What's new ?

This site is one of those that will never be complete. There will always be something else, gaps to be filled or fresh items to add.
Soon there will be the facility for you to add your own contributions and this will be the place to see 'What's New'!

If you click on the yellow RSS button (bottom left under the navigation) you can be informed automatically of any updates.

(Franz) Joseph Haydn - the Austrian composer

A profile of the Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn. Quick facts, bio, interesting links - and more.

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Vaughan Williams in a nutshell

An entertaining and informative profile of the English composer Ralph Vaughan-Williams and some useful links.

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Schumann's Bicentenary

8 June is Robert Schumann's 200th birthday. doubtless there will be a big party up there!
Thank you Robert for such wonderful work.

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Centenary of Balakirev's death

29 May was the centenary of Balakirev's death, so I have added a page for him. He was the mentor of 'The Five' also called 'The Mighty Handful' consisting of Borodin, Cui, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and himself.

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Translate this site - over 30 languages available

You can now access translations of the entire 52composers.com website at the touch of a button thanks to 'Google Tanslate'. You will see a button on the home page and most composer pages.
To check the original text just move the mouse over the words you want to see. Easy!

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Contribute your content to 52composers.com

We have now set up an easy way for you to add content to this site. You are invited to submit articles, reviews, photos, artwork, videos anything relevant to the theme of this site: classical composers and their works.

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Mascagni composing at the piano (1932)

Here is an old home movie of Mascagni at work composing at the piano when he was 70. Towards the end of the clip his grandson comes in to greet him. The

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And Happy Birthday to Tchaikovsky also

170 today.
Tchaikovsky shares his birthday with Brahms who is 177.
Did you see the special Google logo today with an illustration of Swan Lake?

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Happy Birthday Johannes

Johannes Brahms is 177 today.
He shares his birthday celebrations with Tchaikovsky who is 170 today.

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Berlioz's 'Les Troyens' (The Trojans)

Just added an interesting background article about Berlioz's last opera contributed by one of our readers.

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Happy Birthday Leoncavallo

Born on 23 April 1857, 153 years ago.
He used to give his birthday as 8 March 1858 so that he would appear to be younger than his rival Giacomo Puccini.
What a 'pagliaccio'!

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Hello Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai is best known for 'The Flight of the Bumblebee' but he produced much, much more. In addition he had a successful career in the Russian Navy and was their Inspector of Bands.

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Jacques Offenbach - new page

Our modern musicals have evolved from 19th century operettas and Offenbach was dubbed "Father of the Operetta".
He was also called the "Mozart of the Champs-Elysées" by Rossini.

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Mikhail Glinka - new addition

'Father of Russian classical music'. Glinka had an immense influence on subsequent composers such as Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev and others.
Wine, women, song and doctors were the story of his life.

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Happy Birthday Rossini

Well near enough his birthday. He is one of those unfortunate people to be born on February 29th and therefore has a birthday only every 4 years. Still never mind Gioacchino we'll drink a toast to you now anyway. Cheers!
I've put a great animated video of the 'Thieving Magpie' on the Home page.

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Gustav Holst - latest addition

The latest composer to be added to the site is the English composer Gustav Holst, best known for his 'Planet Suite'.

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Happy Birthday George!

Happy Birthday George Frideric Handel. I hope you were pleased with your 250th anniversary celebrations last year. There were some wonderful concerts.

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Mahler wins 3 Grammy awards

Mahler's 8th Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas with the San Fancisco Symphony Orchestra has won 3 Grammy awards. So he is composer of the week and I have posted an interesting video of the rehearsal and recording.

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Arcangelo Corelli

The latest addition to the site is the Italian baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli
- "Father of the Concerto Grosso" and one of the few composers to die a rich man.

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Happy Birthday Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Happy Birthday Wolfgang!

Today 27 January is your 254th birthday.

What a tragedy you died so young at 35.

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