Great Musical Composers: German, French, and Italian

Оглавление

Ferris George Titus. Great Musical Composers: German, French, and Italian

Introduction

BACH

I

II

III

HANDEL

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

GLUCK

I

II

III

HAYDN

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

MOZART

I

II

III

IV

BEETHOVEN

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

SCHUBERT AND SCHUMANN

I

II

III

IV

CHOPIN

I

II

III

IV

V

WEBER

I

II

III

IV

MENDELSSOHN

I

II

III

RICHARD WAGNER

I

II

III

IV

PALESTRINA

I

II

III

PICCINI, PAISIELLO, AND CIMAROSA

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

ROSSINI

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

DONIZETTI AND BELLINI

I

II

III

IV

VERDI

I

II

III

CHERUBINI AND HIS PREDECESSORS

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

MÉHUL, SPONTINI, AND HALÉVY

I

II

III

IV

BOÏELDIEU AND AUBER

I

II

III

MEYERBEER

I

II

III

IV

GOUNOD

I

II

III

BERLIOZ

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

Отрывок из книги

THE growth and development of German music are eminently noteworthy facts in the history of the fine arts. In little more than a century and a-half it reached its present high and brilliant place, its progress being so consecutive and regular that the composers who illustrated its well-defined epochs might fairly have linked hands in one connected series.

To Johann Sebastian Bach must be accorded the title of “father of modern music.” All succeeding composers have bowed with reverence before his name, and acknowledged in him the creative mind which not only placed music on a deep scientific basis, but perfected the form from which have been developed the wonderfully rich and varied phases of orchestral composition. Handel, who was his contemporary, having been born the same year, spoke of him with sincere admiration, and called him the giant of music. Haydn wrote – “Whoever understands me knows that I owe much to Sebastian Bach, that I have studied him thoroughly and well, and that I acknowledge him only as my model.” Mozart’s unceasing research brought to light many of his unpublished manuscripts, and helped Germany to a full appreciation of this great master. In like manner have the other luminaries of music placed on record their sense of obligation to one whose name is obscure to the general public in comparison with many of his brother composers.

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In 1738 Handel was obliged to close the theatre and suspend payment. He had made and spent during his operatic career the sum of £10,000 sterling, besides dissipating the sum of £50,000 subscribed by his noble patrons. The rival house lasted but a few months longer, and the Duchess of Marlborough and her friends, who ruled the opposition clique and imported Bononcini, paid £12,000 for the pleasure of ruining Handel. His failure as an operatic composer is due in part to the same causes which constituted his success in oratorio and cantata. It is a little significant to notice that, alike by the progress of his own genius and by the force of conditions, he was forced out of the operatic field at the very time when he strove to tighten his grip on it.

His free introduction of choral and instrumental music, his creation of new forms and remodelling of old ones, his entire subordination of the words in the story to a pure musical purpose, offended the singers and retarded the action of the drama in the eyes of the audience; yet it was by virtue of these unpopular characteristics that the public mind was being moulded to understand and love the form of the oratorio.

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