5 Music Virtuosos of the 19th century
Frederic Chopin ( 1810 - 1849)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky ( 1840-1893)
Camille Saint- Saens, ( 1835 - 1921)
Jules Massenet ( 1842 - 1912 )
Since we found this amazing site, http://tchaikovsky-research.net/
which has so many information about not only, Pyotr Tchaikovsky ,
but many other people who were around him in that generation, I’ve been even more into the 19th century ’s, my favorite composers.
Tchaikovsky seems like really a perfectionist, analyzing music and many other things and people,
and there are thousands of his private letters which he wrote to a wealthy widow named Nadezdha von Meck who admired him and his music so much.
He might not have imagined that his private letters to her would one day be open to public viewing in the future.
I feel like becoming a gossip woman when I started reading them,
but it ’s so interesting to know, as he is one of my favorite composers, his view and opinion about other composers especially my favorites, Saint -Saens, Chopin, Liszt, and Massenet.
The funny thing is, he was ranking composers, who in my opinion it’s impossible to rank because they are all at the top level, all geniuses.
Tchaikovsky’s opinions and rankings are very detailed, and something funny. And some of what he says I agree with, some I disagree.
I also noticed that he likes composers who are opposite or at least quite different from his own music, and he has some biased views in favor of or not in favor of, many composers and music.
And this is the same as everyone in the world has biased opinions about many topics.
One thing I noticed is that whichever other composers ( besides Tchaikovsky ) that Nadezdha von Meck likes and compliments, Tchaikovsky was becoming more and more against them and saying bitter things. lol
So far from the letters I’ve read, it seems that Nadezdha von Meck’s favorite music was in the romantic style, and that her favorite composers were Tchaikovslky, Chopin and Liszt.
And she did not like Mozart’s music and Massenet‘s music , whereas Tchaikovsky loved Mozart’s music.
I’m more similar taste to Nadezdha except for her dislike of Massenet’s music.
Also, I don’t dislike Mozart’s music like her and I love several of his music.
Most of his music sounds very happy music and they make me feel happy and luxury feeling as well.
But compared with Saint- Saens, Tchaikovsky and Chopin, I sometimes feel his emotion a little more shallow, and some of his music sounds more like math and cold.
About Jules Massenet’s music,
His music is mysterious to me, whenever I listen to his music,
for example, his Piano Concerto performed by Aldo Ciccolini, from EMI Classics, it makes me feel so peaceful, happy feeling but the funny thing is I can’t remember any of his music , or hum it or sing it.
Normally I often sing the melodies of my favorite music and songs, but for Massenet I can’t sing his music, it’s just too complicated and mystery.
It’s something unique to me.
I did feel bored for many of his other music though, but I really love his Piano Concerto and many of his other piano music, and love his music piece
“ Meditation “ from his opera “ Thais “.
I agree with Tchaikovsky about Massenet’s music.
It was also funny, Nadehzda had sent Tchaikovsky photographs of many of their generations most famous composers, and he said he liked Massenet’s face.
He said he really has the looks of an artist.
For looks,
I really think Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Massenet, Chopin had very attractive looks.
For my personal type,
I love Liszt’s looks.
Very charismatic !
I really understand why many of his women fans fainted when they saw him perform, and he was like a rock star in his generation. ( same as Chopin )
When the first time I saw his photos ( of when he was young ),
I was like ,
“ Oh, wow ! “ .
His face is unique, not what one might think of as a basic handsome face but something very charming and cool.
Romantic, gentleman.
For face itself,
Massenet and Tchaikovsky have the most basic handsome faces. IMO.
Massenet’s eyes are softer than Tchaikovsky‘s, which are more sharp.
Chopin looks cool.
Unfortunately, because of his frequent struggles with illness throughout his life, he didn’t look healthy in the photo and paintings I saw.
But despite this, I really understand why Chopin and Liszt were the biggest rock stars.
Their ages were also only one year difference.
For personalities,
Another thing I was inspired about Liszt is his helpful support to other composers.
My top favorite music is Saint-Saen’s " Danse Macabre " and according to information I‘ve read about it, when Saint-Saens first performed this music, it was not a hit with the audience because the music is unique and weird and it was not familiar with many people.
However, Liszt absolutely loved it.
Amazing thing is Liszt soon rushed home and played the entire Danse Macabre on his piano from memory, after having heard it only once !
He then transcribed all the different instrument parts of the music for the piano.
Liszt then started playing it in his concert tours.
Liszt was already a rock star who had tons of fans, so from that point people were getting familiar with the music and getting to loving Saint-Saen’s Danse Macabre and , as a result it got a big success.
In his letters, Tchaikovsky also wrote that he loved Danse Macabre and was very impressed with it.
Since the first time I listened to Danse Macabre, I became crazy for the music, and started listening to it hundreds of times for a while.
This music blew everything away, I don’t know why, but I really love
this kind of music.
Maybe it fit with my personality , I looove every part of it and the sounds that Saint- Saens is able to get from the orchestra, from beginning to the end.
It gives me passion and strong energy like I was plugged in to an electric energy current.
I love it because it’s unique, very powerful, bourgeois , almost like dramatic music from another dimension.
Liszt was soon composing music in the same vein as Danse Macabre, and there are several famous Liszt compositions in the style, such as Totentanz.
Liszt considered Saint Saens as a great friend and as a musical ally.
I also love Mascarade Walz which was composed by the Armenian composer Katchaturian.
Liszt sounds like he was a very social , beloved, charming person, a giving person ( helping others ), makes people happy.
In the same occupation , usually people have jealousy to their rivals and are careless to their rivals and just only compete with them,
but Liszt sounds like he was amazingly caring and in fact helped promote many of his favorite composer’s music , for example, Chopin, Saint - Saens, and almost as if he became like a fan of many of these composers.
Super fans will always try to promote their favorite star, but in the same occupation (?) , it’s something unusual to me.
I really feel he has high frequency level, like a messenger of a god.
Liszt and Chopin are the best legendary pianists with amazing skill and technique.
Any kids who have ever learned piano playing know that Liszt and Chopin are at the highest level to play, it’s not easy to get to that level.
Canpanella was my first time to listen to Liszt’ music when I was a teenager, soon I loved it and it‘s still my favorite of his music.
Liszt lived a long life and eventually composed an immense amount of music.
I think he has many emotional, dramatic, colorful, creative music , but there are also a few which are just color and maybe not so emotional, not so imaginative music as well.
Tchaikovsky seems to have had an issue with Liszt music and his personality, saying that Liszt was complimenting everyone, he felt the complimenting was too much and that Liszt was being dishonest of his true feelings.
But.. how does he know Liszt was not honest just because he didn’t say any negative thing to others ??
Maybe that is exactly how Liszt felt, and he was just expressing his honest positive feelings.
But for whatever reason, Tchaikovslky had issues with Liszt music and personality.
I used to actually feel like these genius composers are not real to me , same as with people who lived thousands years ago, but in actuality their generation is less than 200 years ago, so it really was not so long ago.
I wonder before Mozart’s and Bach’s generations, what kind of music people were listening to?
And were dancing with ??
I can’t imagine a generation where there were no music like Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saens , how boring is that ? (IMO)
It seems to me that Tchaikovsky was like unconsciously doing the law of attraction in his life especially for getting creative ideas, attracting financial freedom, and also using his strong emotions to influence his musical universe to whatever he strongly desired.
He was a very successful composer while he was alive and after he passed away his music is still one of the most popular, and timeless.
He sounds very emotional, and imaginative, so when thinking about how the Law of Attraction works, it seems that the universe could easily catch his desired emotion.
Just my thought.
On the other hand, when it comes to success, Carmen’s composer George Bizet’s life sounds like he had a more difficult time in this regard.
He was rarely successful while he was alive, but after he passed away, his Carmen became famous.
I don’t get why audience didn’t like Carmen in the beginning.
Bizet sounds like he used all his energy to make it, and after he knew audience had little reaction for the music, he got really depressed and he died soon after that.
Tchaikovsky’s analysis was right Carmen is the most legendary music in opera in a long time.
It's getting long post, so I will finish now.