Composer Corner
Do you share a birthday with a famous composer?
June 1st— Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857): Russian composer who had a profound influence on the development of his country’s classical music genre. His legacy in composing traditional and folk-inspired Russian classical music had an especially strong effect on The Five—another group of Russian-born composers who took to create, preserve, and bring Russian classical music to the world stage. Among his most famous works are two operas A Life for the Tsar and Ruslan and Lyudmila among many more orchestral, chamber, and piano works.
June 2nd— Edward Elgar (1857-1934): One of the most popular and beloved composers of his time, Sir Elgar achieved fame much later in life. One of seven children, he received lessons on violin and piano as a child, but it was not until his forties that he achieved an international success as a composer. His orchestral work The Enigma Variations remains a staple of the orchestral repertoire and one of the most recognizable works in classical music.
June 6th— Louis Andriessen (1939-2021): Dutch pianist, composer and teacher. Andriessen’s influences are rooted in serialism, minimalism, neoclassicism and later, jazz. He significant contributions to music include founding various ensembles (STEIM), teaching at prestigious universities (Royal Conservatory, Yale, Princeton, and more) as well an extensive list of compositions including La Commedia, an opera that received an award an was named “one ofthe most outstanding compositions of 21st century.” June 8th— Robert Schumann (1810-1856): German composer whose tragically short life was marred by illnesses. He is considered one of the greatest composers of the Romantic Era and was close Brahms, Mendelssohn, Chopin and others. During his lifetime he composed mainly for piano, but later on for voice, orchestra, and other instruments. Schumann was also a music critic and partner of Clara Wieck— a world-famous concert pianist.
June 11th— Richard Strauss (1864-1949): a late Romantic-era composer known for his tone poems and operas, as well as furthering the concept of German Romanticism in classical music. He started composing at only six years old, and his compositional output is extensive and contains some of the most popular operas of the 20th century Salome, Elektra, Daphne and others. Strauss was featured on the cover of TIME magazine twice, 1927 and 1938.
June 17th— Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): Russian-born pianist, composer, and conductor. Stravinsky also lived and worked in France and the United States (and held citizenship from both). His name is synonymous with modernist 20th century music. His three ballets Firebird, Petrouska, and The Rite of Spring where revolutionary and brought him international fame. Hecollaborated with many famous composers, musicians, and dancers worldwide. Stravinsky was named “one of the most influential people of 20th century” by TIME magazine. While his music was initially criticized by many for its novel rhythms, unusual harmonies, and avant-garde techniques, he helped usher in a new era in Classical music, and his compositions have withstood the test of time.
June 20th— Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880): Composer, impresario (similar to producer), and virtuoso cellist. His passion was composing for musical theatre and he composed dozens of operettas during his lifetime, many of which still remain fan-favorites including Orpheus in the Underworld. It contains one of the most widely quoted sections which many know simply as “The Can Can.”
June 21st— Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732-1795): One of the twenty children born to Johann Sebastian Bach, JCF Bach became known as “Buckeburg Bach.” He was a harpsichordist, concertmaster, and composer at Buckebug (a town in Germany). He wrote an impressive amount of works including symphonies, operas, oratorios, sonatas, and songs. JCF Bach continued the legacy of the Bach’s musical family, and his own son became a musician as well.
June 29th— Leroy Anderson (1908-1975): American composer best known for his orchestral work frequently played by the Boston Pops Orchestra. Anderson was fluent in 9 different languages and enjoyed a prosperous career which earned him a star on the Walk of Fame. “Sleigh Ride” remains one of the Christmas favorites still performed regularly by orchestras around the country.
