THE 7

COMPOSERS OF
ROMANTIC
PERIOD

Franz Schubert

Born:

January 31, 1797; he was the 12th son of Franz Theodor Florian Schubert and
Elisabet Katherina Vietz. His father was a schoolmaster.

Birthplace:

Himmelpfortgrund, near Vienna, Austria

Died:

November 19, 1828 in Vienna due to typhus; he was buried at the Wahring
cemetery.

Also Known As:

His full name was Franz Peter Schubert, also known as the "Master of Song"
because he wrote more than 600 songs.

Type of Compositions:

Schubert had a very fruitful career as a composer. He composed songs,

symphonies, masses and quartets. He is known as the earliest master of the
art song.
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel

Born:

November 14, 1805

Birthplace:

Hamburg, Germany

Died:

May 14, 1847 in Berlin, Germany

Also Known As:

Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a talented pianist, composer of lieder and

chamber music. She was the oldest of 4 children and the sister of composer
Felix Mendelssohn. Their grandfather was Moses Mendelssohn; a known
philosopher. Fanny and Felix remained close throughout their lives, they
would often collaborate and perform together. They were so close that when
Fanny died in 1847, Felix was said to have become so depressed and died 6
months later.
Louis-Hector Berlioz

Born:
December 11, 1803; his parents were Louis Berlioz and MarieAntoinette-Josephine. His father was a doctor.
Birthplace:
La Cte-Saint-Andr, Isre
Died:
March 8, 1869 in Paris, France

Also Known As:

He was one of the most original composers of the 19th century; a
master of orchestration.

Felix Mendelssohn

Born:
February 3, 1809, his parents were Abraham Mendelssohn and Leah
Salomon. His father was a banker.
Birthplace:
Hamburg, Germany

Died:
November 4, 1847 after suffering from a stroke. He was buried in
Berlin.
Also Known As:
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was a prolific composer of
the Romantic period. He was a piano and violin virtuoso, a maestro
and conductor. He was the founder of Leipzig Conservatory. He was
the brother of composer Fanny Mendelssohn and grandson of the
philosopher Moses Mendelssohn.

Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin

Born:

Either February 22, as stated on his certificate of baptism, or March 1, 1810

based on his and his family's statements. His parents were Mikolaj (Nicolas)
Chopin, who was originally from France, and Tekla Justyna Krzyzanowska.

Birthplace:

Zelazowa Wola in the Mazovia region of Poland.

Died:

October 17, 1849 due to pulmonary tuberculosis. He was buried in Paris.

Also Known As:

Hailed as a child prodigy, musical genius, genius of the piano, a teacher of

Polish and French aristocracy.
Robert Schumann

Born:

June 8,1810; his father was author August Schumann. His mother, Johanna
Christiane Schnabel, gave him music lessons when he was young.

Birthplace:

Zwickau, Germany

Died:

July 29, 1856; one of the factors believed to have caused his death was the
mercury treatments he underwent when he was in an asylum.

Also Known As:

German composer who served as the voice of other Romantic composers. He

was also a music journalist, critic and the editor of Neue Zeitschrift ffor
Musik. He was the husband of the pianist and composer Clara Wieck
Schumann
Franz Joseph Liszt

Born:

October 22, 1811; his father was an amateur musician working for the
Esterhzy family.

Birthplace:

Raiding in Hungary

Died:

On July 31, 1886 in Bayreuth due to pneumonia.

Also Known As:

Liszt was a composer of adventurous music, inventor of piano recitals, a

piano virtuoso, performer, arranger and conductor. As a composer, he was
well-received by the masses and adored by ladies. He was also a teacher and
considered the figurehead of the New German School. Liszt penned the term
"symphonic poem." He was also a priest.
Richard Wagner

Born:

May 22, 1813; his parents were Friedrich (died of typhus after Richard was
born) and Johanna (later married Ludwig Meyer).

Birthplace:

Leipzig, Germany

Died:

February 13, 1883 in Venice, Italy due to heart attack.

Also Known As:

He was a chorus master at the Wrzburg theatre, a Dresden court joint

Kapellmeister, composer, opera conductor, writer, librettist, critic and skilled
debater. In his own words; "I am the most German being, I am the German
spirit."

Type of Compositions:

He is famous for his operas; he also wrote orchestral music, piano music,
choral music and music for string quartet. His operas demand vocal strength
and endurance from vocalists.