Liszt is said to be the most astounding piano virtuosos that existed during the Romantic era. This essay will discuss his achievements as a pianist as well as a composer. This essay will examine his life and will examine what influenced him at an early age. It will also look at his accomplishments as a pianist as well as a composer and examine how he became as well known as he is today. It will use his background to show what exactly influenced him to become a successful pianist and composer and it will discuss how essential he was during the Romantic era.