Classical Composers

George Frideric Handel’s Messiah is arguably the greatest piece of participatory art ever created. Adored by millions, it is performed each year by renowned choirs and orchestras, as well as by audiences singing along with the words on their cell phones. But this work of triumphant joy was born in a worried age. Britain in the early Enlightenment was a place of astonishing creativity but also the seat of an empire mired in war, enslavement, and conflicts over everything from the legitimacy of government to the meaning of truth.

The Genius of Johann Sebastian Bach: A Life in Music By Richard Fleischman Primaviolista Press Discover the extraordinary life and enduring brilliance of the man who reshaped music forever. Johann Sebastian Bach wasn’t just a composer—he was an architect of sound, a mathematician of melody, and a storyteller whose music still speaks to the soul centuries later. In The Genius of Johann Sebastian Bach: A Life in Music, music professor, performer, and international lecturer Richard Fleischman takes readers on an inspiring and immersive journey through the life and works of one of ...

In Every Good Boy Does Fine, renowned pianist Jeremy Denk traces an implausible journey. His life is already a little tough as a precocious, temperamental six-year-old piano prodigy in New Jersey, and then a family meltdown forces a move to New Mexico.

Let Osvaldo Mouszee guide your children through the life and work of three of the greatest classical composers: Beethoven, Berlioz, and Brahms. The book explains their life and works. Not only that, but you can hear their works included in the recording after learning about the composer. This is great way to educate children on classical composers and bring their works to life!

The Mad Genius of Classical Music: Mental Health and the Creative Minds of Composers offers a compelling exploration into the lives of some of history’s most celebrated classical composers and the mental health struggles that profoundly shaped their music. This thought-provoking book takes a deep dive into the personal lives and psychological struggles of composers like Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Schumann, and many others. It explores how their battles with mental illness—from depression and anxiety to bipolar disorder, psychosis, and substance abuse—were inextricably tied to ...

Did you know that: Handel was known to those who loved him as ‘the Great Bear.’ He was almost killed by his best friend in a duel. Although he had no children of his own, he was a great supporter of children’s charities. Despite being German by birth, he was buried with full State honours in Westminster Abbey. Learn these and more fascinating facts about this well-loved Baroque composer and honorary Brit, in Classical Giants: Handel. Classical Giants brings to life the most famous composers in history, introducing them to children as real characters who lived and breathed on a real ...

The original edition of this revered and authorized Queen biography explored every aspect of the legendary group’s career from inception to 1992. Newly revised and updated with cooperation and insight from Brian May and Roger Taylor—and drawing on exclusive interviews with the bandmembers—this book completes the story of the Mercury era and the immediate years after his death.

From 1969 to 1971, as the United States convulsed with political upheaval and transformative social movements, no band was bigger than Creedence Clearwater Revival. They managed a two-year barrage of top-10 singles and LPs that doubled as an ubiquitous soundtrack to one of the most volatile periods in modern American history, and they remain a staple of classic rock radio and films about the era. Yet despite their enduring popularity, no book has ever sought to understand Creedence in conversation with their time. A Song for Everyone finally tells that story.

The Forgotten Operas of Black Composers is a groundbreaking exploration of the operatic works by Black composers whose voices have been largely erased from the historical canon. In this compelling and accessible book, Richard Fleischman delves deep into the lives and legacies of visionary composers like Chevalier de Saint-Georges, William Grant Still, Florence Price, Scott Joplin, and many others who defied the constraints of their time to create operas that speak to the Black experience and the universal themes of humanity, struggle, and resilience. With a keen eye on both historical ...

Did you know that: Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture famously includes the use of real cannon fire Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" in 1877 was initially met with mixed reviews Tchaikovsky was an accomplished conductor and travelled extensively to conduct his own works “The Nutcracker” did not gain widespread popularity until after Tchaikovsky’s death Find out about these and many more fascinating events that shaped the life of one of Russia’s most influential Romantic composers in, Classical Giants: Tchaikovsky. Classical Giants brings to life the most famous composers in history, ...

Amit Chaudhuri, novelist, critic, and essayist, is also a musician, trained in the Indian classical vocal tradition but equally fluent as a guitarist and singer in the American folk music style, who has recorded his experimental compositions extensively and performed around the world. A turning point in his life took place when, as a lonely teenager living in a high-rise in Bombay, far from his family's native Calcutta, he began, contrary to all his prior inclinations, to study Indian classical music.

Discover the thrilling, often shocking stories of opera’s greatest forbidden works in The Forbidden Operas: Banned, Lost, and Forgotten Works from the Opera World. Journey through the world of classical music where composers, driven by vision and passion, pushed the boundaries of their time, only to have their masterpieces censored, suppressed, or lost to history. Why were these operas banned? How did politics, power, and societal norms influence what was allowed on stage? From the suppression of Mozart’s secret Masonic symbols to the fiery revolution in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, ...

Chamber Music: From Classical Roots to Contemporary Echoes By Richard Fleischman Primaviolista Press Chamber music has long been celebrated as the most intimate and expressive form of classical music, where small ensembles create profound musical conversations. In From Court to Concert Hall: The Rise and Relevance of Chamber Music, Richard Fleischman takes readers on an engaging journey through the evolution of this beloved art form—from its origins in the salons of the 18th century to its modern innovations. Blending historical insight, musical analysis, and vivid storytelling, this book...

In the sublime embrace of a bygone era, where time waltzed to the cadence of delicate notes and orchestras whispered tales of grandeur, the Classical Period was poised to unveil its opulent tapestry. Picture a world where each musical phrase was a brushstroke, painting symphonies that echoed through the hallowed halls of history. This, dear reader, is the harmonic dawn, an epoch where genius and melody entwined in a dance that would echo for centuries. As we step into this celestial realm, let the overture of the past stir your soul, for the Classical Period beckons, and its melodies are ...

Did you ever wonder: What kind of world Beethoven was born into? What did he think about the French Revolution? Did he ever find love? and What caused him to go deaf at such a tragically early age?Find the answers to these and many more questions about the most revolutionary musician of his time in Classical Giants: Beethoven. Written by a children’s author and mother of four in response to the lack of accessible but informative music history books on the market, Classical Giants brings to life with fascinating anecdotes and witty illustrations the most famous composers in history, ...

In 1959, Nancy’s life changes dramatically when her family moves to a new town, Stevenage. Now there is room for a piano, Nancy loses herself in an imagined past of Mozart’s lesser known sister, while making unexpected discoveries of her own inscrutable mother’s history. In 1989 the piano becomes a fixture in a women’s community centre in the town, in a time of personal strife for Martha and her friends. The politics of the era threaten the existence of the centre, and the future of this group of women. A troubled young man buys the piano in 1997 and places it in his sparse flat at ...

Limited Edition of One is unlike any other music book you will ever have hear. Part the long-awaited memoir of Steven Wilson, whose celebrated band Porcupine Tree began as teenage fiction before unintentionally evolving into a reality that encompassed Grammy-nominated records and sold-out shows around the world, before he set out for an even more successful solo career.

Since exploding on the scene in the late 1970s, Journey has inspired generations of fans with hit after hit. But hidden under this rock 'n' roll glory is a complex story of ambition, larger-than-life personalities, and clashes. David Hamilton Golland unearths the band's true and complete biography, based on over a decade of interviews and thousands of sources.

In clear and entertaining prose, Plotkin explores a thousand years of music, introduces listeners to more than 100 great works, and profiles in depth many significant composers, including Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, Tchaikovsky, Dvoxak, and Mahler. He describes all the musical instruments in the orchestra, defines major musical terms, and makes music theory comprehensible for the uninitiated. There are also conversations with important musicians who offer fascinating insights about their art.

In his time, the Austrian American composer Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) was an international icon. His twelve-tone system was considered the future of music itself. Today, however, leading orchestras rarely play his works, and his name is met with apathy, if not antipathy. With this interpretative account, the acclaimed biographer of Toscanini finally restores Schoenberg to his rightful place in the canon, revealing him as one of the twentieth century's most influential composers and teachers.