Klaus Döring's Classical Music/Klaus Döring's Klassische Musik

Anton Bruckner, born near Linz on September 4, 1824, is known chiefly as a symphonist. He trained as a school-teacher and organist, and served in the second capacity in Linz until moving in 1868 to Vienna to teach harmony, counterpoint and organ at the Vienna Conservatory. His success as a composer was varied in his lifetime, his acceptance hampered by his own diffidence and his scores posing editorial problems because of his readiness to revise what he had written. He was nine years the senior of Brahms, who outlived him by six months. Bruckner continued Austro-German symphonic traditions on a massive scale, his techniques of composition influenced to some extent by his skill as an organist and consequently in formal improvisation.  Orchestral Music   Bruckner completed nine numbered symphonies (10 if the so-called Symphony ‘No. 0’, ‘Die Nullte’ is included). The best known is probably Symphony No. 7, first performed in Leipzig i...

His own composition "Fantasia contrappuntistica" (1910), remains as idealism confession to Johann Sebastian Bach. The "Comedy Overture" (1904) shows Mozart's cheerfulness. Classical dance compositions reminded us of Domenico Scarlatti (Italy, 1685-1757). The "Piano Concerto" from 1892 shows influences of Johannes Brahms. Stringquartets from 1886 and 1889 as well as the '"Violin concerto" from 1899 captivate because of Beethoven's studies. Busoni also loved the opera. "Die Brautwahl" (The bride's choice, 1912), "Arlecchino" (Commedia dell'arte, 1917) or "Doktor Faust" (1925) are great examples and evidences of operalistic composer handwork. Busoni passed away on July 27, 1924 in Berlin/Germany.

The Italian Ferruccio Busoni was born in Florenz on April 1, 1866. His father was also an Italian, but the father of Busoni's mother was a German. At the age of 7, the child prodigy Busoni performed on stage for first time. At the age of 9, incredible piano performances in Vienna followed. When hes was 12, he conducted a symphony orchestra. At 15, Busoni became the youngest member of the Bologna Music Academy in Italy. Busoni has been remembered as restless and have been all over the world. The cosmopolitan composer's biography shows really all colors of life: piano teacher in Leipzig,Germany; he married in Sweden; be became a chairman in Mosow; Boston followed; an artistic trip to Berlin; he became a General Director of Liceo musicales in Bologna, and much more... . During World War I, Busoni lived in Switzerland. His glory and fame came through an incredible virtuoso. Bach's organ compositions had been arranged for piano by Busoni. (To be continued!)

  The German Max Burch was born on January 5, 1838 in Cologne. His mother was his first emotional music teacher. At the age of 11, Bruch composed his first classical piece, simple entitled as OPUS 1. When he became 14, his first symphony premiered in Cologne.  After his father's death, Bruch got an insatiable thirst to travel around the whole world, which facilitated him many important and fruitful meetings with society personalities from politic, culture and clergy. His ever best stage play, the opera "Lorely", premiered 1863 in Mannheim, Germany. Melodic and tuneful folksong atmosphere and E. Geibel's soft-emotional script are the reasons of this never forgotten highlight of Max Bruch. Bruch's most valid orchestral works have been his "First violin Concerto in g-minor" from 1868; "The Scottish Fantasy" and -one of my favourites- "Variations Kol Nidrei for cello and orchestra". He received innumerabe honors, pr...

Born on December 16, 1775 in Rouen, the Frenchman Francois Adrien Boildieu was a son of an Archdiocesan secretary. At the age of 18, he started composing cheerful and amusing lyrical dramas and operas. In Paris, the piano constructor Sebastian Erard (1752-1831) became Boildieu's mentor. Etienne Nicolas Mehul (1763-1817) and Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842) were Boildieu's very closed friends. He composed 38 operas, which remained as pearls of the so-called Opera Comique. I like to mention just only a few such as "Der Kalif von Bagdad" from 1800 (a kalif was an Arabian governor and Mohammed's follower), "Johann von Paris" (1812), and, especially "La Dame Blanche" (The White Lady, 1825) - just aired in my show last Sunday. Boildieu's piano compositions amuse through wonderful but superficial gleam. The great composer passed away in Paris on October 8, 1834.

The German Leo Blech was born in Aachen on April 21, 1871. He was a real great opera composer and conductor, who is perhaps most famous at his works from 1893-1899, when be became a conductor in his home town Aachen. Later he moved to Prague in the former CSSR. In 1906, Blech became First Conductor of Berlin's Royal Opera House (Koenigliches Schauspielhaus) - later the Berlin State Opera (Staatsoper Unter den Linden). In 1925 in Vienna State Opera, then in Berlin 1936-1941, Riga in Lativa, then Stockholm in Sweden - what a career and what a fulfilled life for Leo Blech, who was known for his reliable, dear and elegant performances and for his sensitivity as an accompanist. Besides apt and practical children's songs, Blech's comic operas deserved sympathy: "Das war ich" (That was me, 1902) and "Versiegelt" (Sealed, 1908). Leo Blech passed away in Berlin on August 24, 1958.

What makes Stradivarius violins so special? Made by Antonio Stradivari and his family, these instruments are among the most valuable violins in the world, highly regarded by performers and audiences. Take a look at pictures from the Stradivarius exhibition at Oxford's Ashmolean museum, uncovering the beauty of these musical works of art. The Alard Stradivarius Antonio Stradivari is one of the most famous makers of stringed instruments (otherwise known as luthiers) of all time. His instruments are highly regarded and often sell for six figure sums at auction thanks to their unique sound and esteemed history. Created in 1715, in Stradivari's 'golden period' this violin takes its name from French violinist Jean-Delphin Alard, its most famed owner. The instrument sold at auction in 1981 to a collector in Singapore for $1.2 million. Look at the ornate carving on the tailpiece.