Lesson 2

MUSIC
COMPOSERS
OF THE
CLASSICAL
PERIOD
Lesson 2
“Music is the medicine of an
afflicted mind.”
–Henry Giles
1ST COMPOSER
WOLFGANG AMADEUS
MOZART (1756 – 1791)
WOLFGANG AMADEUS
MOZART

• According to classical music

history, Johannes Chrysostomus
Wolfgangus Theopilus Mozart is
the most exceptional musician of
the Classical era.
WOLFGANG AMADEUS
MOZART

• A composer, violinist, virtuoso

pianist, organist, and a conductor.

• Composed different genres of

music: opera, concerto chamber
music, symphony, choral, vocal
and instrumental music.
MOZART’S BACKGROUND

• He was born in Salzburg, Austria

• His father was Leopold Mozart, a

composer, violinist and a teacher

• His mother was Anna Maria Pertl.

MOZART’S BACKGROUND

• Considered as the greatest

musical genius of his era.
MOZART’S BACKGROUND

• At the age of 3, he played tunes

in the harpsichord

• At the age of 5, he wrote minuets

for the harpsichord
MOZART’S BACKGROUND

• At the age of 6, he and his sister,

Nannerl, performed for royalties
and aristocrats

• At the age of 11, he composed his

first opera: Apollo et Hyacinthus
MOZART’S BACKGROUND

• A year later, Emperor Joseph II

commissioned him to compose La
finta semplice.
MOZART’S BACKGROUND

• AUGUST 4,1782 – he married

Constanze Weber

• Only two of their six children

survived.
MOZART’S BACKGROUND

• 1790 – Mozart’s health began to

fail, and his work rate slowed

• 1791 – he got better and

composed The Magic Flute, the
Requiem (unfinished), and the
Clarinet Concerto
MOZART’S BACKGROUND

• He did not complete his

Requiem.

• He died in 1791 in Vienna.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
DER HÖLLE RACHE KOCHT
IN MEINEM HERZEN
EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK
 MOZART EFFECT
In an article published in The
Telegraph, a 1993 scientific study
showed that teenagers who listened to
Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D
Major performed better in reasoning
tests than adolescents who listened to
something else or who had been in a
quiet room. This phenomenon is known
as the “Mozart effect”
2ND COMPOSER
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
(1770 – 1827)
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

• He was a musical
revolutionary, not just in the
obvious sense that his
compositions took music in a
new direction.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

• Artist imbued with the idea of

revolution.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

• His father and grandfather

were both musicians in Bonn,
Germany.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

• He had a poor music

education.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

• At the age of 11, he left public

school

• At the age of 13, his organ

teacher helped him to publish few
compositions and helped him look
for his primary professional
positions.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

• Met and played for Mozart

during his teens.

• He also had short studies with

Hydn.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

• The best pianist in Vienna

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

• His music reflects the

conflicts of his character
and experience.
FÜR ELISE
JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE
ADORE THEE
SONATA PATHETIQUE
SYMPHONY NO. 5 IN C
MINOR
3rd COMPOSER
FRANZ JOSEPH HYDN
(1732 - 1809)
FRANZ JOSEPH HYDN

• Born in Rohrau, Austria

• Began musical training at a

young age
FRANZ JOSEPH HYDN

• Chorister in St. Stephen’s

Cathedral

• He remained as a chorister
until he was 16 years old.
FRANZ JOSEPH HYDN
• Established himself as a
composer

• Set himself to master his craft

• Taught and accompanied roving

bands of musicians performing in
the streets.
FRANZ JOSEPH HYDN

• “Father of the String Quartet”

SYMPHONY NO. 101, THE
CLOCK
SURPRISE SYMPHONY