Johann Sebastian Bach
Bach in a 1748 portrait by HaussmannJohann Sebastian Bach[1] (31 March 1685[2] – 28 July 1750) was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity.[3] Although he did not introduce new forms, he enriched the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal technique, an unrivalled control of harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France.
Revered for their intellectual depth, technical command and artistic beauty, Bach’s works include the Brandenburg concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Partitas, The Well-Tempered Clavier, the Mass in B minor, the St Matthew Passion, the St John Passion, the Magnificat, The Musical Offering, The Art of Fugue, the English and French Suites, the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, the Cello Suites, more than 200 surviving cantatas, and a similar number of organ works, including the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor and Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, as well as the Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes and Organ Mass.
Bach’s abilities as an organist were highly respected throughout Europe during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the main composers of the Baroque style, and as one of the greatest composers of all time.[4]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart circa 1780, by Johann Nepomuk della CroceWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (German: [ˈvɔlfɡaŋ amaˈdeus ˈmoːtsaʁt], English see fn.),[1] baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart[2] (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. He is among the most enduringly popular of classical composers.
Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood in Salzburg. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. At 17, he was engaged as a court musician in Salzburg, but grew restless and travelled in search of a better position, always composing abundantly. While visiting Vienna in 1781, he was dismissed from his Salzburg position. He chose to stay in the capital, where he achieved fame but little financial security. During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of Mozart’s death. The circumstances of his early death have been much mythologized. He was survived by his wife Constanze and two sons.
Mozart learned voraciously from others, and developed a brilliance and maturity of style that encompassed the light and graceful along with the dark and passionate. His influence on subsequent Western art music is profound. Beethoven wrote his own early compositions in the shadow of Mozart, of whom Joseph Haydn wrote that “posterity will not see such a talent again in 100 years.”[3]
Ludwig van Beethoven
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Ludwig van Beethoven,[1] baptised 17 December 1770[2] – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. The crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.
Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in present-day Germany, Beethoven moved to Vienna in his early 20s, studying with Joseph Haydn and quickly gaining a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. His hearing began to deteriorate in the late 1790s, yet he continued to compose, conduct, and perform, even after becoming completely deaf.
Biography
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel (German: Georg Friedrich Händel; pronounced [ˈhɛndəl]) (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, and concertos. Handel was born in Germany in the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and Domenico Scarlatti. He received critical musical training in Italy before settling in London and becoming a naturalised British subject.[1] His works include Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks. He was strongly influenced by the great composers of the Italian Baroque and the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition. Handel’s music was well-known to composers including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Early years
Handel was born in Halle to Georg and Dorothea (née Taust) Händel in 1685,.[2] His father, Georg Händel, 63 when his son was born, was an eminent barber-surgeon who served as surgeon to the court of Saxe-Weissenfels and the Margraviate of Brandenburg.[3] According to Handel’s first biographer, John Mainwaring, he “had discovered such a strong propensity to Music, that his father who always intended him for the study of the Civil Law, had reason to be alarmed. He strictly forbade him to meddle with any musical instrument but Handel found means to get a little clavichord privately convey’d to a room at the top of the house. To this room he constantly stole when the family was asleep“.[4] At an early age Handel became a skillful performer on the harpsichord and pipe organ.[5]
Thomas Lang
Thomas Lang (born August 5, 1967 in Vienna), is an Austrian drummer who is currently working with the Los Angeles based progressive instrumental trio StOrk.
Thomas took up drumming at the age of 5. In addition to lessons at local music schools and years of private tuition, Thomas also attended the Vienna Conservatory of Music.[clarification needed] After leaving the conservatory in 1988, Lang began working professionally – working his way through the European Pop, Rock and Jazz scenes. In addition to his work as a session musician playing with John Wetton (UK, King Crimson), Robert Fripp, Glenn Hughes, Robbie Williams, Kelly Clarkson, Sugababes, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Victoria Beckham, Ronan Keating, Steve Hackett, Boyzone, Falco, Nina Hagen, Steve Jones and Mick Jones[disambiguation needed], among others. Lang’s 1995 solo release, “Mediator” topped the charts in Europe and garnered positive reviews[citation n
Instructional material
Lang has released the DVD Creative Control, teaching advanced drumming techniques. Modern Drummer magazine voted him one of the fastest, most technical drummers in the world.[citation needed] In 2005 he headlined the UK Drumfest held in Birmingham alongside Kenny Aronoff and Jimmy Chamberlin.
Lang’s original practice regime eventually became the basis for his 2-part series of instructional videos, “Ultimatives Schlagzeug I & II” which were originally released in 1995. The videos were re-released on DVD in 2004 by Hudson Music. In 2003 Lang released the instructional DVD and book “Creative Control”.
His follow-up DVD and book, “Creative Coordination & Advanced Foot Technique” was released in November 2006. Lang maintains a website to offer his books and DVDs.
Equipment
Lang is a 10-year endorser of Meinl cymbals. He has designed a number of cymbals with Meinl: the 16″ Synthetik Crash, 17″ Kompressor Crash, 18″ Kinetik Crash, 18″ Signal Crash/Klub Ride, and Filter Chinas. Lang stated on Creative Control that when he designed his cymbals, he wanted to recreate electronic cymbal sounds in acoustic cymbals.[citation needed] One of Lang’s goals was to create a pitch-matched range of contemporary crash cymbals that provide acoustic and electronic drummers with modern sounds that resemble artificially engineered cymbal samples – “Tom’s Becken” launched in 2002. In 2004 Thomas Lang worked with Meinl again to design the “Fast Hats” , and a series of “Filter Chinas”.
In 2002, the Remo Corporation approached Thomas to produce the “Thomas Lang Practice Kit”.
Other Thomas Lang products are Vic Firth’s “Thomas Lang signature model” stick and the “Thomas Lang signature Bigfoot bassdrum beaters” .
After endorsing Sonor Drums for 20 years, in 2010 he signed with Drum Workshop (DW) drums.
Awards include:[citation needed] 1999, 2001: Best studio drummer (Rhythm magazine) 2002: Best pop drummer, Best all-around drummer (Rhythm magazine) 2002: Best drummer (Drums and Percussion magazine) 2003: Best clinician (Modern Drummer magazine) 2004: Best DVD, Best clinician runner up, Best drummer runner-up (Modern Drummer magazine) 2004: Best DVD, Best new signature product, Best drummer (Drummer magazine). Best studio drummer (Rhythm magazine). Best recorded drum performance (Sticks magazine) 2005: Best pop drummer, Best Clinician, Best Solo Drum performance (Rhythm magazine). Best DVD, Best all around drummer, Best drum event (Drummer magazine) 2006: Best drum clinician (DRUM! Magazine) Best drumming video/DVD (Drum! Magazine) 2006: Best DVD, Best drummer (Rhythm magazine) 2007: Best DVD, Best drummer (Rhythm magazine, Modern drummer magazine) 2007: Best Clinician (Modern Drummer magazine) 2008: Best Clinician (Modern Drummer Magazine) 2008: Best Clinician(Drum! Magazine) Aurora Gold Award 2007 (Best Video Production)
- Thomas Lang – Mediator (1995)
- John Wetton – Live at the Progfest L.A. (1997)
- Thomas Lang – Creative Control (2003)
- Thomas Lang – Creative Coordination (2006)
- Thomas Lang – Something Along Those Lines (2007)
- B*Witched – Jump Up, Jump Down (Live)
- Willi Langer – Colours of the Octopus
- Willi Langer – Signs of Life
- Billy Liesegang – No Strings Attached
- Vienna Art Orchestra – Songs and other Adventures
- Vienna Art Orchestra – Art and Fun
- John Wetton – Arkangel
- John Wetton – Live in Tokyo
- John Wetton – Live in Argentina
Reformed || Puritan 