Abstract
This paper details the life and work of Gustav Mahler, one of the most famous composers and conductors of all time. The writer of this paper probes into the tragic events of Mahler's early life which influenced his music despite the undertones of joy and hope in some of his pieces. This paper also details Mahler's style of music which is considered dramatic with enormous contrasts in sounds and moods.

From the Paper
"The orchestra's archivist and historian, Dr. Clemens Hellsburg, recalled that Mahler was incredibly demanding and impolite. Many of the musicians resented him. Finally, in 1900, the orchestra went to Paris, where it had huge artistic success, but horrible financial failure. In fact, there was not even enough money to transport the ensemble back to Vienna."

Tags:music, biography, history, royal, opera, metropolitan

Abstract
This paper begins with a brief biographical sketch of Gershwin's life and discussion of the music that influenced him as he was growing up. The paper then analyzes some of his compositions and looks at how his works challenged many of the conventional definitions in the musical community.

From the Paper
"Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects about Gershwin's talent is that it was natural to him. He never attended a school of music and the extent of his musical heritage consisted of his father sometime playing records on the Victrola. Despite this scant musical influence, Gershwin is credited for being the "link between the jazz camp and the intellectuals" (Hyland 67). Edward Oxford claims, "the sophisticated personification of America's Jazz Age was born on Sept. 26, 1898" (Oxford). Indeed, from humble beginnings, Gershwin was able to discover not only a love for music but also a talent that would bring him fame."

Tags:rhapsody, in, blue, porgy, and, bess, an, american, in, paris, piano, jazz, harlem, blue, note

Abstract
The paper reveals that many consider Beethoven to be the greatest composer in the Western music tradition. The paper discusses Beethoven's earlier and later years and describes his famous nine symphonies.

Outline:
Early Life
First Works
Leaves for Vienna
Struggles with Deafness
Last Days
Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 4
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 6
Symphony No. 7
Symphony No. 8
Symphony No. 9

From the Paper
"Beethoven (1770-1827) is considered by many as the greatest composer in the Western music tradition. His stature among music composers is such that his name is familiar even to people who do not listen to classical music, while he is also held in the highest esteem by the most discerning connoisseurs of Western classical music. The wide range of his music composition encompasses a variety of genres, including symphonies, concertos, sonatas, string quartets, chamber music and opera, forming a bridge between the classical and romantic eras of musical history."

Tags:composer, classical, music, genres, notes

Abstract
The paper provides a brief biography of Giuseppe Verdi and discusses the music and opera in the early to mid-1800s in Italy that influenced him. The paper examines how Verdi subsequently influenced opera in Europe in general and Italy in particular and focuses on five of his operas, "Nabucco", "Rigoletto", "La Traviata", "Aida" and "Falstaff". Finally, the paper presents an assessment of Verdi's subsequent influence on later composers.

Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Conclusion

From the Paper
"In the Age of Information where access to entertainment is straightforward and virtually limitless, it may be hard for modern observers to appreciate the importance of a medium such as opera to the citizens of the 19th century, but the research will show that composers such as Giuseppe Verdi enjoyed superstar status based on their enormous popularity. Like many composers, Verdi exhibited a proclivity for music early in his life and through a series of fortuitous occurrences, his interest in music was groomed and he subsequently became a prolific composer with a number of masterpiece operas to his credit. Given his enduring popularity and impact on modern music, an investigation into Verdi's life and works represents a worthwhile endeavor today."

Tags:music, opera, melody, orchestra, Italy

Abstract
Igor Stravinsky is one of the greatest composers in history. This paper provides basic biographical information on Stravinsky and then discusses some of his important musical contributions. The paper then provides a reaction to one of his musical works, "Berceuse" (Lullaby), found on the album, "The Rite of Spring/Firebird" (1997).

From the Paper
"He began to play the piano at the age of nine and quickly fell in love with the instrument. He admits in his book that he sometimes lacked the discipline required of the piano and enjoyed the art of improvisation instead. Stravinsky was often chastised for improvising, but in the end improvisation aided him in perfecting his craft. Stravinsky also explains that he was able to efficiently read music at an early age and spent much of his time reading his father's opera scores. (Stravinsky 1936)"

Tags:Scherzo, fantastique, Fireworks

Abstract
This paper looks at the short but brilliant life of the famous composer, Mozart. It discusses how his family upbringing impacted his talent and looks at some of his many musical achievements. The writer concludes by examining the impact of Mozart's music today.

From the Paper
"Mozart composed every sort of work presented in his day: symphonies, operas, chamber music, minuets, sacred music. Despite that, and the lasting value, Mozart was given only a cheap funeral when he died, and was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave; his body has never been located (Krantz, undated). But his contributions to music are gargantuan, and still vibrant. Today, his work is also regarded as a catalyst to intellectual pursuits, with albums of his works issued specifically to be played to enhance brain function; a quick tour of any large music store will probably reveal 'brain enhancing' collections of Mozart. But his major contribution to music itself is this: Mozart was, by many, considered to be "the central pivotal point in the music of Europe," a man who created "the bridge...between the old world of music and the modern world of music" (Ardoin, 1989)."

Tags:composer, music

Abstract
This paper discusses some of the composer Aaron Copland's well-known compositions and analyzes his contribution to modern classical music. It includes an autobiographical account of Copland's life growing up in New York. It details his music and gives examples of his famous ballets and scores. It also describes his main influences in the music world. Finally, it details his great contribution with works such as: "Rodeo", and "Fanfare for the Common Man" making him one of the most loved American composers of all time.

From the Paper
"Popular jazz and be-bop music heavily influenced his early works. As he matured, he began to compose strictly in the modern classical style, and most of his work falls under this style. His music most often celebrated the unique American character that he found so appealing. His ballets and scores included "Rodeo," "Appalachian Spring," "A Lincoln Portrait," "Theme for the Common Man," and "Billy the Kid." He also wrote numerous piano concertos, smaller pieces, and two sets of "Old American Songs," which were arrangements of traditional folk tunes "that became so popular in their piano and orchestral versions as to eclipse the original melodies on which they were based" (Hampson). At the height of his popularity and career in 1944, Copland's score for "Appalachian Spring" won the Pulitzer Prize for music. Yet, he continued to write for thirty years after this apex of his work. "

Tags:Aaron, Copland, composer, New, York, American, classical, music, ballet, jazz, scores

Abstract
This paper presents a detailed examination of the life of famed musician, Frank Zappa. The life and works of Zappa are explored, and reasons are presented as to why he should be labeled a 20th century genius in the field of music.

From the Paper
"It used to be that the word genius only applied to a standardized IQ score on an Intelligence Quotient test. In more recent years the world has come to the understanding that there are many types of intelligence and that genius can be found in many areas of life. One area that has always escaped the watchful eye of genius identifiers has been that of the music world. While musicians were often referred to as talented or gifted, the word genius was rarely used. Today, with the new understanding that genius can come in many forms; artists from the past and present are being recognized for the true genius they possessed. One of the most talented geniuses in the field of music was famed artist Frank Zappa. Zappa will always be remembered as a 20th century genius because of his lifetime achievement and contributions to the world of music."

Tags:rock, and, roll, the, yellow, shark, joe's, garage, composing, audience, pop, plastic, people

Abstract
The paper relates that Wagner's operas changed the nature of modern music, even the structure of modern opera houses and the expectations listeners brought to the concert experience. The paper examines Wagner's operas, including "Leubald", "Die Bergwerke zu Falun", "Fredreich I", "Jesus de Nazareth", "Wieland der Schmeid" and "Der Sieger" to illustrate how Wagner had strong views about religion, German nationalism, the importance of German folk tales and culture.

Outline:
Introduction
Leubald
Die Bergwerke zu Falun
Fredreich I
Jesus de Nazareth
Wieland der Schmeid
Der Sieger

From the Paper
"Shadows of his ambition, if not his greatness are manifest in Leubald. Wagner's Leubald is one of his earliest creative endeavors. The work was begun when the author was only thirteen and he was still a student. Wagner had aspirations as a prose dramatist, and Leubald began as a play entitled Leubald and Adelaide. Unfortunately for the young Wagner (and perhaps fortunately for the history of opera) the play was a flop when it was finally performed. Wagner still believed that the work, largely inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet and Heinrich von Kleist's Die Familie Schroffenstein could be a success. He decided to set the drama to music. Ironically, he exclaimed at the time, regarding his endeavors: "Oh! I am no composer...I only wanted to learn enough to put Leubald and Adelaide to music" (Maar 2000, p.1). Only the libretto, not the music survives."

Tags:music, concerts, composer

Abstract
This paper looks at Arcangelo Corelli, the famous Italian violinist and composer whose role in music history is great, despite the fact that he wrote only a few works as only six opus numbers can be attributed to him. It examines how Arcangelo Corelli had a huge influence on form, style, and instrumental technique that lasted long after his death and how it spread beyond local and national confines to influence composers and performers around the world. It shows how is he is one of the first composers to derive his fame exclusively from instrumental composition and to have his works still admired and studied long after their initial popularity died off.

From the Paper
"In the Concerto Grosso in G minor, there are different tempos indicated for each section, such as Vivace, Grave, Allegro, Adagio, and Largo. Composers in the Baroque period, unlike those in earlier times, often used a work or phrase to indicate the approximate tempo at which they wished their compositions to be played. These are inevitably vague, and they often suggest the mood as much as the speed of a composition. Moreover, they were often used inconsistently by composers or defined in contradictory way by different writers on music from the period. Quantz had a systematic table of the approximate speeds measured against the human pulse."

Tags:concerto, grosso, minor, sonata