1. MUSIC THROUGH THE AGES Thursday, April 14th

2. OBJECTIVES  Review Schubert and Chopin  Schubert/Chopin Quiz Friday  Begin Wagner  Happy Thursday!

3. CHOPIN AND SCHUBERT REVIEW  What were the years of Chopin? Where was he born?  What was his primary instrument? Who was his first major teacher?  What other country did Chopin gain citizenship in?  What were the years of Schubert? Where was he born?  What were his primary instruments? Who were his first teachers?  Who was his primary teacher? What school did he attend?  What style of music was he most known for writing?  How many song cycles did he write? Two famous ones?

4. RICHARD WAGNER  Born in 1813 in Leipzig  Died in 1883 of a heart attack in Venice  He never knew his father (died 6 months after Wagner’s birth)  Was raised by his Mother Johanna and his Father’s friend, Ludwig Geyer  Geyer was a local actor and playwright and introduced Wagner to music at an early age. Geyer eventually would allow Wagner to act in his plays and exposed Wagner to many of the theatrics of shows.  In 1820 (age 7) Wagner began taking piano lessons at the Possendorf school with his Latin teacher  Wagner was initially not very good at scales, but could play musicals back by ear

5. WAGNER CONTINUED  In 1821, Geyer passes away and Wagner is sent to the Kreuzschule which was a Dresden Choir School (Dresdner Kreuzchor).  In the same year, he sees the opera Der Freischütz by Carl Weber and this heavily influences him at a very young age.  In 1826, Wagner composes his first opera WWV 1, (Wagner-Werk-Verzichnis) Leubald. It was heavily influenced by Shakespeare and Goethe and he set it to music in the following years.  In 1827, he returns to Leipzig to have harmony lessons (1828-1831) where he studied with Christian Gottleib Müller.  In the same year, Wagner hears Beethoven’s Symphony 7 and 9 and is highly influenced enough to the point that he writes out an entire piano transcription Symphony 9.

6. WAGNER CONTINUED  In 1821, Geyer passes away and Wagner is sent to the Kreuzschule which was a Dresden Choir School (Dresdner Kreuzchor).  In the same year, he sees the opera Der Freischütz by Carl Weber and this heavily influences him at a very young age.  In 1826, Wagner composes his first opera WWV 1, (Wagner-Werk-Verzichnis) Leubald. It was heavily influenced by Shakespeare and Goethe and he set it to music in the following years.  In 1827, he returns to Leipzig to have harmony lessons (1828-1831) where he studied with Christian Gottleib Müller.  In the same year, Wagner hears Beethoven’s Symphony 7 and 9 and is highly influenced enough to the point that he writes out an entire piano transcription Symphony 9.

7. WAGNER’S EARLY YEARS  In 1831, Wagner enrolls at Leipzig University to begin studying composition with Theodor Weinlig.  Wagner’s first piece, Piano Sonata in B-flat major is published in this year  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yje9lIocVQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yje9lIocVQ  In 1832, Wagner writes his first Symphony in C Major  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hVPub9nJPg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hVPub9nJPg  In 1833, Wagner becomes director of choirs at the theatre in Würzburg at the age of 20 while also writing his first opera Die Feen (The Fairies) *went unproduced until after Wagner’s death when it finally received it’s premiere

8. WAGNER’S EARLY YEARS CONTINUED  In 1834, Wagner returns to Leipzig to take up the position of musical director at the opera house in Magdeburg.  He writes his second opera here, Das Liebesverbot (The Ban of Love) which is based on Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure.  The opera was produced but was closed before the second performance due to the financial collapse of the theatre company.  Wagner falls into substantial financial problems and has to flee to Riga where he meets his wife Amalie in 1837  In 1839, Wagner’s debts catch up with him and again, has to flee from Riga  They flee to London by boat

9. WAGNER’S EARLY YEARS CONTINUED  While en route to London, Wagner encounters a terrible storm at sea. This inspires him to write the opera Die Fliegende Höllander (The Flying Dutchman)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XldJZYjKwP0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XldJZYjKwP0  Arrive in Paris in 1839 and stay until 1842 where Wagner writes critical music journal articles and reviews while also editing and publishing operas at a publisher in Paris  During his time in Paris, Wagner completes his 3 rd and 4 th operas, Fliegende Höllander and Rienzi  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URIwWtwn6qA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URIwWtwn6qA

10. DRESDEN  In 1842, Wagner moves to Dresden and was appointed the Royal Saxon Court Conductor  During this time, he staged Der fliegende Höllander in 1843 and also completed the opera Tannhäuser  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTM7E4-DN0o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTM7E4-DN0o