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𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂̧𝐎𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍 (𝟏𝟔𝟔𝟖–𝟏𝟕𝟑𝟑): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 François Couperin (1668–1733), later called “le Grand,” was born in Paris on 10 November 1668 and died there on 11 September 1733.…

𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐍-𝐁𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐋𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐘 (𝟏𝟔𝟑𝟐–𝟏𝟔𝟖𝟕): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687) was one of the most powerful and contradictory figures in seventeenth-century music. He was born Giovanni Battista Lulli in…

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐎 𝐓𝐎𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐈 (𝟏𝟖𝟔𝟕–𝟏𝟗𝟓𝟕): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957) was one of the most admired and feared conductors in modern history. He was born on 25 March 1867…

𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐌 𝐅𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐖𝐀̈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐑 (𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟔–𝟏𝟗𝟓𝟒): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886–1954) remains one of the most morally and historically controversial figures in twentieth-century music. He was born on 25 January…

𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐍𝐎𝐕 (𝟏𝟖𝟔𝟓–𝟏𝟗𝟑𝟔): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936) is often remembered as the grand stabilizing figure of late Russian music: the prodigy who united nationalism with conservatory…

𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓-𝐒𝐀𝐄̈𝐍𝐒 (𝟏𝟖𝟑𝟓–𝟏𝟗𝟐𝟏): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) is often remembered as the supreme French classicist of the later nineteenth century: elegant, lucid, disciplined, cultivated, brilliant, and…

𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐙 (𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟑–𝟏𝟖𝟔𝟗): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Hector Berlioz (1803–1869) was one of the most radical and controversial composers of the nineteenth century. His life combined artistic genius, emotional…

𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐙 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐙𝐓 (𝟏𝟖𝟏𝟏–𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟔): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Franz Liszt (1811–1886) was one of the most contradictory figures in nineteenth-century music. He was the greatest virtuoso celebrity of his age…

𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄́𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍 (𝟏𝟖𝟏𝟎–𝟏𝟖𝟒𝟗): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) is often imagined as the supreme poet of the piano: aristocratic, fragile, refined, inward, and almost detached from the…

𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐔𝐒 (𝟏𝟖𝟔𝟓–𝟏𝟗𝟓𝟕): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) is often remembered as the austere and noble musical voice of Finland: the composer of Finlandia, the seven symphonies,…

𝐄𝐃𝐕𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐆 (𝟏𝟖𝟒𝟑–𝟏𝟗𝟎𝟕): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Edvard Grieg (1843–1907) is often remembered as one of the most lyrical, intimate, and beloved composers of the nineteenth century: the musical…

𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐍 (𝟏𝟖𝟔𝟓–𝟏𝟗𝟑𝟏): 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Carl Nielsen (1865–1931) is often presented as one of the strongest and healthiest figures in Scandinavian music: the great Danish symphonist, a…

𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐍 𝐃𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐊: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Antonin Dvorak is often remembered as one of the healthiest, warmest, and most balanced figures in nineteenth-century music: a deeply Czech composer, a…

𝐆𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐕 𝐌𝐀𝐇𝐋𝐄𝐑: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Gustav Mahler was one of the most contradictory figures in music history. He was a composer of metaphysical vastness and a conductor of…

𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐑𝐈 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐇: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Dmitri Shostakovich is one of the most contradictory figures in all music history. He was at once a state-honored Soviet composer and a…

𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐑: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Anton Bruckner is often imagined as one of the most devout, humble, and innocent figures in nineteenth-century music: the provincial Austrian master of…

𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐙 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Franz Schubert is often imagined as one of the gentlest and most inwardly lyrical figures in music history: the shy Viennese genius of…

𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅𝐆𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐔𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐙𝐀𝐑𝐓: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is often imagined as the miraculous child of music, the smiling genius of effortless perfection, the embodiment of grace,…

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐇𝐌𝐒: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Johannes Brahms is often remembered as the great embodiment of musical seriousness, structural mastery, emotional reserve, and artistic integrity: the bearded classicist of…

𝐏𝐘𝐎𝐓𝐑 𝐈𝐋𝐘𝐈𝐂𝐇 𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐊𝐎𝐕𝐒𝐊𝐘: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky remains one of the most beloved and emotionally immediate composers in all music history. His works seem to speak…

𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐙 𝐉𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐇 𝐇𝐀𝐘𝐃𝐍: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Franz Joseph Haydn is often remembered as one of the most balanced, benevolent, and stable figures in music history: the kindly “Father…

𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐋: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 George Frideric Handel is often remembered as a figure of magnificence, authority, theatrical brilliance, and overwhelming musical confidence: the composer of Messiah,…

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐇: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Johann Sebastian Bach is often imagined as the supreme embodiment of order, discipline, faith, and musical perfection: a devout Lutheran master whose…

𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐖𝐈𝐆 𝐕𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐍: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 Ludwig van Beethoven is often presented as the supreme heroic figure in music: defiant, original, morally elevated, and artistically invincible. Yet his…