Introduction Carl Czerny was an Austrian composer and teacher who came from a musical background. His grandfather was a violinist and his father an oboist, organist and pianist. His father taught him from an early age. He was a child prodigy and was composing by the age of seven. Would you believe that his first public appearance was… Read More »
Introduction Michel Corrette was a French organist, composer, teacher and author of music method books. He followed in his father’s footsteps as he was also an organist and composer. Career Not a huge amount is known about his life other than the posts and titles that he held. His first known professional position was as church organist in… Read More »
Introduction Muzio Clementi was an Italian born composer, pianist, conductor, music publisher, editor and piano manufacturer. However, despite being born in Italy he spent the majority of his life in England. His father, a silversmith soon realised his son’s musical gift and arranged for private lessons with a relative who also happened to be the maestro di capella… Read More »
Introduction Henry Purcell is thought to be the best English composer of his time. Not until the twentieth century did an English composer display his talent. Purcell’s father was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal and sang at the coronation of King Charles II. As a result of his father’s position Henry became a chorister until his voice… Read More »
Introduction Domenico Cimarosa was an Italian composer of both comic and serious operas during the Classical period. His family were not wealthy and moved to Naples to enable Domenico to go to a free school. His father was in construction and sadly died when he was only seven in a scaffolding accident. Anna, his mother then took on… Read More »
Introduction Ruperto Chapi was a Spanish composer famous for his abundance of zarzuelas – he wrote over one hundred! He also wrote many operas, symphonic, band, choral and chamber works. His father was a barber and he studied in his home town of Madrid. He was also co-founder of co-founder of Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers. Further… Read More »
Introduction Francesco Cavalli was an Italian composer known chiefly for his opera. He was actually born Pietro Francesco Caletti-Bruni and took his name from his patron, Venetian nobleman Federico Cavalli. Career In 1616 he became a singer at St. Marks Basilica in Venice under Claudio Monteverdi, whose opera Orfeo is said to be the opera that established opera.… Read More »
Introduction Hughie Cannon was an American songwriter and pianist. He was born in Detroit and died in Ohio aged just thirty five. He was famous for his ragtime music. Career & Works In the 1890’s Cannon performed with the Barlow’s Minstrels as a singer, dancer and played the piano. In 1902 he wrote his most famous piece ‘Bill… Read More »
Introduction Also known as Giulio Romano, he was an Italian composer, singer and teacher. His own father was a carpenter. However, Caccini was father to the composer Francesca Caccini and the singer Settimia Caccini. Caccini was closely associated with a Florentine Group who produced the very earliest operas at the end of the sixteenth century. He was also… Read More »
Introduction William Byrd was an English organist and composer around the Shakespearean time. He is known for his development of the English madrigal, but wrote in many forms including sacred and secular music polyphony, keyboard and consort music. Career In 1563 Byrd was appointed organist at Lincoln Cathedral. Following this he returned to London in 1572 to become… Read More »