May (Birth) Day for Piano Composers

 Several of Tomoko’s favorite composers were Romantics and were born in May. Here is a sampling of them.

Wagner was born on May 22, 1813, in Leipzig and died in 1883 in Venice. He was particularly known for his Romantic operas.  His lieder that were often performed in the original piano version.

Brahms was born on May 7, 1833, in Hamburg, and died in 1987in Vienna.  His Romantic approach was exhibited in his professional piano composing, performing and conducting. When he toured, he met with several famous peers: Liszt, Wagner, Berlioz, and the Schumans. Most of his music was written for vocal performance, but he also wrote two piano concertos.

Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840, in Votkinsk, Russia and died in 1893 in St. Petersburg. A Romantic composer, he was the first internationally renown composers. His piano music was often targeted to the home market, which increased its popularity. Tchaikovsky started piano lessons at age five, and was quite proficient by age ten, but then he was forced to be trained to become a civil servant. As an adult, he received Western musical theory training, which he merged with his Russian musical upbringing.

Massenet was born on May 12, 1842, in Montaud, France and died on 1912 in Paris. Similarly to Wagner, Massenet is most known for his 30+ Romanic operas, altjough he also wrote piano pieces. To earn a living Massenet started as a private piano teacher and a piano accompanist. His first published composition was a substantial piano work in nine sections.

Fauré was born on May 12, 1845, in Pamiers, France, and died in 1924 in Paris. Fauré’s compositions bridged Romanticism and Modernism.  Although not born into a musical family, he showed promise before the age of ten, and he was trained to be a church organist. However, he preferred the piano to the organ. It was only in middle age that he had enough time to compose, escaping from Paris to focus in the countryside.

Political Musical Pieces

 

Music has often been associated with patriotism and politics. Certainly national anthems have inspired a sense of unity. Politicians have also used music to excite citizens: think of “The Marseillaise.” Here are some more examples.

Even in the 18^th century, music could affirm a country’s leader. Handle’s piece Zadok the Priest was written to confirm England’s George II’s confirmation as kind.

Sadly, but effectively, Beethoven’s and Wagner’s music were used to sway the German people to affirm their superiority and that of Hitler.

On the other hand, Chopin’s Polonaise was broadcast on the radio during World War II to rally the Polish people against Hitler’s invasion. That piece earlier stirred the Poles in 1848 to revolution.

While Messiaen was a World War II prisoner of war in Germany, he composed Quartet for the End of Time, which moved even the camp’s soldiers and resulted in his escape.

Likewise, Shostakovich’s Leningrad symphony referred to World War II invasion and war. The piece was first broadcast throughout the city while the Soviets and Germans fought – although the battle paused to hear the music.

Most recently, Catherine Likhuta’s 2017 composition Bad Neighbors was commissioned when Russia started invading Ukraine. The piece evokes fighting and dialogue, and calls for freedom and peace.

In short, composers and their music can stir people to action.

Music and Politics

Music is an expressive window to people’s beliefs and values. Although Tomoko does not dwell on politics, but she is proud to be an American citizen. Her musicianship even helped her gain that status; her immigration interviewer loved music and said, “I am a member of the Marin Symphony,” so it was an easy process.

Usually people associate musicians with modern-day politics in terms of protest songs, folk songs such as Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” and the blues such as Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.”

Certainly classical music included patriotic anthems. However, classical composers also expressed a political voice counter to the establishment. For instance, Beethoven’s third symphony was initially called “Bonaparte,” but when Napoleon crowned himself emperor, the symphony was renamed “Heroic Symphony composed to Celebrate the Memory of a Great Man.” Verdi’s opera “Nabucco” symbolized resistance to domination by other countries. Wagner’s majestic music was co-opted by Hitler. In contrast, Shostakovich was denounced by the Communists because his music did not embrace Stalinist ideology.

One wonders what music will emerge out of the politics of 2020. Let us look for compositions of hope.

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