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Each day we immerse OURSELVES in THE enormous BODY OF work BEQUEATHED TO US BY the great masters. Few of us learn about their real lives, flaws, relationships or even their actual vocation! Below we present a few brief biographies. |
 Johan
Sebastian Bach - (March 23,1685 - July 28, 1750, Eisenach, Germany). An
orphan at age 10. A prodigy at 17. Married several times including his
2nd cousin (Maria Barbara Bach) in 1707. He eventually would sire 21 children. A self
proclaimed 'coffee addict'. Earned his livelihood as a church organist.
Began losing his sight to diabetes. The most prolific of the great
masters when he died at 65. My
Personal
Favorite!
Ludwig van Beethoven - (December 17,
1770 - March 24, 1827, Bonn, Germany). Eldest of three surviving boys.
Replaced his abusive, alcoholic father as professional organist at 14.
Earned livelihood playing in saloons and private parties for the
wealthy. Immensely competitive. Quite arrogant. Bad temper. Frequently
ill. Never married. Very prolific. William Shakespeare - (April 1564 - April 23, 1616 Warwickshire, England). At 18 wed Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582 (She was 26). They stayed married until his death at age 52. The union produced three children; Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. He wrote 38 plays and 150 sonnets. Many feel that he gathered popular works unto himself and penned them though not necessarily as the author. It does seem inconceivable that such a volume of work could be accomplished in one lifetime... and all with a quill pen!
Franz
Liszt
|
Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart - (January 27, 1756 - Dec 5, 1791 Salzburg, Bavaria).
One of 7 children. Wrote his first
symphony at age 11. Spoke 15 languages. An equally talented sister.
Ejected from the Court of Salzburg for vulgarity. Made a living as a
court organist and composer. Friends
include Haydn. Suffered from chronic rheumatic fever.
Immensely superstitious. In Vienna, he
married Costanza Weber (1782). Had a rather bad drinking habit. Likely
poisoned to death. Buried in a mass grave at age 35.
Lost his hearing and still managed to compose often holding his ear to
the floor to sense vibrations.
His
last
words
are
reputed
to
state:
"Friends
applaud,
the
comedy
has
ended".
Antonio
Stradivari
-
(1644
-
1737)
An
Italian
luthier
(maker
of
stringed
instruments)
who
fashioned
perhaps
1100
instruments
in
his
lifetime
of
which
450
-
650
have
survived.
He
was
twice
married
and
fathered
9
children.
A
brilliant
if
humble
craftsman
and
devoted
husband.
These
surviving
and
highly
desirable
creations
have
sold
for
as
much
as
$15
million
each.
Even
more,
these
valued
instruments
are
widely
known
in
the
community
by
individual
names
such
as:
'the
Davidov',
'the
Soil',
'the
Swan'
and
the
'Lady
Tennant'
among
many
others.
A
number
of
his
creations
reside
now
in
museums
or
have
become
the
choice
instruments
of
contemporary
world
class
musicians
such
as
'Yo-Yo
Ma'
and
'Itzak
Perlman'.
-
(October
22,
1811 – July
31,
1886)
German
composer
born
to
Hungarian
immigrants.
Said
to
have
been
the
greatest
pianist
that
ever
lived.
The
first
rock
star.
'Lisztomania'
erupted
in
1842.
Women
literally
fought
not
only
over
his
gloves
but
his
companionship
as
well.
He
was
quite
wealthy
and
by
1857
was
donating
most
of
his
performance
fees.
Grieved
over
the
loss
of
two
children.
He
was
a
true
dynamo
having
completed
some
1400
compositions
while
still
managing
to
travel
more
than
4000
miles
annually
and
craft
a
biography
of
his
friend
'Chopin'.
Fell
down
a
flight
of
stairs
at
the
age
of
69
finally
passing
at
the
age
of
74.