Johann Strauss II

This will be the last composer we will study this school year.

Known as the "waltz king", Johann Strauss II's music is heard every year on new years eve in his hometown of Vienna, Austria. His father did not want him to be a composer, he wanted him to be a banker, but Johann was determined to be a musician, and become one of the most popular composers of the 19th century writing  more than 500 pieces of music.

An Der Schönen Blauen Donau  a.ka. The Blue Danube

Wein, Weib, und Gesang

Die Fledermaus (from Strauss' opera)

Unsuk Chin - 19

                       

Award winning composer Unsuk Chin was born in Korea in 1961. By the time she was 25 years old she had won several awards for her compositions and her music is performed around the world. She is the composer-in-residence for the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Listen to some of her music below.

Violin Concerto

Mannequin

Toccata

Overture, Alice in Wonderland - Mad Tea Party

Sergei Prokofiev - 18

      

Sergei Prokofiev is one of the most well known composers of the 20th century. He was born in The Ukraine when it was a part of the Russian Empire in 1891. From the day he was born he listened to his mother play the piano and at age five he composed his first Sonata. By age nine he wrote his first large scale composition, an Opera called "The Giant".He wrote his first symphony at the age of eleven. He went on to compose "Peter and The Wolf", and the ballet "Romeo and Juliet". By the end of his life he had written seven symphonies, seven operas, five piano concertos, and numerous other works. His music is wildly popular around the world. Try to listen to a bit of each example.

Symphony number five (the music begins at 4:45, however the interview at the begining is very informative)

Dance from "Romeo and Juliet"

March from "Peter and The Wolf"

Jennifer Higdon - 17

American composer, Jennifer Higdon, is the winner of a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy award! Much like Thelonious Monk she is also a self taught musician and did not study music formally until she was in College.

Ms. Higdon was born in New York City but lived in Atlanta for 10 years as a child.  She has written several pieces of music for The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Her composition "Blue Cathedral" is one of the most popular pieces for orchestra today! Currently she teaches music at The Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.

Blue Cathedral

Percussion Concerto (this is a short excerpt for the entire work click here ) - Grammy Award Winner!

Violin Concerto (Pulitzer Prize Winner)

Duke Ellington-16

Edward "Duke" Ellington

 

As a child, Edward Ellington was such a snazzy dresser that his friends started calling him "Duke" and that is how the rest of the world knows him today. He was born in Washington, D.C. in 1899 and was more interested in baseball than music!  Even so, Duke took piano lessons as a child and by the age of 14 he was writing his own music --  at 18 he put together his first jazz band. His music is still popular today and his orchestra continues to perform around the world. Even though his music is popularly labeled as "jazz" Duke called it "American Music".  Another interesting fact:  Duke is the first composer to appear on American money (the Washington D.C. quarter)!

Here are some of his most well known works:

Take The "A" Train

Satin Doll

Sacred Music ( a large scale jazz cantata) more than an hour long just listen to the first five minutes beginning at 7:30- as you can see his music is performed the world over! Also listen at 24:30.

Margaret Bonds - 15

Margaret Bonds graduated from Northwestern University with two degrees in music. She started her own music school, and a chamber orchestra that focused on the music of other African-American composers. She is best know for her work with the poet Langston Hughes, setting many of his poems to music. Near the end of her life she composed "Credo" for orchestra and chorus which was performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in 1972. Here are some examples of her music:

Troubled Waters

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers (Poetry of Langston Hughes)

The Bells

George Walker - 14

The first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1996 -- He gave his first piano recital at age 14 in Washington, D.C. and finished college at age 18! George also earned another degree from The Eastman School of music. He has written more than 90 compositions for orchestra, voice, and various instruments and performed all over the world. Here are some examples of his music:

Lilacs I (winner of Pulitzer Prize)

Lilacs II

Lilacs III

Lilacs IV

Icarus in Orbit

Piano Sonata No. 2