Obscure Music Mondays

Frank Bridge (Feb. 26, 1879 - Jan. 10, 1941) was an English composer, violist and conductor. Born in Brighton, he attended the Royal College of Music in London from 1899 to 1903, and was active as a violist in several string quartets. He also did a bit of conducting for awhile before devoting himself to composition, with one of his most famous students being Benjamin Britten. Bridge was prolific in his output, but his music is still comparatively little known, and nowhere near as programmed as you'd think. It's especially vexing as what is written about him is glowing; he's nowhere near the household name one would think he'd be. Continue reading →

Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax (Nov. 8, 1883 - Oct. 3, 1953) was an English poet, author, and composer. His output was prolific, and spanned several genres, from choral works to chamber pieces to orchestral music. His music was for a while neglected, and then revived, though predominantly as recordings; we still don't see his work programmed very often in concert halls, save a few compositions. Continue reading →

Franz Bendel (March 23, 1833 - July 3, 1874) was born in Schönlinde Bohemia, and not that much is known about this pianist and composer. He studied with Liszt for five years in Weimar, and in 1862 he lived in Berlin and taught at Neue Akadamie der Tonkust. He wrote over 400 compositions, mainly all for piano. He died from typhoid fever while on tour in America, at 41. Continue reading →

Franz Ignaz Danzi (June 15, 1763 - April 13, 1826) was a German composer and conductor, and like his father Innocenz Danzi, a cellist. Continue reading →

Felix August Bernhard Draeseke (Oct. 7, 1835 - Feb. 25, 1913) was a German composer and teacher who was drawn to music very early in life; his first composition was at the age of 8. Continue reading →

Theodor Albin Findeisen (Oct. 1, 1881 - March 3, 1936) was a German double bassist, composer and pedagogue. Continue reading →

Josef Suk (Jan. 4, 1874 - May 29, 1935) was a Czech composer and violinist. He began his musical training at an early age, learning the violin, organ, and piano from his father. Suk went on to study composition at the Prague Conservatory, with his most famous teacher being Antonin Dvořák, and the two became close, trusted friends. Suk ended up marrying Dvořák's  daughter, Otilie. Continue reading →

Joseph Joachim Raff (May 27, 1822 - June 24 or 25, 1882) was a German-Swiss composer, pianist, and teacher who was largely self taught. As a child he showed much talent on the piano and violin, and taught himself the rudiments of music. Continue reading →

Selim Palmgren (Feb. 16, 1878 - Dec. 13, 1951) was a Finnish composer, conductor, and pianist. At the age of 20, he traveled to Berlin to study with Conrad Ansorge (a student of Liszt) and also to Weimar where he had a masterclass with Ferrucio Busoni. Palmgren's successful career was planted firmly when he was the soloist for the premiere of his First Piano Concerto; it was met with acclaim. During a tour of the USA in 1919, he was offered a position at the Eastman School of Music, in Rochester, NY, teaching composition (Sibelius was offered this position earlier, but declined). Palmgren held the post from 1921 - 1926, and from 1939 until his death, he was professor of Composition at the Sibelius Academy Helsinki. Continue reading →

Frederick Theodore Albert Delius (Jan. 29, 1862 - June 10, 1934) was an English composer, born in to a wealthy family. Delius didn't want to go in to business and commerce like his family, and resisted it as much as possible. Continue reading →