The Great Musical Adventure part 5

For the next installment of the Great Musical Adventure, we are in the Classical Era. The classical era was a short time period, only between 1750 and 1820. The primary composers of this period were Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert.

Mozart was born in Salzburg Germany in 1756. He played the keyboard, the violin, and composed music at age 5 to be performed before royalty. Imagine a little boy conducting his own music that he wrote at age 5 in front of you and you are now listening to his works. A few years later, you would hear his own symphony he composed at age 8. At age 17, he was a court musician in his home town of Salzburg. In his life, he composed around 600 works including operas, symphonies, and chamber music.

Slow music begins to trickle in by the upper string players. It is then followed by a mysterious melody sung by the sopranos. Chanting by all four singers parts turns to dark melodies. So dark, so intense, so sad, so mysterious. The dynamics go from a strong forte to a piano. Death seems to have composed this music. To finish of this deadly melody, the singers and orchestra play against yet with the singers to end in a grand amen. This is the eighth movement of Mozart's Requiem. This requiem was written in 1791, the last year that Mozart lived. In fact, although Mozart's Requiem had over ten movements, he died as he was writing the Lacrimosa dies illa; the movement that is figuratively described above. It is said that Mozart's student, Franz Xaver Süssmayr, finished his teacher's requiem. Listen to this requiem while you are washing the dishes or reading a book. you will feel the death, madness, and sadness that Mozart was feeling.

A thunderstorm erupts from the lower bass notes of the piano. A repetitive bass line repeats for the beginning bars. The opening passage repeats itself. Then, a sad and haunting melody dismally sings out from the treble notes on the piano. For a moment, as though we see light through the clouds. But, no! The agonizing melody returns with a spin. Several times, this happens, a storm then a clearing. The song ends with the storm finally clearing through the last two minor chords. Franz Schubert lived between 1797 and 1828; only 31 years of age. He was famous for his piano music more than any other music he ever wrote. Erlkönig is about a boy dying in the arms of his father when he sees the Elf-King taking hold of him and torturing him. The original poem was written by Goethe and put to music by the young, eighteen-year-old Schubert. Schubert does a wonderful job in portraying the son's fear of the Elf-King, the father trying to save his son from an unknown death, and the Elf-King wickedly deceiving the boy.

Ludwig van Beethoven lived between 1770 and 1827. The composer who is actually associated with the Romantic Era than the Classical Era. We know him to be the deaf composer that wrote the dramatic and loud music. While this is true, Beethoven actually wrote the most of is music in the last 10 years of his life. Those last ten years of his life were the most difficult as he was completely deaf. His famous pieces are Symphony No. 5 in C minor and the Egmont Overture. In both of these songs, you feel anger and frustration. Beethoven writes his own feelings into his music so you can understand what he feels and not what he exactly hears.

Considering that the Classical Era was not long, it should not be surprising that there were not many composers in this period. Only a handful. The next era to cover will be Romanticism. This era, although shorter than the Classical era, consists of many composers. So, do not expect the next installment of this series for a few weeks. However, there will be an installment about the medieval and Renaissance chants.

Cheers!

Chloe Elizabeth