At our first session in September we listened to Russian Music selected by Bill. In the last half of the 19th Century a Nationalist Russian music trend became established. Composers tried to infuse their work with Russian Themes and to challenge the popularity of music from Western Europe. In time in the 20th Century these works have been taken up by the west and are now included in the classical repertoire.
We listened to works by Balakirev, Cui, Borodin, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. It was both educational and enjoyable to listen to works by these men.
Bill was expansive in his knowledge of these Russian Artists and we thank him for the copious notes he provided provided for our pleasure.
At our second session for the month we listened to Beethoven, Chopin and Mozart.
We recognised the Beethoven and Chopin but the Mozart was not known because the music we listened to was by Mozart's sonFranz Xaver Mozart.
We listened to works by Balakirev, Cui, Borodin, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. It was both educational and enjoyable to listen to works by these men.
Bill was expansive in his knowledge of these Russian Artists and we thank him for the copious notes he provided provided for our pleasure.
At our second session for the month we listened to Beethoven, Chopin and Mozart.
- Beethovens Piano Sonata No 23
- Chopins Polonaise No 6.
- Mozart Piano Concerto in C Op 14.
We recognised the Beethoven and Chopin but the Mozart was not known because the music we listened to was by Mozart's sonFranz Xaver Mozart.
A video of an orchestra playing Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart's Piano Concerto in C Op 14
was unavailable. This is an orchestra playing other concerto by Franz Xaver.
was unavailable. This is an orchestra playing other concerto by Franz Xaver.
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, also known as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jr., was the youngest child of six born to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his wife Constanze. He was the younger of his parents' two surviving children.
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart was only four months old when his father died. He received his early musical education from the Mozart student Johann Nepomuk Hummel, and from Georg Friedrich Albrechtsberger, who had taught Haydn and Beethoven. Antonio Salieri suggested, “the boy has a rare talent for music, and his future might not be inferior to that of his celebrated father.”
It was always going to be slightly difficult to fill his father’s musical shoes. Franz Xaver was certainly a gifted pianist who toured extensively through the German speaking parts of Europe, but also in Denmark, Russia and Italy, and then spent most of his life as a private music tutor in the Ukraine. He also remained unmarried and had no children, so that particular musical lineage sadly disappeared. In terms of personality, Franz Xaver was very unlike his father. He was introverted, constantly underrated his own talent and feared that whatever he composed would be compared to the compositions of his father, and of course, it was. His father’s shadow even followed him after his death. On his tombstone we can read, “May the name of his father be his epitaph, as his veneration for him was the essence of his life.”
Franz Xaver composed about 30 compositions, assorted Sonatas, some chamber music and 2 piano concertos, with his music remaining stylistically firmly in the mature musical style of his father. Franz Xaver was never going to be able to escape the shadow of his father, but both composers were born with exceptional musical talent and aptitude into a fertile environment that recognized, encouraged and nurtured that particular talent.
Neville Gibb
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart was only four months old when his father died. He received his early musical education from the Mozart student Johann Nepomuk Hummel, and from Georg Friedrich Albrechtsberger, who had taught Haydn and Beethoven. Antonio Salieri suggested, “the boy has a rare talent for music, and his future might not be inferior to that of his celebrated father.”
It was always going to be slightly difficult to fill his father’s musical shoes. Franz Xaver was certainly a gifted pianist who toured extensively through the German speaking parts of Europe, but also in Denmark, Russia and Italy, and then spent most of his life as a private music tutor in the Ukraine. He also remained unmarried and had no children, so that particular musical lineage sadly disappeared. In terms of personality, Franz Xaver was very unlike his father. He was introverted, constantly underrated his own talent and feared that whatever he composed would be compared to the compositions of his father, and of course, it was. His father’s shadow even followed him after his death. On his tombstone we can read, “May the name of his father be his epitaph, as his veneration for him was the essence of his life.”
Franz Xaver composed about 30 compositions, assorted Sonatas, some chamber music and 2 piano concertos, with his music remaining stylistically firmly in the mature musical style of his father. Franz Xaver was never going to be able to escape the shadow of his father, but both composers were born with exceptional musical talent and aptitude into a fertile environment that recognized, encouraged and nurtured that particular talent.
Neville Gibb
