Music

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was an Italian, one of the greatest Baroque composers and a virtuoso violinist. His influence spread across Europe during his lifetime.

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German, a Baroque period musician, composer. He is considered one of greatest composers in the world.

George Frideric Handel was one of the great German, Baroque composers. He spent most of career in London and is known from his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos.

Franz Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer called the Father of the Symphony and the Father of the String Quartet. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the piano trio. The most celebrated composer in Europe he was a friend and mentor of Mozart and a tutor of Beethoven.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a musical genius. A prodigy he composed and performed for European kings at the age of five. At 17 he was a musician at the Salzburger Hof and moved to Vienna where he composed his greatest works.

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German musician, one of the greatest composers of all time. Despite deafness later in life he continued to compose great music like the Ninth Symphony. He remains an inspiration.

Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer of chamber, piano and sacred music. He also wrote dozens of comic and serious operas.

Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer during the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short life he wrote piano compositions and over 600 songs, 9 symphonies and 5 masses.

Robert Schumann was one of the greatest Romantic era, German composers. A hand injury ended the plan to become a virtuoso pianist, but he went on to compose symphonies, an opera and choral and chamber works. He married Clara, the daughter of his teacher.

Franz Liszt was an Austrian. He became 19th century, Romantic era sensation, a superstar musician and composer. The Pope eventually admitted Liszt into Holy Orders.

Richard Wagner was a German composer of great operas. Initially his compositions were considered radical.

Adolphe Sax was a Belgian inventor and musician, playing the flute and clarinet. Jazz music owes a huge debt to Adolpe Sax as he created the saxophone, saxotromba, saxhorn, and saxtuba.

Jacques Offenbach was a German, French composer. An impresario of the romantic era, he composed nearly 100 operettas and influenced later operetta composers. Many of his operettas continue to be performed. His famous uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann remains part of the standard opera repertory.

Clara Schumann is one of the greatest German, Romantic era musicians and composers. She had a 61 year concert career beginning as a child prodigy and becoming a virtuoso violinist and pianist. She married and performed with her husband Robert Schumann.

Giuseppe Verdi was an Italian opera composer. A prodigy he began lessons at age 4 and by 30 was one of the greatest composers in history. He liked to present himself as having humble beginnings though his parents were well off landowners.

Johannes Brahms was a German composer, pianist and conductor during the German, Romantic period. Brahms is one of the big three Bs of music along with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was the first Russian composer honored by Emperor Alexander III. Tchaikovsky become popular touring as a guest conductor in Europe and the USA. Swan Lake and The Nutcracker Ballets are among the works that made him internationally famous. Tchaikovsky may also be spelled Chaikovsky, Chaikovskii, or Tschaikowsky.

Gustav Mahler was an Austrian Bohemian Czech, Romantic era composer. A leading conductor of his generation, he was a bridge between Austro-German 19th century and 20th century modernism music.