Music

One of the Most Famous Composer in the World  

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in January 27th 1756 in Salzburg. He soon found his ability of the music and started to learn cembalo at age of 3 and composed the first music when he was 5 years old. His father, who was also a musician, took him to perform in front of nobles. In September 1762, Mozart and his older sister had a chance to perform for Maria Theresia, the queen of Austria and the mother of Marie Antoinette. After successful performance, he slipped on a polished floor and burst into tears. He was caught and comforted by seven years old Marie Antoinette. Mozart than stated "You are nice. I will marry you someday" to the future queen of France.  

I have been playing the piano for almost fourteen years, and when I was little I did not like to play Mozart's music because I though his music was too simple.  The music had a particular pattern called "Sonata" and I personally did not like it in Mozart's pieces. I also had not listened to his music very carefully. As I got older my piano teacher wanted me to learn piano more professionally to not only play the piece how I want to play, but also I had to actually learn the pieces. I also had to learn the intention of he composer. My teacher and parents basically forced me to learn Mozart. However, once I listened to his music very carefully, I actually liked it. I love to think about the personal color of the composers, and For me Mozart's music is pink. Other famous composers color for me is dark blue for Beethoven and yellow for Chopin. I played one of Mozart's pieces when I was in elementary school, and I still play it even thought there is no one to force me to play Mozart's music. 

Chenqi

Barber of Seville

Count Almaviva	the young count who persue Rosina’s love
Bartolo	Rosina’s doctor and guardian, also want to marry Rosina
Rosina	The girl the young count and Bartolo both love
Figaro	The barber who helped count to marry Rosina

Recently, my school orchestra has been doing an interesting piece. The piece is the overture for the opera, Barber of Seville. It is also called The Futile Precaution. The composer is Rossini. Barber of Seville is an opera which is written based on French comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais. The story describes a young Count Almaviva, named Lindoro, who pursues a girl called Rosina with a barber, Figaro’s help. Lindoro hopes that Rosina loves him not because of his money. Bartolo who is Rosina’s doctor, as well as a guardian wants to marry her, so he prevents Rosina from meeting people. Figaro, the barber of Bartolo, who is previously servant of Lindoro, gets paid for helping Lindoro. Finally Lindoro successfully gets married with Rossina.

Gioachino Antonio Rossini

Rossini was born in Pesaro, in 1792 in a musical family. He composed 39 operas, as well as religious music. In his late years, he had depressive disorder. His second wife accompanied him until he died in Paris. His funeral was worthy and big.

Some famous piece:

The Thieving Magpie, Cinderella, William Tell, etc.

The most famous version- Gioachino Antonio Rossini

The first version is written by a highly respected Italian composer, Giovanni Paisello, of the Classical period. When Rossini was asked to compose a new one, he asked for Paisello’s permission in order to show respect of the 1^st original piece. Rossini used only 13 days to complete his piece. At the beginning, especially the first performance, audiences made noises to disturb the show because people think that was extremely disrespect Paisello, who has a high reputation among audiences that he composed a new version. After a week, this situation finally begin to improve. As time went on, the Rossini version becomes the most famous piece in operas and orchestra concerts. And it is the peak of western comic opera history. Although those two pieces all defined as Classical period music. Because Rossini is a romantic period composer, I believe that his version contains more Romantic elements such as emotion and unpredictability. For example, you can clearly hear difference between forte and piano notes (strong and weak). Comparing to most Classical music, which is more rational, due to the environment people persue at the time and also the instruments people used. These two pieces are in different styles somehow.