Composers Flashcards
Who’s first two piano concertos where premiered and published while he was still a student?
Prokofiev
Who’s artistic circle was based in Paris, and included Hector Berlioz, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti, Friedrich Chopin, and Nicolo Paganini?
Liszt
Who gave singing and piano lessons to Antonio Berezzi’s daughter Margherita, and later married her and had 2 kids?
Verdi
Who was a conductor at the court of Saxony in Dresden? Duties included conducting orchestral and opera performances, and composing pieces for special court occasions.
Wagner
Who is Giuseppina Strepponi?
- Verdi married her in 1859- opera singer
Who had financial problems, therefore preformed and moved lots?
Brahms
Who feared the number 13?
Schoenberg
Who conducted Vienna Sing Akademie?
Brahms
Who’s principle instrument was a cello, and played chamber music with 2 childhood friends?
Schoenberg
Who died of a stroke in 1901, and left a significant sum of money to Casa di Riposo per Musicisti, a retirement home for musicians in Milan?
Verdi
Who’s articles and essays were published in several journals including Schumann’s Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik?
Wagner
Who played his first piano sonata while still a student at his Moscow debut recital in 1910?
Prokofiev
Who attended Leipzig University and studied with teacher/composer Christian Theodor Weinlig, yet considered himself largely self-taught in music?
Wagner
Who rejected the designation of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor (one of the highest awards bestowed by the French government for outstanding achievement)? Why did he reject it?
- Ravel- He felt this honour should have been granted earlier
Who began composing and playing piano at the age of 7?
Messiaen
Who had a strong desire to enter the priesthood, but chose a musical career on advice from his mother?
Liszt
Who is acknowledged as the greatest Italian composer of opera in the 19th century? His works remain a staple of the operatic repertory worldwide.
Verdi
Who was awarded an honorary doctorate by Oxford University?
Ravel
Who accepted a seat and served in the Italian parliament for 4 years?
Verdi
What years did Schumann live?
1810-1856
Who published Hamonielehre, a treaty on harmony?
Schoenberg
Who founded the Leipzig Conservatory?
Mendelssohn
Who died hours before Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, and as a result, the news of his death was withheld so as not to eclipse the dictator?
Prokofiev
Who was accepted into advance composition class taught by Gabriel Faure?
Ravel
Who moved back to Vienna in 1917 and went through “years of silence” while he worked on the development of the twelve tone system?
Schoenberg
Who became engulfed in the rising tide of Italian Nationalism?
Verdi
Who toured in the USA, Japan, and Soviet Union?
Prokofiev
Who had significant influence on successive generations of composers, including Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, and Arnold Schoenberg?
Wagner
Who was a course master for a cheater in Wurzburg?
Wagner
Where was Verdi born?
Ron Cole (by Busetto), Parma, Italy
Who received the French Legion of Honor in 1932?
Bartok
Who visited the USA and developed friendship with George Gershwin?
Ravel
Who attempted suicide by jumping off of a bridge, and spent his final years in an asylum?
Schumann
Who was a Hungarian Nationalist?
Bartok
Who fell in love with his teacher’s daughter?
Schumann (Clara Schumann)
Where was Liszt born?
Raiding, Hungary (just outside Vienna, Austria)
Where was Mendelssohn born?
Hamburg, Germany
Who was a immediate sensation in Paris, and performed 38 times in 3 months?
Liszt
Who moved to Dresden with his family, then to Dusseldorf due to political unrest?
Schumann
Who was the 9th child in the family, and grew up in a artistic environment?
Wagner
Who embarked on a successful 2 month coast-to-coast tour of the USA?
Bartok
Who viewed religion as a quest? His family was originally Orthodox Jewish, then converted to Christianity, then reconverted to Judaism.
Schoenberg
Who attracted private students in Vienna including Alban Berg and Anton Webern?
Schoenberg
Verdi composed Messa da Requiem in honour of?
Alessandro Manzoni, Italian writer
Who accepted a conducting post in Riga (Latvia)?
Wagner
Who was Erno Dohananyi to Bartok?
- his idol- famous Hungarian pianist, composer, and conductor
Where was Schumann born?
Zwickau, Germany
What did Verdi and Arigo Boito produce?
- one of Verdi’s final triumphs, Otello and Falstaff
What years did Prokofiev live?
1891-1953
Who is Claire Delbos?
- Messiaen’s first wife- composer and violinist- declared first song cycles to her
Who became friends with like-minded progressive artists nicknamed “Les apaches” (The Ruffians)?
Ravel
Who maintained a comfortable lifestyle by frequenting salons, cafes, and nightclubs of Paris?
Ravel
Who studied piano with Marie Bigot and Carl Freidrich Zelter?
Mendelssohn
Who went to London and Paris to escape creditors, hoping for success as a composer?
Wagner
Who attained a teaching position at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin with the support of Richard Strauss?
Schoenberg
Who made various guest appearances/performed across Europe?
Mendelssohn, Liszt
Who was refused entry into Paris Conservatory because he was a foreigner?
Liszt
Who began composing at 5 and loved opera (wrote 4 as a youth)?
Prokofiev
Who visited the USA and drew musical inspiration from Western mountains and canyons?
Messiaen
Who helped Berlioz and Wagner in their careers, including conducting the first performance of Wagner’s “Lohengrin”?
Liszt
Who is known as the leader of the Second Viennese School, and was one of the most influential and controversial figures in 20th century music?
Schoenberg
Who pursued interests in music, literature, and philosophy on his own and was essentially self taught?
Schoenberg
Who entered the Paris Conservatoire?
Ravel
What years did Bartok live?
1881-1945
What acronym did Verdi’s name spell as a cry for unification of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel?
Viva VittorioEmmanueleReD’ Italia
Who is associated with birdsong and ornithology?
Messiaen
Who studied art, and paintings embraced Expressionism?
Schoenberg
Who worked in Milan as a conductor at the Piccolo Scala, which was adjacent to the renowned La Scala opera house?
Verdi
Who toured England, Ireland, Switzerland, and other French cities while still a teenager?
Liszt
Who toured the USA for a second time in 1940, where he made a historic recording of his trio Contrasts with violinist Joseph Szigetti and American jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman?
Bartok
Who’s final years was marked with failing health and reclusive behaviour?
Ravel
Who was compelled to leave Germany due to the rise of the Nazi party and increasing anti-semitism?
Schoenberg
Who studied piano and theory with Eduard Marxsen?
Brahms
Who’s Father was an author/publisher, and instilled a lifelong love for literature, but died when he (composer) was 16?
Schumann
Who suffered from asthma his whole life and was often in poor health?
Schoenberg
Who was shy and rather pessimistic in nature, with health that was never robust and had serious lung issues earlier in life?
Bartok
Who entered law school to please his mother, but later pursued composition and piano studies?
Schumann
Who left school and worked for a bank for 5 years to support his family?
Schoenberg
Who published “Technique de mon language musical” (Technique of My Musical Language) in 1944, that outlined his compositional approach, especially with regard to rhythmic and pitch modes?
Messiaen
What years did Wagner live?
1813-1883
Who was appointed organist at L’eglise de la Sainte Trinite in Paris, and remained in this capacity for the rest of his life?
Messiaen
Who pursued religious studies and attained minor orders in the Catholic church?
Liszt
Who visited London in 1914 and met Sergei Diaghilev who commissioned a ballet for his company? What was this ballet called?
- Prokofiev- “Les Ballets Russes”- eventually became popular “Scythian Suite”
Who is Wilhelmine (Minna) Planer?
- Wagner married her, stayed married to her until her death but had numerous affairs- singer/actress
