Composers
Mary Lee and Molly Craig
Johann Sebastian Bach
born 1685
died 1750
Nationality: German
Musical Era: Baroque
 Best known compositions include: “Brandenburg
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Concertos,” “The Well-Tempered Clavier,”
“Goldberg Variations,” & “St. Matthew
Passion”
German organist and composer; is considered to be
one of the greatest creators of Western cultural music
Baroque composer
He was not always appreciated during his own lifetime
He had 20 children, 4 of whom became composers
like their father
Toccata and Fugue in D minor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ATbMw6X3T40
Suite nº 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qHJRaqaHiEc&list=AL94U
KMTqg-9A81U-Ss-CPAcMTpOEPdjym
George F. Handel
born 1685
died 1759
Nationality: German-English
Musical Era: Baroque
 Composer of the Baroque period
 He wrote the oratorio “Messiah”, which
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includes the “Hallelujah Chorus”
Though German, was given a state funeral and
buried in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster
Abbey in London, England.
He also wrote “Water Music” and “Royal
Fireworks Music”
The British called him “Great Bear”
Although he was blind by the time he was 65, he
continued to play the organ and compose music
until his death at 74
Hallelujah Chorus
http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&featu
re=player_detailpage
Wolfgang Mozart
born 1756
died 1791
Nationality: Austrian
Musical Era: Classical
 One of the most popular Classical
composers of all time
 Was a child prodigy from a musical
family
 Wrote the opera “The Magic Flute”
 Wrote a piano variation on a French folk
song that we know as “Twinkle,
Twinkle Little Star”
The Marriage of Figaro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OZCypLcGw&feature=player_detailpage
The Magic Flute - Overture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR8GFUTMP_E&feature
=player_detailpage
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOecxHEPqI&feature=player_detailpage
Ludwig van Beethoven
born 1770
died 1827
Nationality: German
Musical Era: Classical
 Known for his works “Moonlight Sonata”
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& “Fur Elise”
Classical composer
Began losing his hearing at the age of 28
Continued composing music --even after going
completely deaf
Quoted as saying, “I carry my thoughts…for a long
time…before writing them down.
Considered a transitional composer between
Classical and Romantic music
He is known for his Third, Fifth, and Ninth
Symphonies
Für Elise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_
mVW8tgGY_w&feature=player_detailp
age
Moonlight Sonata
http://www.youtube.com/watch?featu
re=player_detailpage&v=5MT5zeY6CU
5th Symphony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_
4IRMYuE1hI&feature=player_detailpag
e
Pyotr Tchaikovsky
born 1840
died 1893
Nationality: Russian
Musical Era: Classical
 Wrote the “1812 Overture” which
often accompanies fireworks
displays on the Fourth of July
1812 Overture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51EkF5X Composed “The Nutcracker”,
Fpc&feature=player_detailpage
“Sleeping Beauty,” and “Swan Sleeping Beauty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_
Lake”
detailpage&v=e-a4HjwuuEs#t=6590s
 Russian composer and is best known
Swan Lake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmc6ZVl7uA
for his ballets and symphonies
&feature=player_detailpage#t=3152s
 19th century composer
Nutcraker (From Fantasia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpag
e&v=ojdHiWNwa_M
George Gershwin
born 1898
died 1937
Nationality: American
Musical Era: Modern
 Early 20th century American
composer who wrote such works as
“Rhapsody in Blue” and “Porgy
and Bess.”
 From the Modern Era.
 His work “Rhapsody in Blue”,
which combines classical piano, jazz,
and blues, included on the
Fantasia 2000 soundtrack.
Porgy and Bess
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=2ZsVMQSCXyk&feature=pla
yer_detailpage
Rhapsody in Blue
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=8rR367GrFhk&feature=player
_detailpage
Aaron Copland
born 1900
died 1990
Nationality: American
Musical Era: Modern
 American composer, conductor, and
author who composed many works
 His works have helped create a mythical
view of the American West
 He composed “Billy the Kid,”
“Rodeo,” and “Appalachian Spring”
 Also, he created “A Lincoln Portrait” &
“Fanfare for the Common Man”
Hoedown from Rodeo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnbASemGk0k&featu
re=player_detailpage
Simple Gifts from Appalachian Spring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiLTwtuBio&feature=player_detailpage
Fanfare for the Common Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rnHpNWy7KE&feat
ure=player_detailpage
A Lincoln Portrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWeXfTsjuA&featur
e=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZsVMQSCXyk&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rR367GrFhk&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qHJRaqaHiEc&list=A
L94UKMTqg-9A81U-Ss-CPAcMTpOEPdjym
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ATbMw6X3T40
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OZCyp-LcGw&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR8GFUTMP_E&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4IRMYuE1hI&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51EkF5X-Fpc&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ea4HjwuuEs#t=6590s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmc6ZVl7uA&feature=player_detailpage#t=315
2s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ojdHiWNwa_M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnbASemGk0k&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiLTwtuBi-o&feature=player_detailpage
http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/mmf_music_library_meet_the_composer_index.htm