How did the great composers learn?

[conmoto]

Does anyone know how Bach learned?  Or Chopin?  Or Beethoven?  etc.  Clearly they didn't have Hanon, Czerny exercises to practice.  I'm particularly interested in how Bach acquired his virtuoso skills (other than by virtue of being a badass).  I remember reading somewhere that Chopin played Bach every morning?

[rachelj]

I recommend the book: "The Great Pianists" by Harold Schonberg. It's a good overview of their lives and development.

I *believe* most of the composers just learned by playing pieces of progressive difficulty.

[iroveashe]

I think they were firstly introduced to music through the family (this is the case for the 3 composers you mentioned and many more) and then sent to a teacher, like how Beethoven learned with Haydn. If you mean what pieces they learned to acquire technique, I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised about Chopin playing Bach every morning since he worshiped him (this reminds me of Adras Schiff who says he plays the WTC clavier every day); I also heard Chopin didn't have a piano teacher, just composition.

[communist]

They learned from teachers. (music has a long past). A lot of there teachers were probably organists who composed music for the church or a court. They were probably influenced from renaissance and Medieval composers.

[giannalinda]

They learn from teachers or if theyre a real Prodigy like mozart they just pick it up without any teaching like when he did that with the violin...

[jabbz]

Mozart received tuition from his father from an extraordinarily young age, actually

[communist]

Mozart received tuition from his father from an extraordinarily young age, actually

The great Austrian composer, Leopold Mozart.

[giannalinda]

Mozart received tuition from his father from an extraordinarily young age, actually

Yes but his father never taught him the violin...

[conmoto]

Brilliant.  Yes, I know composers learned from teachers - this is fairly obvious, unless you're a monkey sitting in a tree.  I didn't think they were just randomly sitting an a piano and then poof all of a sudden composing symphonies. 

My inquiry was more along the lines of what methods were used to teach them... Once they knew the basics, how did they then excel?  Particularly the earlier composers - Bach, etc.  For instance, did Mozart play Bach as his repertoire pieces?  Who did Bach play then?  I'm sure there were many lesser known composers who they studied, but I was just curious to see if anyone had anything interesting to bring up.

[iroveashe]

Who did Bach play then?  I'm sure there were many lesser known composers who they studied, but I was just curious to see if anyone had anything interesting to bring up.

Bach's father was a musician, all of his uncles were, and I think he learned a lot from his oldest brother, who was an organist. About lesser known composers, Wikipedia says his brother introduced him to the music of Johann Pachelbel, Johann Jakob Froberger, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Louis Marchand, Marin Marai and Girolamo Frescobaldi. He also learned how to attract people's attention with dramatic openings from Vivaldi.

[conmoto]

Very informational!  Thank you irove!

[mc_shas]

It's worth noting at this point that in manny of these cases, in their own times  these so called greats where not necessarily considered the most prolific in their field. They certainly didn't always have the god like magnitude that we give them now. Bach in his own time was supposedly considered  to be more of a skilled craftsmen as opposed to a musical genius (no doubt there where people who had the greatest respect for him non the less). It is likely that in this instance Telleman was more widelly appreciated then Bach and Haddle certainly become more of a celebrity then him. But then that's not surprising when Bach was a family man. Even when it comes to Mozart, I've read records of other composer who's names I can't remember and very few people still do, who whom where quite possibly more popular then him. I've heard recording of the works of one or two of these forgotten composers and in some cases I could have sworn it was Mozart. YOu all know how distinctive he can sound. lol. Anyway I'm getting carried away but it's fascinating to think about what determines weather a composer will withstand the 'test of time'. Back to Bach (lol), whilst I know Mozart and Beethoven had great respect for his work (as I'm sure other musicians did), I don't think he truly gain more popular aplea untill his music was revived...err was around Mendelson's time. lol. Anyway. Sharma out now. 

[mc_shas]

* Handel errr sorry aout the spelling. I'm a bit dyslexic.