The Maestros

Without overthinking, name three composers…

I’d bet at least one (if not all three) you thought of was Beethoven, Mozart, or Bach. They are some of the most recognized names in all of music. Plus, they are at the top of many lists as the greatest composers of all time.  What about these three have made their impression on history? Is it their sheer number of memorable pieces? Their music is played everywhere. On TV. The radio. In movies. Even rappers have incorporated them into their music. What makes Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach’s music so memorable?

Writer of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams said, “Beethoven tells you what it is like to be Beethoven, and Mozart tells you what it is like to be human. Bach tells you what it is like to be the universe." I thought that a poignant and concise description as to what makes these three composers rise to historical prominence. Yet, I’d like to elaborate further. Share what I’ve discovered as I have explored their music. And, I would like to recommend a few lesser used works by these composers.

Beethoven (Passion)

Passionate. Brooding. Intense. Powerful. Beethoven's music proclaims how he feels. It tells the world, “This is how it ought to be.” Or, “This is what’s wrong.” It pushes through barriers, out to make something happen. In our “follow your passions, no matter what” world it’s no wonder why Beethoven’s music has remained strong. Striking those most famous four opening notes of his symphony number 5, he has pounded his way into history. The composer himself even said, “To sing a wrong note is insignificant, but to sing without passion is unforgivable.”

Try listening: Symphonies 6 and 7; Fidelio Overture

Mozart (Longing)

Yearning. Questioning. Playful. Ironic. Emotionally Complex. I am the most drawn to Mozart’s music. Carrying a gamut of subtle emotions, his music expresses my feelings, better than even I understand.  Each piece holds an emotional complexity. The primarily heard mood is not often the true expression, but the understated shades. Concerning music, he said, “The music is not in the notes, but in the silence in between.” Isn’t that how human emotions often work. We try to relax and have a good time, yet, the anxieties of life tap ever-so-slightly on our shoulders. Or, we try to listen intently to a serious matter, but a joke or some other distracted thinking lingers in our heads.

Above all, we are all searching, seeking happiness… joy, even in the midst of distractions. Whether at the forefront or in the shadows, much of his music yearns. My favorite example of this yearning is the aria Ruhe Sanft. I have not heard a more beautiful aria. The song comes from Zaide, an opera he began during a dark point in his life, a place of massive failure. This unfinished masterpiece was never performed during the composer’s lifetime. Lucky for us, his wife saved it.  

Try listening: Piano Concertos 20 thru 24, Violin Concerto 5 (The 3rd movement first drew me to Mozart)

J. S. Bach (Joy)

Joyous. Peaceful. Hope-filled. Majestic. It is no wonder Bach’s music is so often played at weddings. In fact, we played Minuet in G played at our wedding. (Though, scholars now believe it was probably not written by Bach.) Bach’s music sings with tears of joy. It does not ignore harsh realities or declare it knows why things happen the way they do. The music simply clings to a higher hope, finding a joy that is beyond words. Wachet Auf (Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen) sings of such joy. Fittingly Wachet Auf means "Wake Up," as if to suggest everlasting joy cannot be found in the material world. Even the dark beginning of his Toccata and Fugue morphs into a hopeful, joyous sigh of relief, as if life’s hard and scary journey has led to eternal glory. His musical purpose is evident when he said, “Music is an agreeable harmony for the honor of God and the permissible delights of the soul.”

Try listening: Air Orchestral Suite 3, Bach’s Ave Maria (not the more famous Shubert)

So, I listen. I explore. Beethoven and Bach’s music often express how I want to feel (that’s not to say I have never felt the emotions). And so, I listen that these desired moods may stir. Whereas Mozart sings the songs of human experience, so I listen for reflection, identification, and understanding.