Success
Barbara Strozzi had to pay the price for her successful upbringing.
A few reasons was because of her good image during her lifetime, though being subjected to feminism during the start of her career. However, she received the same status quo as men in her later ages. Her supportive and caring father protected her from the slander of politics for many years. Despite many criticism made towards her, she took many risks and rose to fame through many of her publications.
Most importantly, she proudly upheld her dignity and proven that women can survive independently. She contributed in excessive developments of Music.
Even centuries after her death, she is being recognized by critics as a prominent musician.
Failures
Barbara Strozzi was one of the many victim of feminism. Sadly, nothing could be done during the Baroque Era. She was not enterprising enough. She did not took good opportunities through writing opera music, which was very popular. She could have made a fortune.
Labels: Barbara Strozzi
Posted by Anonymous 17 October, 2010 at 1:44 PM .
After learning under Giovanni Battista Somis who encouraged his violin playing for 4 years, he decided to try his luck in returning back to Paris. He found a wealthy patron, Monsieur Bonnier, to whom he dedicated his Opus 1, a book of twelve sonatas for violin and figured bass. His first debut at the Concert Spirituel in Paris caught much attention: he was immediately reengaged and appeared eleven times that year – a sure sign of public demand – alternately playing sonatas and concertos of his own composition.
For the next ten years, he continued to stage performance at the Concert Spirituel on an average of twice a year as his focus was on composing and publishing of his work under his own imprint which became a family enterprise.
His arrival of Amsterdam, Holland brought much needed experience and refinement to his composition that he secured two patrons in Holland, one was of a royal blood Princess Anne of Orange while the other one was a Financier Francois du Liz.
Upon returning back to Paris, he was financial strong and he composed an opera, Scylla et Glaucus and hired the best available singers and dancers. The first debut of the opera work was a failure as it received faint praises which eventually disappeared from his repertoire. That failure marked his involvement in Paris and his works and playing was descending to oblivion to the public.
Labels: Jean-Marie Leclair
Posted by Damien Kee 05 October, 2010 at 12:13 AM .
Handel's Success:
Handel's first step of success was in his teenage years, when he had already wrote many popular works which includes Operas, Oratorios and Orchestral Music. Some examples of his successful Opera works includes Giulio Cesare, Tamerlano and Beggar. Handel's also got his success by establishing good relationships with all his wealthy patrons. This ensures that, he can be commissioned for all his written works. Handel's compositions stayed popular even after his death. He died as a wealthy man, unlike many other famous composers such as Mozart etc.
Handel's Failure:
Not all went well for Handel's music career. His Operas did not recieve musch Success for a period of time as Opera was falling out of fashion in England. He bankrupted twice in life, as he didn't managed to sell tickets for his opera concerts. Handel's health was also failing at that point of time. He suffered from Stroke numerous times which affected his body to perform, think and compose temporarily.
Labels: George Frederic Handel
Posted by Wee Ni Swen 03 October, 2010 at 9:33 AM .
Stozzi’s songs are emotional in nature.
She often uses word painting, which reflects lyrical meanings through musical concepts.
She showed much imagination in making the drama of words come alive in her music.
Under the teachings of Francesco Cavalli, she mastered compositional techniques and the style of stile concitato. It is a musical term in portraying aggression & anger through rapid repeated notes, extended trills and appogiaturas.
She follows the second pratica tradition. It is a style introduced by Claudio Monteverdi whom wanted to lift the restrictions in dissonance and counterpoints.
She had skilled vocal techniques.
-She could transit from very high to low notes, reaching both ends of her vocal range.
-She had an interesting vocal technique of mimicking instrument sounds. E.g. Skipping melody of a trumpet.
She performed most of her pieces in a virtuostic way.
She had the ability of showing contrasts in her music through changing dynamics, tempo and articulations.
Labels: Barbara Strozzi
Posted by Damien Kee 01 October, 2010 at 12:55 PM .
Came from a notable family whose father was a master lacemaster and a cellist,Leclair studied violin, dancing and lacemaking which he excel in this three areas. He began his career as a dancer and eventually promoted as a ballet master.
He was often known to tune his violin during concert. That’s because he used excessively on double or even triple stops in his concertos that precise tuning is a must. And his violin works are known to be great degree of difficulty and technical variety.
Known for his virtuosic violin playing, King Louis XV appointed him as an Ordinaire De La Musique Du Roi.
'Leclair est le premier qui, sans imiter rein,/Crea du beau, du neuf qu'il peut dire le sien'
(Leclair is the first who, without imitation,/has created something beautiful, something new that he can call his own.)
Labels: Jean-Marie Leclair
Posted by Damien Kee at 12:12 AM .
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» Handel - Success and Failure
» Strozzi - Music in Character
» Leclair - Reputation and Talent
» Leclair - Social and Cultural Environment
» Handel - Social and Cultural Environment
» Strozzi - Reputation and talent
» Leclair - Music with character
» Strozzi, Barbara
» October 2010