Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1756 - 1791
Who was he?
A prolific and influential Austrian composer during the classical period of music. An extremely talented musical virtuoso, he composed pieces for piano solos, orchestras and soloists and operas amongst other things. He is now recognised as one of the greatest classical composers of all time.
Fascinating facts
• His full name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart
• He had an older sister called Maria Anna, nicknamed Nannerl, who was also a musician.
• He watched his sister playing the Harpsichord and started playing little tunes at the age of 3.
• Started composing music at the age of 5. He was a child prodigy.
• From the age of 7 he travelled around Europe and performed music with his family in a number of prestigious locations.
• He wrote his first opera at 11.
• He composed more than 600 pieces of music.
• The clarinet was his favourite instrument.
• His pieces of music were catalogued in the ‘Kochel’ and numbered according to the order in which he composed them. K1 – K626 (his unfinished Requiem).
• He was able to write down a whole piece of music after hearing it once.
• The last opera that he wrote was called The Magic Flute.
• Mozart died when he was only 35 years old
• On 27th January 2006, all the church bells in Salzburg were rung simultaneously at the exact hour of his birth, in honour of Mozart's 250th birthday.
• A Mozart monument stands in Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace, which is 3m in height. It has been there for over 150 years.
Bob Marley
1945 – 1981
Who was he?
Robert Nesta Marley was a very famous songwriter, singer and musician from Jamaica. His style of music was called Reggae and he made this type of music very popular. He performed on his own and also with a band called Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Fascinating facts
- Bob was born in Jamaica
- Bob married Rita Anderson.
- He had 11 children
- His song ‘three little birds’ was very popular. It makes people feel happy
- His daughter Cedella Marley used his song One Love to write a children’s book.
https://youtu.be/u5nYeggEjag
- He was a world ambassador for reggae music earning him induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994
- He sold more than 20 million records.
- Aside from music, he was a big football fan.
- Bob was awarded a very special peace medal from the United Nations in 1978 for his brave work trying to bring peace and justice for people in his homeland of Jamaica.
- Bob Marley’s music has become the symbol of peace and unity.
Edvard Grieg
1843 – 1907
Norwegian composer and pianist
Fascinating facts about Grieg
- Edvard Grieg was raised in a musical family
- He wrote lots of pieces of music for piano and violin;
He also composed music for poems and a play.
- Grieg was the most famous person from Bergen, a city in Norway and
there are now are several statues, a music school and a concert hall named after him.
- There is a large crater on the planet mercury named after Grieg
Aretha Franklin
1942 - 2018
Who was she?
Aretha Franklin was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She was called ‘The Queen of Soul’. She loved singing gospel music, which is Christian spiritual music sung in a choir often without musical accompaniment but using clapping and foot stomping as rhythmic accompaniment.
Fascinating facts
You Tube clips
I say a little prayer for you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ifw8JhDBvs
Aretha Franklin and The Blues Brothers sing ‘Think’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc36-Li5eww
A little respect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FOUqQt3Kg0
Aretha Franklin singing Nessun Dorma live 1998
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33sINjn9o0
Son of a preacher man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZRbTaG3xIw
Bridge over Troubled Water
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9-yfeA2JZs
Documentary about Aretha and her gospel music roots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE94D5_d0z4
Aretha Franklin’s greatest hits
February
SCOTT JOPLIN
1868 - 1917
Who was he?
African American composer and pianist who became famous for his Ragtime music.
Fascinating facts
You tube links:
Maple Leaf Rag – piano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCxLAr_bwpA&list=RDlbwh6bV8xOM&index=3
Guitar orchestra playing Easy Winners
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbwh6bV8xOM&list=RDlbwh6bV8xOM&start_radio=1&t=0
The Entertainer played by piano, violin and clarinet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc361lbgZYo&list=RDlbwh6bV8xOM&index=4
Elite Syncopations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A44QDL-K-bY
The Solace – theme tune from Sting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOwachalNNw
The Entertainer showing musical score and piano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOwachalNNw
Maple leaf rag with score
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TEbZMfYsLo
Maple leaf rag with light visuals notes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBInnwV21DM
The Best of Scot Joplin
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
1840 - 1893
Who is he?
A Russian composer and conductor from the Romantic period of music. He wrote over 170 compositions including several well-known ballets.
Fascinating facts
Links to his music
Piano concerto no. 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybg2BEy_pu0
Ballet – dance of the sugar plum fairy from The Nutcracker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV1qLYukTH8
The Waltz of the Snowflakes – ballet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYaIQNjAX_8
Swan lake waltz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CShopT9QUzw
Russian dance from Nutcracker Suite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBb6z83uSXM
Russian dance (with Russian dancing on stage!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiiuN9eAy9Y
1812 overture, played by an orchestra. Go to 13.30 mins for bells and brass fanfare, 14.40 for famous ending with cannons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUpuAvQQrC0
1812 overture – visually represented score
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw5EoJY8DEk
Violin concerto in D major
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtSbDJWF0q4
The best of Tchaikosvsky
November
John Rutter
1945 -
Who is he?
John Rutter is an English conductor, composer and arranger of choral music. He is particularly well known for his beautiful Christmas music.
Fascinating facts:
Links to his work:
Shepherd’s Pipe Carol – the first piece that Rutter had published. He wrote it when he was 18. Beautiful Christmas choral piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousLBf0q1y8
For the beauty of the earth – score animation showing all the musical notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTvAnkNijIc
Cambridge Singers singing Amazing Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nPKxxqXJvQ
This is the Day –composed specially for and sung at the Royal Wedding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl93WXJEVMQ
All things Bright and Beautiful sung by a school choir, conducted by John Rutter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjbktnTuV30&list=RDbjbktnTuV30&start_radio=1&t=82
Lovely choral piece called ‘Look at the World’ sung by a big choir and orchestra, conducted by John Rutter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDa-Mab4SoU
The Lord is my Shepherd – Requiem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f_0NgsWzfA
Star Carol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gxoGGTicNI
Live recording of I wish you Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8OFZyHnx4w
Live recording of Christmas Lullaby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy5zUGSd_fI
There are so many lovely Christmas choral pieces on John Rutter’s Christmas album – all can be found on You Tube - just search for John Rutter Christmas.
October
Nat King Cole
1919 – 1965
Who is he?
An American Jazz pianist and singer, recording over 100 hit songs. His style of music was Jazz, swing and blues. He also acted in films, on television and appeared in shows on Broadway.
Fascinating facts
July
Luciano Pavarotti
1935-2007
Who is he?
An Italian Opera singer who is considered one of the finest singers of the 20th century. Singing as a tenor he made numerous recordings of complete operas and performed to packed audiences all over the world. His clear voice brought enjoyment of opera music to lots of people. Opera music is a form of theatre that is almost entirely sung.
Fascinating facts
June
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
1960-1970 performing together
Who were they?
An English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They began by playing in bars and clubs in Liverpool but found international fame with their modern musical style. They mixed skiffle, beat and rock and roll and even included elements of classical music in some of their songs. The Beatles are the best-selling band in history, with estimated sales of over 800 million records worldwide. They changed pop music forever and had a huge influence on culture in the UK and America.
There were 4 members:
John Lennon - lead singer, guitarist, songwriter.
Paul McCartney – bass guitarist and singer, songwriter.
George Harrison – lead guitarist and singer
Ringo Starr - drummer
Fascinating facts
Love me do
Help Yesterday
Twist and Shout Hey Jude
I wanna hold your hand Yellow Submarine
Octopus Garden Here comes the sun
Eleanor Rigby
May - JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 – 1750)
Who was he?
Bach was a German organist, singer and composer in the Baroque period. Baroque music was the style of Western music written and played between 1600 and 1750. Bach wrote hundreds of pieces of music for harpsichords (an early piano), organ, strings (violins and cellos) orchestras and voice. His style was considered very mathematical and rhythmically precise.
Fascinating facts
April - ELLA FITZGERALD (1917 – 1996)
WHO WAS SHE?
Ella Fitzgerald was an American Jazz Singer. She was called ‘The Queen of Jazz’. Her musical career spanned over 60 years.
Jazz music originated from the African American community in the early 1900s. It combines folk music with swing rhythms and improvisation. Without Jazz we wouldn’t have Rock and Roll or Pop music.
Fascinating Facts
Quotes from Ella
‘The only thing better than singing, is more singing’.
‘Don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do, where there is love and inspiration I don’t think you can go wrong’.
‘It isn’t where you came from, it is where you are going that counts’.March - JOHN WILLIAMS
BORN 1932 -
WHO WAS HE?
American composer, conductor, and pianist.
WHAT DID HE DO?
Over six decades, he has composed some of the most popular, recognizable film scores in cinematic history, including those of the Star Wars series, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the Indiana Jones series, the first two Home Alone films, Hook, the first two Jurassic Park films, Schindler's List, and the first three Harry Potter films.
Fascinating Facts
LINKS TO HIS WORK:
Live performance - Superman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBatxZ90wag&index=3&list=RDxe4ZuqZcoY4
Live performance – Imperial march from Star wars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQP-b30n2xo&index=6&list=RDxe4ZuqZcoY4
Live performance with John Williams conducting – Theme to Jurassic Park
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEZh88vz8b8&list=RDxe4ZuqZcoY4&index=10
Hedwig’s theme from Harry Potter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf-8WMI-7J4
Recording of music from E.T by John Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-qrMz-JAzo
Home alone theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbUeK1PP7-s&list=RDGbUeK1PP7-s&start_radio=1
Jaws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDcrMScGaj8