Tchaikovsky composed his fifth symphony in 1888 and it was first performed on 17th November at St. Petersburg where he conducted it himself. It is generally considered to be the most attractive of his major works. When he first began writing it Tchaikovsky was suffering from deep depression and thought he was “written out of … Read more
Alexander Porfir’yevich Borodin was born in St. Petersburg the “wrong side of the blanket” to a Russian Prince. To cover up the error, in accordance with Russian practice the baby was given the name of one of the Prince’s servants. However his mother was quite wealthy and he received a good private education. As he … Read more
Despite the encouragement from his friends, Robert and Clara Schumann, to write a symphony, Brahms’ first suffered a long gestation. The material for his first attempt derived from a two piano sonata, finally evolving as his first piano Concerto in D minor of 1858. The tragic early death of Robert Schumann in 1856 had a … Read more
Joseph Anton Bruckner was born at Ansfelden, Upper Austria, the son of the village schoolmaster and organist who early taught the boy the violin and spinet. By the age of ten, the young Bruckner was deputising for his father at the village church. Following his father’s death three years later, he was accepted as a … Read more
The name Bonaparte (not a dedication) appeared at the head of the composer’s manuscript score. Beethoven’s political leanings, and attitude toward Napoleon Bonaparte, have sparked off volumes of writings over the ensuing years. It does appear that he had some respect for the First Consul of France as a symbol of liberty etc.etc., and felt … Read more
It is said of Shostakovich that he ‘shot at the stars’ and attempted to progress music “beyond the point at which the last had taken it”. His life is a study of courage and a story of success and approval against great odds. He was born into a musical family. His mother taught piano and … Read more
Beethoven’s symphonic canon shows a truly remarkable disparity in content and scale. He appears to have composed his first eight symphonies in pairs during the years 1800-1812. In the second of the early pair, Beethoven was already showing that independence of mind which we now take for granted. No 3 is grandiose and celebratory, soon … Read more
Tchaikovsky was born in the shadow of the Ural Mountains, the son of an Inspector of Mines. The family was soon to move to Moscow and then to St. Petersburg. As a child he complained that his head was so full of music that it gave him headaches. Indeed his musical talents were apparent – … Read more
Franz Peter Schubert was born in Vienna, the twelfth of fourteen children. His father hailed from Moravia where he was a small-town schoolmaster, moving to Vienna to better himself. In 1808 the young Franz, already showing extraordinary musical gifts, was accepted into the Choir of the Chapel Royal. His general education was at the Imperial … Read more
Franz Joseph Haydn was born the son of a wagon maker at Rohrau, a small town in eastern Austria near the Hungarian border. He received his earliest musical training from an uncle. At the age of eight he became a choirboy at the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Vienna. In the following nine years, he … Read more
