Page 334 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

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DIRECTORY

n addition to the composers covered in the preceding chapters
in this book, numerous others have also made an impact on the
I development of classical music. The music represented by those
listed here—many of whom were also teachers, scholars, and virtuoso
soloists—is diverse, ranging from the choral works of the great Spanish
composer of the Renaissance, Tomás Luis de Victoria, to the loud and
unsettling symphonies of Anton Bruckner, while the particular impact
of Mily Balakirev was in leading the circle of composers known as Russia’s
“Mighty Handful,” or “Five.” What unites them is the way they have
enriched the lives of their audiences and influenced the compositions
of their peers with new ideas or refinements of existing ones.

Italian (madrigals), French (chansons),
JOHANNES OCKEGHEM and German (Lieder). His sacred music JAN PIETERSZOON SWEELINCK
c.1410–1497 includes settings of the psalms, notably 1562–1621
a sequence of penitential psalms, Psalmi
Born in Flanders, Johannes Ockeghem Davidis poenitentiales (published in Dutchman Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
made his name in Paris at the court of 1584). His music has an emotional was the most influential performer and
King Charles VII and his successors, intensity, reflecting the words he set composer of organ music before J.S.
becoming one of the most celebrated to music, that preempts the Baroque Bach. Before the age of 20, he succeeded
composers of early Renaissance Europe. style of the 18th century. his father as organist at Amsterdam’s
Much of his work has been lost, but Oude Kerk (Old Church), where he
surviving compositions include 14 would later be succeeded by his own
Masses and 10 motets (religious choral TOMÁS LUIS DE VICTORIA son. He wrote vocal music, both sacred
works) along with 20 secular chansons. c.1548–1611 and secular, but is remembered for
Ockeghem introduced richer, more his innovative organ works, in which,
sonorous harmonies to Renaissance Spain’s greatest Renaissance composer, among other things, he developed the
music, exploring the lower reaches of Tomás Luis de Victoria, was born near fugue form. As an organist, he was
the bass part for the first time. His Ávila in central Castile. He enjoyed royal famous for his virtuoso improvisations
works are contrapuntal, weaving patronage from an early age, and in his before and after services. His many
together two or more melodic lines. late teens, King Philip II sent de Victoria pupils spread across Protestant northern
to Rome, where he was ordained a priest Germany, themselves influencing the
but also practiced as a musician— young Handel and Bach.
ORLANDO DI LASSO probably studying under the composer
1532–1594 Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. He
returned to Spain around the age of 40, CARLO GESUALDO
As a boy chorister in Mons (in modern becoming director of music and later 1566–1613
Belgium), Orlando di Lasso was so organist at the wealthy convent of Las
renowned for the beauty of his voice that Descalzas Reales in Madrid. His work A man of passionate and often
he was kidnapped three times by those is dramatic and sometimes vividly melancholy temperament, Neapolitan
keen to have him in their choirs. In pictorial, as in the motet Cum Beatus nobleman Carlo Gesualdo, Prince
1556 he moved to Munich, where he Ignatius, where the music evokes the of Venosa, is believed to have been
remained for the rest of his life, serving wild beasts tearing at the Christian personally responsible for the revenge
as kapellmeister (director of music) to martyr Ignatius of Antioch. His deep murder of his first wife and her lover, the
Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria. As a spirituality is expressed in settings Duke of Andria. Gesualdo also published
composer, he was both versatile and of the psalms and several Masses, three books of motets (religious choral
prolific, writing more than 2,000 works. including the Missa O quam gloriosum works) and six of madrigals. The later
His secular pieces include songs in and the Missa Ave Regina coelorum. books of madrigals, in particular, show

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