Classical Composers

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was an Austrian composer, widely regarded as the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet." A central figure of the Classical era, he shaped musical form and style with innovation, wit, and expressive clarity. Haydn spent much of his career as court composer for the wealthy Esterházy family, producing operas, chamber works, and orchestral masterpieces. His influence deeply inspired Mozart and Beethoven, securing his legacy as one of Classical music's great pioneers.

Born to a father from Guadeloupe, he rose to fame in Paris despite racial prejudice. A virtuoso musician, he composed operas and was briefly Director of the Paris Opera before being ousted due to his mixed-race heritage. Nicknamed the "Black Mozart," his legacy rivals that of Mozart himself. This account includes vivid illustrations, photos of key sites, a timeline, and "B Sharp" sidebars that highlight key moments in his remarkable life.

Marianna Martines (1744-1812) was one of eighteenth-century Vienna's most prominent composers. She received more acclaim than perhaps any other female composer of her time. Martines was a renowned singer as well as harpsichord player and composer. Empress Maria Theresa, the biggest musical patron in Vienna, was immensely taken with the young composer. At a time when most male composers either worked for the church or a royal court, Martines was able to accomplish incredible things without formal employment.

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short life of only thirty-one years, Schubert created more than six hundred works, including operas, symphonies, sacred music, and many pieces for chamber music. He helped shape classical music's structure and style. Colorful illustrations plus photographs of meaningful sites and settings connect listeners to important points in Schubert's history. A timeline and "B Sharp" sidebars add details to the composer's life story.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was a German composer and pianist of the Romantic era, known for blending classical traditions with emotional depth and complexity. A perfectionist, he destroyed many early works, striving for the highest quality. Brahms composed in nearly every genre—symphonies, concertos, chamber music, piano works, and choral compositions.

Introduced with more than 90 biographical entries that trace the friendships, loves, and rivalries that inspired each musical genius and their work. Profiles offer revealing insights into what drove each individual to create the musical masterpieces - symphonies, concertos and operatic scores -...

In a book that inspired the Amazon original series starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Malcolm McDowell, oboist Blair Tindall recounts her decades-long professional career as a classical musician, from the recitals and Broadway orchestra performances to the secret life of musicians who survive hand to mouth in the backbiting New York classical music scene, trading sexual favors for plum jobs and assignments in orchestras across the city.

Figures of the past find new life in Yiyun Li’s thrillingly imagined saga following two musicians as they mature, study, travel, love, grieve, and, above all, chase their ambitions. In Dublin, as the eighteenth century nears its end, a young musical virtuoso comes of age. John Field, an...

From Gregorian Chant to Henryk Gorecki, the first living classical composer to get into the pop album charts, here is the fascinating story of over a thousand years of Western classical music and the composers who have sought to express in music the deepest of human feelings and emotions. Also available: The History of Opera.

From the acclaimed composer and biographer Jan Swafford comes the definitive biography of one of the most lauded musical geniuses in history, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. At the earliest ages it was apparent that Wolfgang Mozart’s singular imagination was at work in every direction. He hated to be...

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'A virtuosic memoir . . . elegant, frank and well-structured, that entirely resists cliche . . . The concert pianist’s account of striving for musical mastery sits alongside a stirring coming of age narrative . . . readable for both diehard classical music fans...

A fascinating chronicle of the lives of twenty economists who played major roles in the evolution of global economic thought. What was Adam Smith really talking about when he mentioned the "invisible hand"? Did Karl Marx really predict the end of capitalism? Did Thomas Malthus (from whose name...

Master music appreciation and transform classical symphonies from a confusing blur into a deeply emotional experience. Whether seeking a calm soundtrack for your morning commute or a focused escape to unwind, this audio journey demystifies the concert hall. Leave behind intimidating jargon and...

Renowned for her exceptional piano skills, she also composed notable works. Clara, married to composer Robert Schumann, had a successful solo career and is recognized for her significant contributions to 19th-century music.

Many classic composers faced unique challenges and obstacles on their paths to success, and these biographies highlight diverse experiences and perspectives to which children can easily relate.

Based on 10 years of research and a vast cache of primary sources located in archives in Warsaw, Paris, London, New York, and Washington, D.C., Alan Walker's monumental Fryderyk Chopin: A Life and Times is the most comprehensive biography of the great Polish composer to appear in English in more than a century. Walker's work is a corrective biography, intended to dispel the many myths and legends that continue to surround Chopin. 

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'A virtuosic memoir . . . elegant, frank and well-structured, that entirely resists cliche . . . The concert pianist’s account of striving for musical mastery sits alongside a stirring coming of age narrative . . . readable for both diehard classical music fans...

Many classic composers faced unique challenges and obstacles on their paths to success, and these biographies highlight diverse experiences and perspectives to which children can easily relate.

Many classic composers faced unique challenges and obstacles on their paths to success, and these biographies highlight diverse experiences and perspectives to which children can easily relate.

Many classic composers faced unique challenges and obstacles on their paths to success, and these biographies highlight diverse experiences and perspectives to which children can easily relate.