Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), among the most iconic musical composers, was born in Salzburg, Austria. The city of Salzburg borders Germany and overlooks the Eastern Alps. Today, Mozart's birthplace remains a popular tourist site in Salzburg, Austria.
As a prolific composer of the Classical period, Mozart performed throughout Europe since the time of his childhood and spent his later years in Vienna, Austria. Mozart's wide array of works include operas, symphonies, and sonatas forming the pinnacle of the Classical period.
2. Bedřich Smetana
Answer: Czech Republic/Bohemia
Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), regarded as the father of Czech music, was born in the Czech town of Litomysl. As one of the first nationalist composers of the 19th century, Smetana is widely known for his orchestral suite, "Má Vlast (My Fatherland)". Smetana's "Má Vlast" is a set of six symphonic poems, completed in 1879. Smetana's musical works reflect the national and folk identity of Bohemia, the present-day Czech Republic.
3. Gustav Mahler
Answer: Czech Republic/Bohemia
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was born in eastern Bohemia, present-day Czech Republic. Back then, this region of eastern Bohemia was part of the Austrian Empire. Mahler's family was Jewish as well as a German-speaking minority among Bohemians. Mahler grew up in the city of Jihlava in the present-day Czech Republic.
Mahler launched his musical career after graduating from the Vienna Conservatory. Influenced by composers Richard Wager and Anton Bruckner, Mahler's music formed a bridge between Austro-German tradition and modern style. Mahler is best known for writing nine complete symphonies, still performed widely today. In the latter part of his life, Mahler became the director of the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic.
4. Antonín Dvořák
Answer: Czech Republic/Bohemia
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) is among the most prolific Czech composers. Dvořák was born in the municipality of Nelahozeves, in the Central Bohemian Region of the present-day Czech Republic. Growing up, Dvořák received musical training in violin, piano, and organ. Dvořák is known for his string quartets, symphonies, and operas. His music reflects the folk influence of his Bohemian homeland.
Conveying the national spirit of his homeland, Dvořák included librettos in the Czech language for the majority of his operas. Dvořák's renowned opera, "Rusalka" (1901), includes a Czech libretto written by Jaroslav Kvapil.
Dvořák is widely remembered for his Symphony No. 9 in E minor, "From the New World", Op. 95, B. 178, known as the "New World Symphony". He composed this iconic symphony while working as director of the National Conservatory of Music of America, headquartered in New York City. In 1893, Dvořák's "New World Symphony" premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
5. Joseph Haydn
Answer: Austria
A foundational composer of classical music, Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was born in Rohrau, Austria. Haydn's musical contributions include over one hundred symphonies, as well as beloved string quartets, still performed today. During his musical career, Joseph Haydn mentored Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as well as Ludwig van Beethoven. Today, Haydn is regarded as the father of the symphony and string quartet.
Haydn also composed the melody for what we know today as "Deutschlandlied," the national anthem of Germany. This melody comes from Haydn's hymn "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" or "Kaiserhymne" (1797), originally dedicated to Francis II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and later of Austria.
6. Jan Dismas Zelenka
Answer: Czech Republic/Bohemia
Baroque composer Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) was born in Louňovice pod Blaníkem within Bohemia, present-day Czech Republic. Zelenka spent his professional life in Vienna, Austria as well as in Dresden, formerly part of the Holy Roman Empire. An instrumental figure of the Baroque period, Zelenka composed numerous sacred works such as oratorios and requiems for masses.
Moreover, Zelenka composed sonatas for instruments such as the oboe and bassoon.
7. Ignaz Pleyel
Answer: Austria
Ignaz Pleyel or Ignace Joseph Pleyel (1757-1831) is a classical composer born in Ruppersthal, Lower Austria. The renowned Austrian classical composer, Joseph Haydn, mentored Ignaz Pleyel. Pleyel's early works include string quartets and a puppet opera for the marionette theater. Further into his musical career, Pleyel moved to Strasbourg, France to work alongside other composers and musicians at the Strasbourg Cathedral. In Strasbourg, Pleyel composed symphonies concertantes as well as liturgical music for concerts.
During Pleyel's time in Strasbourg, the French Revolution and Reign of Terror broke out, threatening religious institutions such as the Strasbourg Cathedral, which was converted into the Temple of the Supreme Being to reflect the more deist philosophy of the revolutionaries. The Reign of Terror's infamous Committee of Public Safety interrogated Pleyel several times, wary of his religious and royalist ties. In response to this tension, Pleyel composed new musical works to honor the republic and the revolutionary philosophy of the Supreme Being.
Later in his life, Pleyel moved to Paris where he contributed to piano manufacturing and the large-scale publication of classical compositions from prolific composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.
8. Franz Schubert
Answer: Austria
Late Classical and early Romantic composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was born in Vienna, Austria within the district of Himmelpfortgrund. Schubert's numerous compositions include symphonies, secular and sacred vocal works, piano works, as well as chamber music. Among Schubert's most famous works are the unfinished Symphony No. 8 in B minor (1822) and "Ständchen" or "Serenade" (1826).
Franz Schubert was influenced by fellow composer Ludwig van Beethoven. In 1827, Schubert helped carry Beethoven's coffin during Beethoven's funeral in Vienna. Franz Schubert died the following year in 1828. Before his death, Schubert requested to be buried as close as possible to Beethoven in Vienna.
9. Josef Suk
Answer: Czech Republic/Bohemia
Renowned composer and violinist Josef Suk (1874 -1935) was born in Křečovice in Bohemia, the present-day Czech Republic. The prolific Czech composer Antonín Dvořák was one of Suk's teachers. Josef Suk went on to marry Dvořák's daughter Otýlie in 1898. Josef Suk performed within the Czech Quartet and notably composed orchestral works such as "Serenade for Strings, Op. 6" (1892).
10. Felix Mendelssohn
Answer: Germany
Early Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was born in Hamburg, Germany. Around this time, Hamburg was one of the sovereign states of the German Confederation (1815-1866), which was created by the Congress of Vienna after Napoleon's defeat in Europe.
Felix Mendelssohn was the grandson of the German-Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. Felix was also the younger brother of the composer and pianist Fanny Mendelssohn. At the young age of 12, Felix Mendelssohn was introduced to the writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. At this time, Felix was becoming a well-connected musical prodigy with a bright future ahead.
Felix Mendelssohn's numerous compositions include symphonies, violin concertos, choral works, and piano works. Some of Mendelssohn's notable works include music for "A Midsummer Night's Dream," which Mendelssohn worked on throughout his career. Mendelssohn's other famous compositions include "The Italian Symphony," (first performed in 1833) and the oratorio "Elijah" (first performed in 1846).
11. Johannes Brahms
Answer: Germany
Romantic era composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was born in Hamburg, Germany. At the time, Hamburg was one of the sovereign states of the German Confederation (1815-1866). Spending most of his musical career in Vienna, Brahms composed works for symphony orchestra, chamber ensemble, piano, and chorus.
Among Brahms's most famous works are two sets of Hungarian Dances (1869 and 1880). Brahms is notable for his "Wiegenlied" ("Lullaby"; "Cradle Song"), which was composed for voice and piano. Brahms's iconic "Lullaby" was first publicly performed in 1869 with fellow composer Clara Schumann playing the piano part.
12. Richard Strauss
Answer: Germany
Late Romantic and early modern composer Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was born in Munich, Germany. In addition to composing operas, Richard Strauss pioneered the musical form known as the tone poem. Strauss is well-known for composing the tone poem, "Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30" (1869), inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical novel "Thus Spoke Zarathustra."
During the time of the Third Reich in Germany, Richard Strauss was appointed to be the president of the Reich Music Chamber. However, Strauss, who had a Jewish daughter-in-law as well as Jewish grandchildren, opposed the Nazi Party. Under the Third Reich, Strauss used his position of power to protect his Jewish family members and preserve the works of Jewish composers banned under the regime.
13. Johann Strauss II
Answer: Austria
Known as "The Waltz King," composer Johann Strauss II (1825-1899) was born in the Neubau district of Vienna, Austria. Johann Strauss II was the son of Austrian Romantic composer Johann Strauss I who helped popularize the waltz. Celebrated for composing hundreds of waltzes and polkas, Johann Strauss II is widely known for "The Blue Danube," a renowned waltz composed in 1866.
14. Clara Schumann
Answer: Germany
Renowned Romantic composer and pianist Clara Schumann (1819-1896) was born in Leipzig within the German state of Saxony. Spending time in Paris and Vienna, Clara Schumann pursued a successful musical career during a time when male composers dominated. Clara Schumann remains well-known for her piano works as well as her influence on the format of the piano recital, as we know it today. She also worked closely with the well-known composer Johannes Brahms and publicly performed his piano composition known as the "Lullaby" (1868).
In 1840, Clara Schumann married fellow Romantic composer Robert Schumann. When Robert Schumann asked Clara's father for her hand in marriage, Clara's father did not approve of the marriage. This prompted Robert and Clara to go to court to sue Clara's father. Following the proceedings, the judge allowed the marriage to take place.
15. Carl Maria von Weber
Answer: Germany
Early Romantic composer Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) was born in Eutin within the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Carl Maria von Weber is renowned for his operas, acting as a foundational influence in the development of German opera. Carl Maria von Weber influenced subsequent German composers such as Richard Wagner.
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