Music Throughout History

I personally like classical music because my wife used to sing in many competitions, which gave me a whole new appreciation for this type of music. She has sung in many different languages such as Italian, German, Hebrew, Russian, English, Bohemian, Spanish, and French. We also used classical music in our wedding by Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon in D Major”, which is heard very often in weddings. I chose to do my research paper on classical music throughout history because nobody understands the true importance behind the music, composers or how it enlightens me.

Johann Pachelbel was born in Nurnberg, England in 1653. While he was in high school Pachelbel’s father recognized that he had a special talent for music and enrolled him in advanced music training. The first two instructors to help teach Pachelbel were Heinrich Schwemmer and organist Georg Caspar Wecker. By the age of 15 Pachelbel had already been enrolled in the University of Altdorf. While working on his degree he had also been working as an organist at the Pfarrkirche which is also known as a church.

In 1670 he enrolled in the Gymnasium Poeticum in Regensburg, which in Germany is equal to a high school but typically used for college students. The Gymnasium Poeticum professors had made special arrangements for him to study music outside his classes with Kaspar Prentz, who later introduced him to Italian music. After studying Italian music with Prentz he later then began his professional career. Pachelbel was not only known for a great organist, but also an amazing, historical changing, composer which lead him to composing “Canon in D Major” (Mosterd, 2011).

One of my favorite songs, which was the first song that I have ever heard my wife sing in her solo ensemble competition, is “Caro mio ben” which means “Thou, all my bliss”. The composer of this song is Giuseppe Giordani who was born December 19th 1744- January 4th 1798. He was a famous Italian composer of mainly opera. Giordani was born in Naples where he had begun to study music. In 1774 he was the music director at the chapel of the Duomo of Naples. His first opera “L’Epponina” was composed in 1779.

Giordani has many types of work but his best known were his operas, or sacred music, also known as religious music. A lot of his work was used in the theater like his 1787 oratorio “La distruzione di Gerusalemme,” which is said to be his greatest success. It was also in fact the first sacred drama piece in the theater. By his early twenties he was the best composer in Naples (Caro Mio Ben, 1894). Another great composer of the Romantic period is Peter (Pyotr) Ilyich Tschaikovsky who was a Russian composer born May 7th 1840 and died November 6th 1893.

Tscaikovsky is well known for his music. He wrote the “Sugar Plum Fairy” and “the Reed Flutes” from the Sleeping Beauty. He also wrote a ballad that is loved by many during the holidays, also known as the “Nutcracker”. He began composing in the 1860’s at St. Petersburg where he had also taught and studied. In 1878 he committed full-time to composing music, after his nervous breakdown in 1877. In 1893 Tscaikovsky died from drinking tainted water. Later that year Cambridge University named him a doctor of music (Who2, 1998). One of the choir instructors, at Airport High School Mrs.

Barbara Tritten, once told me that music is the story of our lives. She explained this to me by telling me more about Ludwig Van Beethoven. Beethoven told his stories and tragedies through his music. During his 5th Symphony he began to go deaf. He had described the notes as “fate knocking at the door”. After writing the 5th Symphony he continued to write four more symphonies. Beethoven was never married and never had any children. However, after he died of cirrhosis of the liver and dropsy on March 26th, 1827, they found love letters to a woman he called his “Immortal Beloved”.

Even to this day they still have no clue who his “beloved” could have been. Another amazing composer is Giuseppe Verdi who is also apart of the romantic period. Verdi is best known most famous work, “Rigoletto” and “La Traviata”. He was born in 1820 and died in 1869. During his time people believed that he would not succeed in opera after Rossini composed great triumph, although Verdi took drama and music to new levels of this time. His musical persona was completely different from anything anyone had ever heard. Verdi was very talented; he even played an instrument at the age of seven.

He had a musical gift; he could play any instrument you sat in front of him after he studied it over time. He taught himself how to play the piano which he had quickly learned. By the age of 15 Verdi had already begun to compose. He took private lessons with Vincenzo Lavigna in Milan after he was turned away by the conservatory. In his later years he founded a hospital in Milan which is now a home for retired musicians (Tyranny ; Rovi, 1992). In an examination of the world’s greatest composers, one cannot forget Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach was born on March 21st, 1685.

He began working on music at a very young age. He was taught by his father Johann Christoph to play the violin and the harpsichord. All of the Bach family was highly influenced in music. They had a very wide range of musical talent from organists to town instrumentalists. By the age of eight, young Bach attended the Old Latin grammar school in Germany. Bach and his classmates formed the school’s first choir, which gave Bach chance to sing on a regular basis. Later on he attended the Gymnasium of Ohrdruf, which is one of the more advanced schools in Germany.

While attending this school, Bach was recognized by his unique soprano voice, which brought him to sing for the Mattins Choir. After achieving many goals of his musical career in 1714, Bach was appointed the leader of the Court Orchestra. While performing for the court orchestra, Bach worked on some of his greatest pieces of music. In 1723, Bach and his family moved to Leipzig where he spent the last years of his life working as a director of choir and music. He focused all of his music on stories of the Bible.

A commonly known song that is sung today in many churches around the world is “Soli Deo Gloria”, which in English is “The Glory of God Alone” (Baroque Composers and Musicians, 2005). I chose to base my paper on composers of the romantic period because many people don’t realize how important these composers really are. I believe that it was a very big step for music, and played a big role in today’s diversity in music. Even though many people may not recognize the composers’ names, their music has carried on throughout time.

Next time you hear a symphony or a ballad or as some people may call it “that old song, by that old guy”, just imagine that he or she could be one of those great composers in the future, classical music is good for everyone. I believe that classical music is good for everyone. People have stated it is good for babys and helps their mind grow. I think it is also a good way to relax. The soothing sounds of Beethoven or Giordani can ease the mind. So even if classical music is not your thing I advise you to look up some of these composers and just listen to their masterpieces.