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http://www.pbs.org/sleighride/Biography/Bio.htm
Leroy Anderson
June 29, 1908 – May 18, 1975
Leroy Anderson was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Swedish parents. He received
his earliest musical training from his mother, who was a church organist. By age 11,
Anderson was studying at the New England Conservatory of Music. Later Anderson
received both a B.A. and M.A. in music from Harvard University. While at Harvard,
Anderson arranged many pieces for the Harvard Band. His talent came to the attention of
Arthur Fiedler, who asked him to arrange some music for the Boston Pops. Fiedler also
wanted original compositions – the pops premiered Anderson’s Jazz Pizzicato in 1938.
In 1942, Anderson was drafted into the Army as a language specialist – he was fluent in
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German, French, Italian, and Portuguese! He
rose to the rank of Captain, serving as Chief of the Scandinavian Desk of Military
Intelligence at the Pentagon. Throughout his military career, he never stopped
composing. He wrote Promenade and The Syncopated Clock while working at the
Pentagon! At the end of the war he was offered a military position in Sweden, but he
declined, wishing to dedicate his life to composing.
Anderson composed one hit after another throughout the 50’s and 60’s. Some of his most
enduring works include Sleigh Ride, Typewriter, Plink Plank Plunk and Blue Tango. He
wrote several more “serious” works, including a piano concerto, but he will always be
famous as an American master of lighter orchestral music.
Ludwig van Beethoven
December 16, 1770 – March 26, 1827
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. His parents were Johann
van Beethoven, a tenor singer who also gave violin and piano lessons, and Maria
Magdalena Keverich. Beethoven had six brothers and sisters, but only two survived past
childhood.
Young Beethoven’s musical talent was apparent from an early age. His first music
teacher was his father. By age eight, Ludwig was learning to play the organ and viola in
addition to his piano studies. At age 10, Beethoven began studying with Christian
Gottlob Neefe, a court organ player. Neefe helped Beethoven publish his first piece of
music at age 13.
Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792 and spent the rest of his life there. He did not
immediately try to establish himself as a composer, preferring to study and play piano.
However, by his late 20’s Beethoven suffered from hearing loss so severe that he had to
give up performance. He continued to compose however, even when completely deaf. In
fact, some of his greatest works were composed after he lost his hearing!
Some of Beethoven’s most popular pieces include Fur Elise and the 5th and 9th
Symphonies. His compositions bridged the period between the Classical and Romantic
Eras, and Beethoven has long been acknowledged as one of the greatest composers of all
time.
Sir Edward Elgar
June 2, 1857 – February 23, 1934
Edward Elgar was born in a small village near Worcester, England. His father was a
piano tuner who also sold musical instruments and sheet music, so Elgar was introduced
to music at an early age. He began piano lessons at age eight and was composing by age
10. Elgar never studied music in a formal setting; he wished to attend the Leipzig
Conservatory but the family could not afford it. Critics would later say that this was a
good thing – Elgar’s music was purely English without any outside influences.
Though Elgar published many pieces, he was not known as a great composer until he
published the Enigma Variations at age 42. This work was the turning point in his career,
establishing him as the most important English composer of his generation. He went on
to a long career of national and international fame. He was knighted in 1904 at
Buckingham Palace and enjoyed a prominent place in English society until his death in
1934.
Edvard Grieg
June 15, 1843 – September 4, 1907
Edvard Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway in 1843. His mother was a music teacher who
taught him piano from the age of six. At age 15, Grieg met the famous Norwegian
violinist Ole Bull. Bull recognized Grieg’s talent and convinced his parents to send him
to the Leipzig Conservatory. Grieg continued to focus on piano at the conservatory,
making his debut as a concert pianist in 1861.
In 1863, Grieg traveled to Denmark, where he would remain for three years. There he
met several prominent Danish composers as well as fellow Norwegian composer Rikard
Nordraak. These new friendships were a source of inspiration for Grieg and he began to
compose more during this time period.
Grieg is known as a nationalist composer – he drew on Norwegian folk songs for his
musical inspiration. The most famous example of this is his incidental music for the play
Peer Gynt. The play was written by the great Norwegian playwright Heinrich Ibsen, who
asked Grieg to write music for it. Because of Grieg’s fame as a nationalist composer he
was the natural choice. Other popular works include the Holberg Suite and the Piano
Concerto in A Minor.
Towards the end of his life, Grieg made nine recordings of his piano music in Paris.
Recorded in 1903, the quality of the discs is not high, but they show his talent as a
pianist. When Grieg died in 1907, 40,000 people lined the streets for his funeral. His
ashes are entombed in a mountain crypt near his house in Troldhaugen.
Felix Mendelssohn
February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847
Felix Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1809 to Abraham and Lea
Mendelssohn. He grew up in a wealthy household with parents who encouraged his
musical talent. Mendelssohn’s father was cautious about putting too much time into
music, but once it was clear that Felix was serious about music Abraham fully supported
him. Felix grew up surrounded by music; his family held weekly concerts at their house
and he began taking piano lessons at age seven. By age eight, he was studying
composition. Felix entered the Singakadamie at age 10 – by this time he was composing
continuously.
The first public performance of Mendelssohn’s works took place in 1822, when he was
13 years old. His music was well received. He had his own private orchestra by this
time, and he wrote many works for them. In 1827, Mendelssohn’s first and only opera,
The Marriage of Camacho, was produced. It was not a success, which discouraged him
from writing any more music for the stage. In 1829, Mendelssohn conducted the first
performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in over 75 years. In addition to bringing
long overdue attention to Bach’s works, the performance brought Mendelssohn
international praise.
In 1830, Mendelssohn began a tour of major European cities that would last for three
years. His travels were the inspiration for several works, including his “Scotch” and
“Italian” Symphonies. In 1835 he was appointed the conductor of the Leipzig
Gewandhaus Orchestra. This led to a long association with the city of Leipzig –
Mendelssohn was active not only with the orchestra, but also with the opera house, the
Choir at St. Thomas Church and other local institutions. In 1843 Mendelssohn founded
the Leipzig Conservatory, which attracted many other famous teachers and musicians.
Today the Conservatory is the oldest university school of music in Germany.
Mendelssohn remained in Leipzig until his death a few years later, at the age of 38.
Modest Mussorgsky
March 21, 1839 – March 28, 1881
Modest Mussorgsky was born in Karevo, Russia. He studied piano with his mother from
age six, and it was clear early on that he was a talented musician. At age 10, Mussorgsky
went to St. Petersburg to study at the elite Peterschule (St. Peter’s School.) By age 12, he
was ready to publish a short piano piece at his father’s expense.
As a member of a noble family, Mussorgsky was expected to serve in the military. He
entered the Cadet School of the Guards at age 13, where he was much sought after for his
musical skills. He could play the dances popular at the time as well as his own
improvisations.
In 1858 Mussorgsky met Mily Balakirev, a fellow Russian composer. This meeting had a
huge impact on the young man – within a few months of meeting Balakirev he had
resigned his army commission to compose full time. He became one of the composers
known as “The Five”, a group which also included Balakirev, Cesar Cui, Nikolai
Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Borodin. These composers were known for their
specifically “Russian” music. They used Russian folk songs, church chants, and fairy
tales for inspiration.
Mussorgsky wrote many famous pieces during his career, including the opera Boris
Godunov and Pictures at an Exhibition. Perhaps his most famous work is Night on Bald
Mountain. However, Mussorgsky never made his living by composing. He was a
government employee for much of his adult life. Mussorgsky died in 1881 and was
buried in St. Petersburg.
Johannes Brahms
May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897
Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg, Germany. His father was a town musician and
gave him his first musical training. Brahms studied piano from age seven; he also briefly
studied cello. At age 13 Brahms began studying theory and composition.
Brahms’ first introduction to the public came during his concert tour with the Hungarian
violinist Eduard Remenyi. It was on this tour that he met and befriended Franz Liszt and
Robert Schumann. Brahms also became acquainted with Schumann’s wife, Clara, with
whom he had a devoted lifelong friendship.
At the age of 29, Brahms settled in Vienna to focus fully on composing. He established a
strong reputation as one of the leading composers of his time. Over the next thirty years
he composed four symphonies, two piano concertos, and A German Requiem, among
many other works.
Brahms attempted to give up composing in 1890 but found he just couldn’t do it; in his
final years he completed several masterpieces including two clarinet sonatas. He died a
famous and well-respected man. Today he is often mentioned as one of the “3 B’s” along
with Bach and Beethoven.
Here are some words that you need to know before the concert:
Members of the Orchestra
1. String Section – The string section consists of the Violins, Violas, Cellos and
Basses. Stringed instruments are played by drawing a bow across the strings or
by plucking the strings with the fingers.
2. Woodwind Section – The woodwind instruments are the Flute, Oboe, Clarinet
and Bassoon. Woodwind players produce sound by blowing air into a
mouthpiece. Most woodwind instruments have reeds, which vibrate very quickly
to produce the sound of the instrument.
3. Brass Section – The brass instruments are the French Horn, Trumpet,
Trombone, and Tuba. Brass players make sound by “buzzing” their lips while
blowing into the mouthpiece. Brass players change notes with the help of valves
or slides.
4. Percussion Section – There are hundreds of different percussion instruments!
Some of the most common are the Tympani, Snare Drum, and Cymbals.
Percussion instruments make sound when the percussionist strikes or shakes
them.
5. Conductor – The conductor tells the musicians when and what to play. The
conductor gives the musicians non-verbal signals either with his hands or by using
a small stick called a baton.
6. Concertmaster/Concertmistress – The concertmaster is the most important
violin player in the orchestra. He/She is the leader of the string section and will
play most of the violin solos.
Other Musical Terms
1. Melody – a musical line that is the “tune” of the piece. This is the part you will
probably be humming when you leave the concert!
2. Countermelody – a second musical line that intertwines with the melody.
3. Accompaniment – a musical line that is less important than the melody.
Accompaniment parts support the melody.
4. Chord – two or more notes played at the same time.
5. Solo – part of a composition written for a single instrument.
6. Cadenza – an extended and embellished solo. Cadenzas are intended to let the
soloist “show off.”
7. Unison – the sounding of the same note by two or more players; simultaneous
playing of a note by different instruments.
8. Tuning Note – the note that the Oboe plays before a concert. All the other
players tune their instruments to this exact pitch.
9. Folk Music – any music that comes from a common culture. This music is often
passed on from generation to generation without the aid of written notation.
10. Fanfare – a short piece of music played to announce someone or something.
Fanfares are often used to announce royalty or other important people, and are
usually played by brass instruments.
11. Linguist – someone who studies languages. Composer Leroy Anderson was a
linguist – he was fluent in Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German,
French, Italian and Portuguese!
12. Conservatory – a university level school of music.
STRINGS
The string family is the largest section of the orchestra. The four
main stringed instruments look similar but are all different sizes.
Each can be played by plucking the strings with the fingers or by
pulling a bow back and forth across the instrument’s four strings.
The VIOLIN is the smallest of the string instruments and can
play the highest notes. Maybe this is why the violins are
sometimes known as show offs! The violins often play the
melody – this is the tune you will be humming after you leave
a performance.
The VIOLA is slightly larger than the violin. Because it is bigger, it
can play lower notes. Since the viola is only a little bit bigger than the violin
it can be hard to tell them apart. The violas get to play many beautiful
melodies just like the violins.
The CELLO is much larger than the violins and the violas. It is so
large that the cellist must sit on a chair holding the cello between his
or her knees in order to play. The cellos often play accompaniment
parts.
Because it is the largest of the stringed instruments, the
DOUBLE BASS plays the lowest notes. This instrument
is so large that the bass players have to stand up or sit on
tall stools to play it. The basses often play accompaniment
parts with the cellos.
Woodwinds
Woodwind instruments produce sound when players blow air into
them. All of these instruments were originally made out of wood,
which is why they are called woodwinds!
The Flute is made of metals such as silver, gold
or platinum. The player produces musical notes
by blowing air into a hole in the side of the
instrument. Flutists change notes by pressing
down round, metal buttons called keys. Flutes
have a very high, light and beautiful sound which
is probably why they often get to represent birds.
The Oboe makes its sound when the player blows air through a mouthpiece
containing cut pieces of reed made of bamboo. In the case of the oboe, the
player ties two strips of reed together to make a “double reed.” The oboe
has a very clear, penetrating sound. It is a very important instrument, as the
oboist is the player who tunes the whole orchestra before every concert.
The Clarinet looks much like the oboe, but is a little bit fatter. The
clarinetist makes a sound by blowing through a single reed attached to a
mouthpiece. Clarinets can play very high and very low, very soft or very
loud. They are used for many types of music, including classical, jazz and
folk.
The Bassoon is
the largest of the
main woodwind
instruments. It
looks like 3
wooden poles
attached together.
In fact, the Italian
word for bassoon
means “bundle of
sticks.” The
bassoon has the
lowest sound of
the woodwind
instruments.
BRASS
The brass instruments are long brass tubes curled and bent into
different shapes. They flare out at one end into what is called a
bell. At the other end of the instrument is the mouthpiece. The
sound of the brass instruments is produced by the vibration of the
player’s lips as they blow through the mouthpiece. To change
notes, brass instruments either have buttons, called valves, or a
slide.
The French Horn is a very long tube that is twisted and curled into an
instrument about 1 foot wide. If you untwisted the tube, it would be 12 feet
long! French Horns can have a very mellow sound, but they are also often
used for hunting calls.
The Trumpet is the smallest
brass instrument. It can play
the highest notes of all the brass instruments.
Trumpets often play in marches or fanfares.
The Trombone is the only brass instrument that does not use valves.
Instead, the play moves a curved tube called a slide back and forth in order
to change notes.
The Tuba is the largest and lowest sounding instrument in the brass section.
If you uncoiled the tuba it would be 35 feet long!
Percussion
Percussion instruments make sound when players strike, shake or
scrape them. This section contains many different instruments.
One of the most commonly used percussion instruments is the Tympani.
Tympani are drums that look like huge copper bowls with a special covering
stretched over the top. The tympani are played by striking the covering with
padded sticks called mallets. Tympani are one of the only percussion
instruments that produce a definite pitch. They come in many different
sizes.
Other common percussion instruments are the Snare Drum, Bass Drum,
Triangle and Cymbals. The Snare Drum, Bass Drum, and Triangle all make
sounds when they are struck by a mallet or stick. Cymbals make sounds
when they are clashed together.