My Favorite Classic Composers

Frédéric Chopin was born on February 22, 1810 of a French father, and a Polish mother. His first 20 years were spent in Warsaw, where he studied piano. He played his first concert at the age of 7, and was a published composer by the time he turned 15.

In the late 1820's, Chopin was known in Europe as a great composer and piano player.

Later on, Chopin fell in love with Paris and never returned to live in Poland again.

In the late 1830s, Chopin met George Sand. They began a long relationship but eventually Chopin ended up being heartbroken when the whole affaire ended.

He died suddenly on October 17, 1849, at the age of only 39.

Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria on Jan. 27, 1756 and died Dec. 5, 1791, died of rheumatic fever.

He began composing minuets when he was only five years old and his first symphony at age nine and publishing his first sonatas the same year.

Later on in his life, he composed a multitude of sonatas, operas and concertos.

Although Mozart was paid decently, he and his wife
were constantly in debt as they spent extravagantly.

The following is an excerpt published on answers.com Beethoven

Born: December 1770
Birthplace: Bonn, Germany
Died: 26 March 1827 (cirrhosis of the liver, plus dropsy)
Best Known As: The composer of Beethoven's Fifth
Mozart aside, Ludwig van Beethoven is the most famous classical composer of the western world. Beethoven is remembered for his powerful and stormy compositions, and for continuing to compose and conduct even after he began to go deaf at age 28. The ominous four-note beginning to his Fifth Symphony -- bom bom bom bommmmm -- is one of the most famous moments in all of music. (Beethoven supposedly described the notes as "Fate knocking at the door.") He wrote nine numbered symphonies in all: his Third Symphony ("Eroica") and Sixth Symphony ("Pastoral") are especially famous. Beethoven also wrote the popular "Moonlight" sonata (1801).

Beethoven never married. After his death his friends found letters to a lover he called "Immortal Beloved," whose identity has never been discovered. The English phrase "Immortal Beloved" is a translation of the German, "Unsterbliche Geliebte"... Beethoven's precise date of birth is unknown; he was baptized on 17 December 1770, and it is presumed he was born on 16 December.

Here is such a charming story about how one person remembers having heard
"Fur Elize" for the first time.

The Homeless Man That Taught Me Fur Elise
This story was submitted by Jeremy and was added around February 2007.

Having written a children's play to be performed at Christmas, I placed an ad in the local newspaper. "Big hearted musicians wanted, for children's Christmas play." There were 30 responses. Many of them were high level professionals willing to donate their time to the project, we needed only 3.

One walked out when he learned the play was about the Christmas message. The rest stayed for tea and muffins as we chatted. As the night wound down and we closed the meeting, some of us helped tidy up the room donated to us by the church. I carried some things out back to the garbage cans in the alley. It was there that I saw an old man, with long unkept white hair and beard, thin as a rail, rummaging through the trash.

"We have some muffins inside, if you'd like some?" I offered...

"Oh, that would be wonderful." he exclaimed.

As someone was fetching our new friend John, some hot tea and muffins, he sat down at the piano and began to play the most beautiful music. Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, all the classics, all from memory, flawlessly.

Everyone stood in awe, moved with such tenderness and emotion by the music.

As a young boy, his father had taken him to piano and church. The father was a millionaire but died when the lad was but 14. Heartbroken, he was shuttled under the care of a gruff aunt, where his life became one of misery. From then on, he lived on the streets, without proper shelter or warmth. When he turned 19 he received a large sum of money, soon wasted on drink and the friends it brings. Then another 10 years on the streets until another sum of money came, again wasted. John lived like this into his old age.

But the music never left him.

That night, hearing Fur Elise, like many have said, it's like I've always known it. It resonates within the heart and mind, a familiar piece, is it some music from heaven that we are strangely drawn to? Was Beethoven merely a conduit through which this beauty flowed?

Sitting with John at the keys, he guided me through it, the opening bars, what a blessing to be able to play it yourself. Alas, without practice, I can no longer remember how.

I saw John the other day on the street, it's been 20 years, he looked as if he hadn't aged at all. Most would think he rambles like a senile street person, but I bet he knows that music still. Perfectly treasured in a secret place in his heart, this world can't touch.

Tchaikovsky was born on 7 May 1840, in Votkinsk, Russia, and died
November 6, 1893.
He is best known for composing the famous "Nutcracker".

Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway on 15 June 1843 and died in 1907, at the age of 64.
According to the website " Classic cat Edvard Hagerup Grieg (15 June 1843 - 4 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist who composed in the Romantic period. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt (which includes Morning Mood and In the Hall of the Mountain King), and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.