Bach FAQ 111
Was Johann Sebastian Bach a Musical Child Genius? Und Liszt, Mozart, Wagner & Co.?..
Was Bach a musical prodigy? The short answer: Yes, Bach was a prodigy. But ... not always, actually..
But ... not always!? For over 310 years, Johann Sebastian Bach was definitely not a child prodigy. Simply because there are no compositions or reports from him that would suggest he left behind any musically outstanding works for posterity before his return from Lüneburg to Thuringia. 1702 was the year he graduated from St. Michael’s School in Lüneburg. Bach was 17 at the time. And at 17, you’re no longer a child. Not today, and not back then either..
What is fascinating, however, is that this assumption changed at the beginning of our third millennium. That is, when – as has so often happened at irregular intervals – news surfaced once again about the master from charming Eisenach. Sometimes another piece of music is identified as Bach’s. Sometimes evidence is found that Bach owned shares in a silver mine. Bach’s treasure chest “turned up.” And after 270 years of research, it was finally clear: The Bachs did not come from Hungary..
An interesting article specifically on the question of whether Bach was a musical prodigy was published by Zeit Online in issue 36 in 2006. Sorry folks outside the German-speaking world, you have to use DEEPL.com for transaltion..
Was Ludwig van Beethoven a Musical Child Genius?..
Yes, Beethoven was a musical prodigy..
Beethoven missed a lot of time at school. Instead, his father insisted that he practice playing the piano. As a result, Beethoven could neither do arithmetic nor write properly for the rest of his life. His father would even wake him up at night so he could play for his father’s friends, who, like his father, were drunk, and thus “prove” how well he could play thanks to his father’s guidance. His mother was also an alcoholic. At the age of eight, Ludwig van Beethoven gave his first concert in Bonn, Germany on March 26, 1778. It’s clear to say: Beethoven was already a genius as a child..
There's a really fascinating website here about the efforts of Ludwig's father to label him a musical prodigy right from the start..
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Was Johannes Brahms a Musical Child Genius?..
Yes, Brahms was a musical child genius..
Johannes Brahms originated from a farmer's and craftsmen family, but ... his father was a musician. And if you master a public concert at the age of 10 years – that is to say Son Johannes Brahms – can actually be considered a musical child genius. From age 14 – they are convinced today - Brahms started composing. These pieces, however, smaller chamber musical works – considered the master as not worth to preserve – and destroyed them..
The Berlin State Opera's website offers further information about the musical prodigy Brahms..
Was Anton Bruckner a Musical Prodigy?..
No..
Although Bruckner was introduced to music at an early age – and had already served as a substitute organist at the age of ten – he was not a child prodigy in the sense of the comparison with the other candidates on this page..
I've found an interesting read for you. You can learn more about the Austrian composer in a book on the subject..
Was Frédéric Chopin a Musical Child Genius?..
Yes, Chopin was a musical prodigy..
Unlike Beethoven, for example, Frédéric François Chopin was born into an “idyllic world.” It became clear early on that he was a musical prodigy. He is considered a child prodigy because he was already composing at the age of seven. His first polonaise was published as early as 1817 ... when Chopin was seven years old. It’s a little unclear, however, “just how much of a child prodigy” Frédéric actually was. This is because Chopin’s exact year of birth is difficult to verify. The possible dates are May 8, 1809, February 22, 1810, and March 1, 1810. Chopin himself claimed to remember that he was born on February 22, 1810. Of course, I didn’t come up with that bit of fun. But the question of whether he was seven or eight years old when he delighted the world with his first composition seems irrelevant. So, quite clearly: a child prodigy..
Was Claude Debussy a Musical Child Genius?..
No..
It is worth noting that Debussy achieved an outstanding second place in a music competition at the young age of twelve, and even took first place a year later. However, according to one chronicler, he “regressed” when he failed to achieve such high rankings in the years that followed.
At the age of 18, his qualifications were not yet sufficient to make a living solely from music. In 1883 he took second place, and in 1884, at the age of 22, he took first place at the Prix de Rome. It is the highest honor for a French composer. But at 22, Debussy was really no longer a child..
The Westfälische Nachrichten a German newspaper, sheds some light on the subject. Specifically, in an August 2012 article titled “The Inventor of Modernism.” The article states that Debussy apparently made a conscious effort not to be seen as a musical prodigy. Well then ... he wasn’t. Please use an outstanding translation software called DEEPL.com and you will be impressed by both, the quality of the translation and the content of the article..
Was George Friedrich Handel a Musical Prodigy?..
Yes, Handel was a musical child genius..
It is well known that Handel began composing cantatas as early as 1684, at the age of nine. At that time, Bach was still traveling with his father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, to sing and play at weddings and festivals. By the age of just twelve, George Frideric Handel was already impressing the Prussian court in Berlin with his music. Until the end of his life, which came a few years later than Bach’s, the kings of Prussia were also enthusiastic about Handel’s music..
Zeit Online has weighed in on the topic again. However, the article isn’t just about musical child prodigies, but about such specialists in all disciplines. The Göttingen Handel Papers are a historical read. Long, long ago, they established that Handel was one of the musical child prodigies. Unlike Bach, Handel also managed to achieve significant commercial success. Click here for the Göttingen Handel Papers, Volume 13..
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Was Joseph Haydn a Musical Prodigy, Then?..
No..
Haydn’s musical talent was discovered when he was still a child. In 1740, the music director of St. Stephen’s Cathedral (... Stephansdom) in Vienna took notice of him. It was then – as one might say today – that he was spotted by a “scout.” At the time, Joseph was just eight years old. He then sang in the choir for nine years. Haydn was self-taught. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Haydn’s musical achievements were so outstanding that he could be described – in the context of our question on this page – as a musical genius already in childhood..
Since Haydn wasn't a musical prodigy, here's at least a little reading material about the legendary composer. The Austrian website “Nachrichten.at” (...news.at) features an exciting headline: No Prodigy, But a Miracle All the Same: Joseph Haydn. Well, that's pretty close..
Was Franz Liszt a Musical Prodigy?..
Yes..
Liszt was born in 1811 and was already considered a musical prodigy in his own time. At just seven years old, he taught himself to read and write music. At only nine, he made his first public appearance as a pianist. His father then arranged for him to receive professional training. His early compositions, however, did not match Liszt’s quality as a pianist. But that was only the case at the beginning. Over the course of his lifetime, this changed dramatically, of course. And from work to work. In total, he composed 702 pieces..
There’s a wonderful website that opens with a beautiful image of an edelweiss. How fortunate that we didn’t eradicate it some time ago as an invasive species … the edelweiss. After all, it hasn’t always been native to the Alps. Franz Liszt – From Child Prodigy to Piano Virtuoso is well worth reading and provides further insight into this Austrian maestro..
Was Mendelssohn Bartholdy a Musical Child Genius?..
Yes, the Felix was a child genius..
Plus without this musical prodigy, Johann Sebastian Bach would perhaps be forgotten today..
The NDR (... North German Radio) celebrated him on its website as the Hamburg Mozart. That was in October 2017. Perhaps precisely because I’m writing just two lines about this superstar, this article is well worth reading. We owe our hobby and our Mission to Felix. Without Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Bach’s entire work would probably have been forgotten. Thank you, Felix. Many thanks..
Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart a Musical Child Genius?..
There's no doubt that Mozart was a musical prodigy. And what a musical prodigy he was!..
Well, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was not just any “ordinary” musical prodigy. Amadé, as he called himself, was arguably the most famous musical prodigy of all time..
This is certainly where two worlds collide. Most experts agree that Mozart was the musical prodigy par excellence. t-online shares this view, and the author of the article describes Mozart as the “prodigy above all others”..
In 2010, neuropsychologist Lutz Jäncke took a completely different view. He investigated the “Mozart case.” In the "Süddeutsche Zeitung", you can read why he reached this conclusion and how he sees it. Click here for the article in the "Süddeutsche"..
Was Maurice Ravel a Musical Child Genius? Yes or No?..
No..
Maurice Ravel was a gifted musician and composer ... but he was not a musical prodigy..
Since Ravel wasn’t such a musical prodigy, there are of course no reports online to back that up. For that simple reason, however, I’ve provided at least a little more information about the composer of “Bolero and Co.”..
Was Franz Schubert a Musical Child Genius, a Child Prodigy?..
Yup, Schubert was a child genius..
... but what do we read? Ironically, it was his own father who was jealous of his son. Specifically, when the son began composing at a young age. What a shame..
The Berliner Woche reported in an article that Schubert was only declared a musical prodigy after his death. This was because his life itself had followed “unspectacular paths.” That’s really uncool: You’re one of the best, and yet the rest of the world only realizes it after you’ve passed away. Unfortunately, the article can no longer be found online..
Was Schumann a Musical Child Genius?..
Yes ... and no..
Clara Schumann was a child prodigy: There’s no doubt about that. But Mr. Schumann? He most certainly wasn’t. How do I know that? Well, why don’t you take a look here..
Was Johann Strauss (Father ... or I) a Musical Prodigy?..
No, he was not..
He created great music. However, he didn't do it earlier than at a "reasonable age"..
So, not a child prodigy. As a consolation, here’s a bit about the topic from Wikipedia. And while I was researching online to finally compile everything into an engaging and informative read, I came across some truly fascinating content time and again. That’s exactly what happened when I stumbled upon the inviting “Mozart & Strauss” page, which features musical highlights and information about both superstars. Even in English..
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Was Johann Strauss (Son ... or 2) a Musical Child Genius?..
King of Waltzes yes, child genius ... not..
He was supposed to become a civil servant, the “King of Waltzes. ” That was his father’s plan for him. And perhaps his administrative skills had already been noticed early on in the family. At the age of 19, he performed in public for the first time before a large audience. And then “things really took off.” At 19 … we mean … he’s no longer a child, so he’s not a child prodigy either..
Was Richard Strauss a Musical Child Genius among Others?..
We believe ... yes!..
In some biographies, Richard Strauss is portrayed as a musical prodigy. And anyone who starts playing the piano at the age of three certainly deserves recognition here as well..
Was Georg Philipp Telemann a Musical Child Genius?..
Telemann was the very first musical child prodigy..
You really learn a lot along the way to creating your own website. Telemann wasn’t just the composer with the highest “lifetime output”; he was also a child prodigy. How on earth could I have overlooked such a luminary at first?! Shame on me..
Was Igor Stravinsky a Musical Prodigy?..
Just, if you are still a child at age 20..
In her book Gifted: Myths and Realities of Exceptional Children, Ellen Wilmer writes on page 263, in the section on the 100 most creative adults, that Stravinsky didn’t begin composing seriously until he was twenty. Anyone who writes an entire book about child prodigies surely knows what they’re talking about ... In any case, I believe this is reliable information from a credible source..
Was Peter Tchaikovsky a Musical Prodigy?..
Almost..
He himself wanted to learn to play the piano when he was just four years old. And he did take lessons. Everyone agrees: He was undoubtedly talented. And that from a very early age. But he wasn’t quite a “child prodigy.”..
Was Richard Wagner a Musical Prodigy?..
No, he was not..
With a little googling you probably find out the same result: Richard Wagner was a great, actually a real great composer. But he wasn't a musical child genius..
Was Giuseppe Verdi a Musical Child Genius?..
No..
2013 Giuseppe would have become 200 years old and they recognized early in his life, that he was exceptionally musically gifted ... but he just wasn't ... a musical prodigy..
Was Antonio Vivaldi a Musical Prodigy?..
No, he hasn't been one..
At the very least, he is said to have been born during an earthquake. Whether this influenced his musical talent has not been investigated. And obviously, it didn’t. Because he didn’t turn out to be a child prodigy after all. Not a musical one. He died in poverty. If anyone discovers otherwise, please feel free to contact me. Thank you..
Was Carl Maria von Weber a Musical Child Genius?..
Sure he was! And his father already knew it..
Well, here’s something really exciting to finish off with. Carl Maria von Weber’s father – who, by the way, incorporated his own title into his name, resulting in Carl Maria “von” – presented his son as a child prodigy. That’s pretty cool. Now we just have to find out whether musicology also considers him a musical prodigy. If so, then the daddy really did recognize early on “what the boy would become.”..
His father wrote in a letter to Weimar that his eleven-year-old son had composed his first opera. He, the father, was glad that “... little Carl Maria von” wasn’t being called the next little Mozart. At 14, Carl Maria composed the opera “Das Waldmädchen” (... The Forest Girl) ... but back then, nobody liked it. So let’s leave it open to one of the experts: Was he a musical prodigy, or was he not a musical prodigy?..
Much More Stuff to Read ... And Even Much More Information..
For those who just want to learn a little more about the subject "musical child genius - musical wunderkind", more than you could read in the few lines which are to the point above, for those I have a little more exciting reading, which I can recommend..
The Guardian published an article about Mozart’s sister and in the New York Times, you are educated on how to rise a musical prodigy. In the NYT as well you learn why often prodigies did not develop into masters when they have grown up. Click here for that article..
The following source is rewarding. It's about what genius and autism have in common. If you really can't get enough with this, here's one more suggestion. The Journal of the Royal society of medicine published a work and you can read it with a click here. Finally a last an article on the website soundchannel.org "Trust me, I am a scientist". The headline? "Extraordinary Desire: How Child Prodigies Are Made"..
Now you are perfectly informed about the subject and you can create a speech of your own. What is the topic? Sure, about the musical child genius ... or the musical child geniuses ... or the wunderkinds, or German Wunderkinder ... or child prodigies..
Plus, hey ... there is another really exciting reading which I found, when researching for child geniuses. If you are speaking German, here is an appetizer. The German title is "Hochbegabt: Mythen und Realitäten von außergewöhnlichen Kindern", which is "Highly skilled: myths and realities about exceptional children". If you are so much interested in that subject plus your German is good enough for a whole book about child geniuses - in German - here is, where you can buy it (... not in the Publishing House of my wife)..
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