Anton Bruckner (1824 - 1896)

Anton Bruckner  born 4 September 1824, in Linz, Austria and died 11th September 1896, a composer known for his large scale symphonies,  masses and motets.  Bruckner had a strong religious upbringing.  His mother sang in the local church and his father taught him to play hymns on his violin and in his younger days had been cathedral organist. 
It took Bruckner more than half his life before he dared to consider himself a composer.  Although he was writing industriously before his teens, he always felt insecure.  He was forever striving to secure a post as music teacher in a provincial town or win a certificate to prove to others - and himself - that he had the qualifications to compose.  The turning point came when he took lessons in orchestration from Otto Kitzler, who introduced him to the music of contemporary composers, especially Wagner.  Bruckner moved to Vienna in 1868, where he wrote a series of large-scale works.  International recognition finally came when he was 60, following the success of his Symphony No. 7. But it was typical of Bruckner`s self-doubt that he spent his last years making extensive revisions to earlier works....(Read more...)  

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MARC-ANTOINE CHARPENTIER (1643 - 1704)

Marc-Antoine Charpentier born in or near Paris in 1643 was a French composer of the Baroque era. Exceptionally prolific and versatile, he produced compositions of the highest quality in several genres. His mastery in writing sacred vocal music, above all, was recognized and hailed by his contemporaries. Born the son of a master scribe who had very good connections to influential families in the Parlement of Paris. Marc-Antoine received a very good education, perhaps with the help of Jesuits, and registered for law school in Paris when he was eighteen. He withdrew after one semester....(Read more....)

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                              KEY DATES.

1667 - 1669   Studied with Giacomo Carissimi in Rome where he acquired a
                         solid knowledge of contemporary Italian musical practice.
1670 - 1687   Worked as a house composer to Marie de Lorraine, duchesse de 
                         Guise and Madam de Guise, Louis XIV`s first cousin
1687 - 1698   Charpentier served as maitre de musique to the Jesuits, working
                         first for their college of Louis-le-Grand and then for church of
                         Saint-Louis. After moving to Saint Louis he ceased writing
                         oratorios and concentrated on musical settings of psalms and
                         other liturgical texts.
1698 - 1704   Appointed maitre de musique at the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, a 
                         royal post he held until his death.