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12 Great Composers
In this collection, we consider 12 of the great composers, from Bach to Rachmaninoff. Covering Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music, many of the works remain instantly recognisable even amongst non-classical music fans. The biographies...
Definition
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was a Russian composer best known for his works for the stage, such as the ballets The Firebird, Petrushka, and the groundbreaking The Rite of Spring. The modernist composer lived in Switzerland, France, and then...
Definition
Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was an Austrian composer of Classical music who is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in history. Haydn spent most of his career around Vienna, where he pioneered the symphony and string quartet format...
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Ancient Egyptian Music and Dancing
This painting from the Tomb of Nebamun (c. 1350 BCE) shows women making music and other almost naked women dancing.
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Western Classical Music, c. 1700-1950
An infographic showcasing the evolution of musical styles and the creative contributions of a plethora of classical composers through four distinct periods in art history: Baroque, Classicism, Romanticism, and Modernism.
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Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was an Italian composer best known for operas such as Rigoletto, La traviata, and Aida. Verdi is noted for his powerful scores and strong characters where anti-heroes lead the dramatic action through often complex...
Definition
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II (1825-1899), aka Strauss the Younger, was an Austrian composer best known for his waltzes such as The Blue Danube. Famed throughout Europe and the United States in his own lifetime, Strauss was known as the 'Waltz King'...
Interview
Interview with Michael Levy
Join World History Encyclopedia as they talk to Michael Levy, a prolific composer of the ancient lyre all about his inspiration and knowledge of the instrument. If you want to hear Michael perform, be sure to check out our video interview...
Definition
Gioachino Rossini
Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) was an Italian composer of around 40 operas, including the comic operas The Italian Girl in Algiers and The Barber of Seville. Rossini championed melody and beautiful singing over operatic drama, rattling out...
Video
First performance of the reproduction Hydraulis Organ at Bath
Alexander Henshaw plays the reproduction Roman Hydraulis, assisted by designer Richard Ellam. The apparently authentic tune is 'Aulos et Hydraulis' by German ensemble Musica Romana. The water in the chamber holds back a smoothly-regulated...