Georg Friedrich Händel, also known as George Frideric Handel, was one of the most influential composers of the late Baroque era. He was born on February 23, 1685, in Halle, a city in the Duchy of Magdeburg, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire. He was the son of a barber-surgeon who served at the courts of Saxony-Weissenfels and Brandenburg. Händel showed a remarkable talent for music from an early age, but his father wanted him to study law instead. However, Händel managed to pursue his musical education with the help of his mother and his mentor Friedrich W. Zachow, a composer and organist in Halle.
Franz Schubert was one of the most influential composers of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He was born on January 31, 1797, in Vienna, Austria, to a musical family. His father was a schoolmaster who taught him violin and his brother taught him piano. He also received lessons from the court organist and the famous composer Antonio Salieri.
Schubert showed remarkable talent from an early age and composed his first songs when he was only 14. He joined the imperial court chapel choir and attended the Stadtkonvikt school, where he was exposed to the works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. He left school at 16 and became a teacher at his father's school, but he continued to compose prolifically in his spare time.
Anton Bruckner was one of the most original and influential composers of the late 19th century. He is best known for his symphonies, which are characterized by their rich harmonic language, strongly polyphonic texture, and considerable length. He also composed many sacred and secular choral works, as well as organ music.
Bruckner was born on September 4, 1824, in Ansfelden, a village near Linz in Upper Austria. He came from a humble family of farmers and craftsmen, and his father was a schoolmaster and organist. Bruckner showed musical talent from an early age, and learned to play the violin and the organ. He attended school in Hörsching, where he studied with his godfather, J.B. Weiss, a minor composer. After his father's death in 1837, he becam
Johannes Brahms was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century. He was born in Hamburg, Germany, on May 7, 1833, to a musical family. His father, Johann Jakob Brahms, was a horn and double bass player who taught him piano, violin, and cello. His mother, Johanna Henrika Christiane Nissen, was a seamstress who encouraged his musical interests.
Brahms showed remarkable talent as a pianist from an early age. He began composing when he was 11 years old and gave his first public performance when he was 15. He also played in taverns and dance halls to help support his family. He was influenced by the music of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, and Schumann, as well as by the folk music of Germany and Hungary.