This Week in Classical Music: September 14, 2020.Cherubini.Luigi Cherubini may have been born on this day in 1760, in Florence, or he may have been born on the 8th, we’ll never know for sure.What we do know is that Beethoven held him in high esteem, proclaiming him to be the greatest composer – other than himself, of course.This is especially interesting considering that Cherubini, ten years his elder, openly disliked Beethoven’s opera Fidelio, which he heard during its premier in Vienna in 1805, and considered his piano music “rough.”And Beethoven was not his only admirer: Haydn and Rossini liked him too. Cherubini, who moved to Paris permanently in 1786, was for a time considered the premier opera composer.During his life he wrote almost 40 pieces in this genre, very few of which are performed these days.Later in his career Cherubini turned to church music, writing masses and two requiems (Beethoven greatly admired the first one, in C minor, written in 1816).As he grew older, Cherubini’s musical output diminished (at that time he wrote mostly instrumental music), but not his influence, as in 1822 he became the director of the Paris Conservatory.Cherubini died in Paris on March 15th of 1842.Here are Introitus et Kyrie from Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor, which Beethoven enjoyed so much.Martin Pearlman leads the Boston Baroque.
Frank Martin, a Swiss composer who lived most of his live in the Netherlands, was also born this week, on September 15th of 1890, in Geneva.He started composing at the age of eight but never went to a conservatory.He even started studying physics and mathematics, following his parent’s wishes, but eventually abandoned his studies.Martin’s music style was influenced by many, from Bach to Schumann to the modernists.Eventually he settled on a mostly harmonic approach, with some 12-tone technique thrown in for good measure.A bit like Cherubini, later in his career Martin wrote a number of sacred pieces, some choral, some for the organ, and, like Cherubini, he wrote a Requiem.He died in Naarden, Holland, on November 21st of 1974.Here’s Frank Martin’s Petite Symphonie Concertante, from 1944.Armin Jourdan leads the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
The great conductor Bruno Walter was also born this week, on September 15th of 1876.We celebrated him last year.And the incomparable Jessye Norman was also born on September 15th, in 1945.In two weeks will be the one-year anniversary of her death.It was a great loss.
Cherubini 2020
This Week in Classical Music: September 14, 2020. Cherubini. Luigi Cherubini may have been born on this day in 1760, in Florence, or he may have been born on the 8th, we’ll never know
for sure. What we do know is that Beethoven held him in high esteem, proclaiming him to be the greatest composer – other than himself, of course. This is especially interesting considering that Cherubini, ten years his elder, openly disliked Beethoven’s opera Fidelio, which he heard during its premier in Vienna in 1805, and considered his piano music “rough.” And Beethoven was not his only admirer: Haydn and Rossini liked him too. Cherubini, who moved to Paris permanently in 1786, was for a time considered the premier opera composer. During his life he wrote almost 40 pieces in this genre, very few of which are performed these days. Later in his career Cherubini turned to church music, writing masses and two requiems (Beethoven greatly admired the first one, in C minor, written in 1816). As he grew older, Cherubini’s musical output diminished (at that time he wrote mostly instrumental music), but not his influence, as in 1822 he became the director of the Paris Conservatory. Cherubini died in Paris on March 15th of 1842. Here are Introitus et Kyrie from Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor, which Beethoven enjoyed so much. Martin Pearlman leads the Boston Baroque.
Frank Martin, a Swiss composer who lived most of his live in the Netherlands, was also born this week, on September 15th of 1890, in Geneva. He started composing at the age of eight but never went to a conservatory. He even started studying physics and mathematics, following his parent’s wishes, but eventually abandoned his studies. Martin’s music style was influenced by many, from Bach to Schumann to the modernists. Eventually he settled on a mostly harmonic approach, with some 12-tone technique thrown in for good measure. A bit like Cherubini, later in his career Martin wrote a number of sacred pieces, some choral, some for the organ, and, like Cherubini, he wrote a Requiem. He died in Naarden, Holland, on November 21st of 1974. Here’s Frank Martin’s Petite Symphonie Concertante, from 1944. Armin Jourdan leads the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
The great conductor Bruno Walter was also born this week, on September 15th of 1876. We celebrated him last year. And the incomparable Jessye Norman was also born on September 15th, in 1945. In two weeks will be the one-year anniversary of her death. It was a great loss.