Great Composers and Their Lives: December 2008 Archives

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December 14, 2008

Johann Pachelbel 1653 – 1706

Anyone who reads the name of this composer immediately thinks of the Canon in D. Of course, Johann Pachelbel wrote many great pieces, but the 3-part canon he had once written will come to mind every time we hear his name. And vice versa, when we hear this piece at a wedding, we will think of him. Interestingly enough, although he penned a great deal of works, the Canon in D composed for 3 violins and continuo was the only canon he had ever written. The piece can be described as 3 violins taking turns to elaborate on a simple theme, resulting in a musical climax which moves the soul.

What many people do not realize is that Johann Pachelbel is not considered a great composer on account of this work alone. Having written a great deal of other things, the famous Canon in D, although a beautiful piece, actually has very little importance in regards to his musical gifts to humanity. His works on the organ were much more important, for they were not only great pieces, but greatly influenced Johann Sebastian Bach.

Pachelbel was born in Nuremberg. His father was a wine dealer. As a child, having always been interested in scientific as well as musical knowledge, he had 2 music teachers. One of the teachers taught him to play and compose, while the other introduced him to the fundamentals of music. In 1669, he started studies at the University of Altdorf (Universität Aldtdorf) and at the same time took a position as an organist at the St. Lorenz Church (St. Lorenz Pfarrkirche). These happenings in his life were very brief though. In 1673, he went to Vienna, Austria, where he found work as an assistant organist at the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, otherwise known in German as the ‘Stephansdom’. After four years, he became the court organist to Duke of Saxe-Eisenach, a position he kept for only a year.

After this, Pachelbel decided to leave Vienna and went to Erfurt, Germany. There, he found work as an organist for the church named the ‘Erfurt Predigerkirche’. He spent 12 years in this city…He got married to a woman named Barbara Gabler and had a son. Unfortunately, after only 2 years of marriage, both his wife and son were victims of the Black Plague. He got married a second time in 1684. With his second wife, Juditha Dommer, he started a very large family consisting of 2 daughters and 5 sons.

An interesting fact is that Johann Pachelbel became friends with the Bach family and took J.S. Bach’s eldest brother Johann Christoph Bach on as a student in 1686. This certainly added to the future influence upon the music of J.S. Bach.

It was not until 1690 that he moved to Stuttgart to become the organist at the Wurttemberg Court. Unfortunately, he was forced to leave the position due to the French invasion, thereby returning to his hometown of Nuremberg.

He composed many motets, arias, Masses, and 13 Magnificats, including not only violins, but also singers, choirs, orchestras, as well as wind and brass instruments. Therefore his Canon in D was only a small piece amongst many. He was one of the most important organists before the age of Johann Sebastian Bach. Above all, having been acquainted with Catholic church music, he was able to add certain elements to his compositions, thereby bringing a unique beauty to Protestant church music . His works are representative of Protestant church music and give people somewhat of a cultural contrast in regards to two leading religious denominations during the 17^th century. This fact is of utmost significance in the history of music and should be thought of when Johann Pachelbel’s name is mentioned. It is too bad that many associate this genius with a mere canon.

To listen to music by this great composer click here.

Posted by Michael Ferris at 08:22 AM | Permalink

December 08, 2008

Franz Xaver Gruber 1787 - 1863

Up until now, we have always talked about prolific composers that have written a lot of music for the world. Well, this one had written a single ‘hit’ and went down in history for composing one of the most famous tunes in all the world. You know the song for sure!

Franz Gruber was born on the 25^th of November, 1787 in a small Austria city known as Hochburg. His family was very poor and made a living as linen weavers. As far as his father was concerned. He was to follow in his footsteps and take up the same trade. He tried his hardest and convinced his father that his true calling was to become a musician. Well, his father gave in and he started studying music.

After completing his musical training in Burghausen and his teaching degree, he became an elementary teacher in a small village by the name of Arnsdorf in 1807. At the same time, he also worked there as an organist. Yet, he also took up another organist job in a near-by village called Oberndorf.

The song he was noted for writing originated in Austria, and so its original version is actually German, known by the name ‘Stille Nacht’(Silent Night). The words to the song were written by the priest Joseph Mohr. He had written the text in the form of a poem much earlier. It is still contemplated why this poem had been transformed into a Christmas carol.

The song’s origin can only be speculated upon based on stories and rumours passed down throughout the generations. Legend has it that on December 24^th, 1818, there was a problem with the church’s organ in the small village of Oberndorf, just outside of the city of Salzburg, Austria. In desperation to have music for the Christmas mass, Father Mohr gave a poem he had written two years earlier to Franz Gruber and asked him to write something. Silent night was performed on that Christmas Eve in the St. Nicolas Church. I had been written for soprano, tenor, and choir. Oh, and lets not forget the guitar accompaniment!

Since then, the song has been translated into over 300 languages and is sung around Christmas every year. By the time it was first recorded in 1866, it had already become popular all around the world...

The song had supposedly been the cause of what was considered somewhat of a miracle. It is said that on the Christmas Eve of 1914, the German and British troops were lying in their trenches. For some reason, after a moment of silence, a German started singing ‘Silent Night’ in German and then, the British retorted by singing the same carol in English. Right smack dab in the middle of World War I, the British and the Germans had stopped fighting and called what is known today as the ‘Christmas Truce’. There is no proof stating this, yet I would like to believe that these people had taken the Christmas spirit in and chosen to think about humanity instead of their differences.

On a different note, interestingly enough, Silent Night still remains to this very day a very special and sacred song in Salzburg, Austria and its surroundings. In contrast to many cities around the world, which play the song all repeatedly throughout the Christmas season, the song can only be heard in Salzburg on Christmas Eve, and is very reluctantly listened to beforehand. Tradition in Salzburg is to sing the song to candlelight on Christmas Eve in church and around the Christmas tree.

I speak from experience when I say, if you ever teach guitar to youngsters in Salzburg… as far as the parents will ever be concerned, the kids can play whatever they would like on the guitar, as long as they learn to play Silent Night for the family on Christmas Eve.

Here is the first verse of the song literally translated into English. There are subtle differences:

Silent Night! Holy Night!                   Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
All is asleep, alone standing guard,   Alles schläft; einsam wacht
only the godly tender pair.                Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holy infant with curly hair,                 Holder Knab' im lockigen Haar,
Sleep in heavenly peace!                  Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!

Have a Merry Christmas !
------------ Michael Ferris

Posted by Michael Ferris at 06:43 AM | Permalink

December 01, 2008

Muzio Clementi 1752 – 1832

Muzio Clementi was born in Rome. His father, who was quite fond of music and an amateur musician himself, had been a successful silversmith. He recognized his son’s talent right away and started him up playing the organ at the age of 7. Only 2 years after, in direct competition with adults, he was appointed organist at his local church.

Seven years later, Sir Peter Beckford, a wealthy Englishman, heard Clementi play and was so impressed by his music that he wanted to become his patron. He offered to take him to England and sponsor his studies as well as offer him room and board. His father agreed and allowed him go. The only think that Clementi had to do in return for this grand gesture of kindness, was to entertain with his playing at the nobleman’s country residence of Steepleton Iwerne, just north of Blandford Forum in Dorset . It was here that the Muzio Clementi became a fine player, receiving not only a great deal of musical knowledge but also receiving quite a good academic education. The peaceful environment also provided for a great deal of alone-time for him to practice the harpsichord. He made his first public piano recital at the age of 18, the beginning of his concert career.

In 1774, having been freed of his obligations to Sir Peter Beckford, he moved to London. Only a year later, he made his first appearance. In 1779, he published his Six Piano Sonatas Opus 2, which he made a name for himself with. These pieces namely distinguished the piano sonata from the harpsichord sonata in the music world.

A year later, he felt it was time to take his music beyond the borders of England. France had been his first stop. Quite excited about the impression his music had made in Paris, he went on to Vienna. It was here that he was even asked by the Austrian emperor, Josef II, to take part in a ‘piano duel’ with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Each player had been asked to improvise upon their own compositions. In the end, no one was declared a winner, but it is interesting that this spectacular event left an everlasting imprint on both players. There is evidence that Mozart may also have been a bit jealous of Clementi’s talent, going to so far as to say the following in a letter written to his father.: “Clementi is a charlatan, like all Italians.” Clementi, on the other hand, had expressed nothing more than praise for his fellow colleague Mozart.

In 1784, Clement ran off with an eighteen-year-old girl he had met during his travels. They had the intention of marrying. Unfortunately, the father of the girl was horrified and sought out the couple, thereby reclaiming his daughter and leaving Clementi with a broken heart. All of this had not kept him from composing though. By that time, he had already written over a hundred sonatas. He even brought the sonata to a new level by adding a third movement to the two movements typical of the Italian style.

Back in London only a year later, Clementi settled down and started writing symphonies which at this time became quite popular. Soon after, he became the most expensive and sought after piano teacher in London. This gave him the capital he needed to fulfil a wish to become a businessman. He invested in music publishing and the piano manufacture, which consumed a great deal of his time from then on. Things were looking good.

It was in 1991 and 1994 that the greatly revered Josef Haydn visited England, a musician whom Clementi could not compete with. Many believe that this contributed to the downfall of Clementi’s success. Each time Haydn came to England, Clementi’s music lost public demand. This did not stop him from composing though.

His publishing house and piano manufacturing business were increasing in popularity and soon became quite successful. He began travelling throughout Europe to promote his pianos as well as his own music and did not settle down in England until 1810. He returned to London and got married to Emma Gisborne, with whom he had four children. In 1813, he joined the board of the Philharmonic Society. In spite of all this, he travelled occasionally and kept composing. In 1817, he began Gradus ad Parnassum, a volume of studies and five finger exercises which pianists still use today. Occasionally, his visits abroad looking for an audience for his symphonies were not incredibly successful on account of everyone being wrapped up with a musician by the name of Ludwig van Beethoven. Clementi was not able to compete with him either, but it has to be said that he did end up publishing some of Beethoven’s works.

Clementi proved during his lifetime to be quite a shrewd businessman, a great teacher, a piano builder, a music publisher, but most importantly a great composer and player. In fact, he is sometimes referred to as the father of modern piano playing . All in all, he has not only gone down in history as a great composer but a very diversified human being with a lot of talent.