18th and 19th Century Music, Dance, and Theatre

                                                           

Hayden

Joseph Hayden is the first great composer or the classical repertoire.  Most of his compositions are for musicals, operas, and orchestras.  He not only plays, but sings as well.  During his first employment at age 25, it’s up to him, the court orchestra, and singers to perform every night for the prince.  In the 1780’s he and Mozart become good friends; play in a string quartet together and dedicating works to each other. Hayden lives another 18 years after Mozart’s death.

Mozart

Born in 1756, Mozart starts touring at the age of six in courts and cities of Europe starting in Munich.  Mozart plays the harpsichord and violin. At 8, he publishes violin sonatas and his first two symphonies. Mozart composes a piece directly influenced by Hayden, before he even meets him. In 1780 he begins writing operas. What people are most familiar with is the requiem he is requested to write at the end of his life.  Contrary to popular belief the requiem is not asked to be written by Salieri, who is said to have killed Mozart.  In fact it was an anonymous request by a man who pays for written work and then sells them as his own.  Mozart’s requiem goes on hold as he finishes his last opera. Mozart dies in 1791 and the requiem isn’t actually finished by Mozart but by his pupil. Mozart’s fame came in the 19th century as his insurmountable works are discovered and published.  His reputation at it’s high in the 19th century, doesn’t diminish in time.

Bach

Born in 1685, Johann Sebastian Bach spends his life working in the provincial courts for German princes.  In 1723 he moves to Leipzig for the rest of his life and completes some of his greatest works.  In 1721 he writes the six Brandenburg Concertos. The Brandenburg Gate is well known to Germans. In fact this year was very special as it marked the 25th anniversary of the wall falling. They held a ceremony there with lighted balloons.  They were released to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, also known as Ode to Joy.

Beethoven

Ludwig Van Beethoven performed his Ninth Symphony at his last public concert in 1824, at which he had to be turned around to see the standing ovation of the audience, since he couldn’t hear it. Beethoven has been a large part of Germany’s music since 1783.  Born in 1770, his first performance was in 1778.  Beethoven composed his first piece in 1783. He continued to compose and play music along with teaching piano.  He composed many pieces even after he started to lose his hearing at 26 years of age.  By 1814, he was almost totally deaf. His music didn’t died with him on March 26, 1827. It lives on.


DANCE

The Viennese Waltz is an older and more traditional dance of Germanys. Below is a link where you can go to if you wish to watch this dance. This waltz, like others, is a ballroom style dance. Unlike other waltz's though, the Viennese is danced at 180 beats per minute, where as other ones are taken at about 90 beats per minute. It is a much faster paced waltz and is made up of mostly turns and "change steps" while traveling counter clockwise on the dancefloor. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_IAOkXSNsc&spfreload=10







Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Germany#Classical_music:_16th_century_to_the_present

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteenth-century_theatre#Romanticism_in_Germany_and_France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennese_Waltz