Classical Musicians

1. Franz Lizst
Claude Debussy
Johann Pachelbel

2. FRANZ LIZST

3. Franz Lizst
• He was born on October 22, 1811
• At Sopron County, Hungary (now in Austria)
• He died on July 31, 1886
• His type of music was classical music

4. • His famous piece:
▫ Liebesträume (Dreams of Love) No. 3
• Some Great Pieces:
▫ Hungarian Rhapsodies (for piano)
▫ Piano Sonata in B minor.
▫ Années de Pèlerinage (Years of Pilgrimage)—a set
of pieces for piano.

5. Interesting Facts:
• He was one of the greatest piano players who has
ever lived!
• Most of his music is written for the piano. And
most this is very, very difficult to play!
• In Liszt’s day the pianos weren’t as strong as
they are now. Liszt often broke piano strings
when he played! In fact, audiences used to be
disappointed if he didn’t break any strings!!

6. • He was a great fan of Wagner. In fact, Wagner
married Liszt’s daughter, Cosima.
• The set of pieces Années de Pèlerinage (Years of
Pilgrimage) was written as Liszt travelled around
Europe
• Desperate for a peaceful life Franz Liszt joined a
Franciscan order in 1857

7. Claude Debussy

8. • was born into a poor family in France in 1862
• his obvious gift at the piano sent him to the Paris
Conservatory at age 11
• At age 22, he won the Prix de Rome, which
financed two years of further musical study in
the Italian capital
• Debussy established himself as the leading
figure of French music.
• He died of colon cancer on March 25, 1918,
when he was just 55 years old, in Paris

9. • Claude Debussy wrote songs, instrumental,
piano, vocal and choral works
• His music lives on and the musical works of
Debussy include the following:
• Clair de lune
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
La Mer for orchestra
Nocturnes
Jeux ballet

10. SOME INTERESTING FACTS:
• Debussy started the modern period of classical
music. Many musicians say that the first modern
piece of classical music was Debussy’s L’après-
midi d’un faune.
• His music often sounds quite soft and ‘dreamy’.
• Much of his music is written for the piano.
• He used to sleep in the day, and work in the
night, in one word, he was nighthawk

11. Johann Pachelbel

12. Johann Pachelbel
• FAMOUS AS: Composer, Organist and Teacher
• NATIONALITY: GERMAN
• BORN ON: September 1, 1653
• DIED AT AGE: 52
• DIED ON: March 9, 1706
• German organist

13. Career
• Pachelbel traveled to Vienna then being shown
the works of catholic composers.
• organist at the St. Stephen’s Cathedral
• organist at the Protestant Church at Erfurt

14. Works
• Pachelbel Cannon in D
• Chaconne in F minor
• Ciacona in D minor

15. SOME INTERESTING FACTS:
• He was very popular when he was alive.
• He is only really known for one piece of music
today—the Canon in D. However this piece
is very popular. Even people who don’t know
much classical music will often know this piece.
• Most of his music was written for the church.
• A lot of his music has been lost.