# Your Favorite 23 Year Old Composer



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Some say youthful inspiration can be special.

I did a project not so long ago when I analyzed some compositions by great composers written when composers were around 23 years old. I picked this age as the mid-point of the early 20's age bracket but not going too early because many compositions might not have physically survived. Below are composed/completed by the selected composers when they were exactly or around 23 years old.

Biographically they also make essential comparison to assess the early stages of the composers' step in artistic development and career. Which ones are your favorites? I list the Youtube links last so it's easier to refer to them all (and a maximum of 5 links are allowed per post).

Bach, _Gott ist mein König_ BWV 71, first performed February 1708 in the local town's main church. He was organist at Mühlhausen. It is his earliest known or one of his very earliest festive church cantata employing trumpets and timpani. The work's layout is inspired by Buxtehude's cantatas, which Bach studied before. So this is probably his best work when he was about 22 to 23 years old. It was written to celebrate the inauguration of a local new town council. Not a bad effort for the upcoming young Bach.

Handel, _ La resurrezione_ HWV 47. It was first performed Easter 1708 in Rome, in the grand Palazzo of his great patron, the wealthy and powerful Don Francesco Ruspoli. The Ruspoli family were wealthy and powerful rulers in Italy and patrons of the arts, with all family members holding the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (Francesco's wife was a niece of Pope Innocent XIII). At the premiere, no expenses were spared. A gigantic orchestra of about 40 string players alone was employed led from the violin by the illustrious Arcangelo Corelli. Handel was already enjoying "international" stardom by age 23 before heading off to England two years later.

Joseph Haydn, symphony no.37 in C major. This is probably Haydn's first or one of the very first chamber symphonies in the four movement Classical Viennese style. The numbering of 37 is not accurate, it is assigned too late in the Hoboken catalogue. While research cannot be sure exactly when it was written, it was certainly composed before 1758 when Haydn was 26. So let's assume this is one of his very earliest surviving symphonies. While he was struggling badly as a freelance composer in his early 20's his reputation was certainly growing. Haydn found the patronage of Count Morzin in 1757 aged 25, who was an aristocrat in the Holy Roman Empire. It was his first permanent post. So here's one of over one hundred symphonic masterpieces to follow.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, this is a hard one because he was so damn prolific with masterpieces one after another by age 23. The Serenade no.9 in D major K. 250 "Posthorn Serenade", a large scale symphonic work, was completed in August 1779 aged 23. In the following year in 1780, he was commissioned to write an opera, _Idomeneo_. The man's genius just kept flowing.

Beethoven, his best work written around age 23 was the Rondo for piano and orchestra in B-flat major, composed in 1793. It was intended as a final movement for his first piano concerto (which is the piano concerto incorrectly labeled as "no.2" in B-flat major). Not many works are attached to Beethoven from his early 20's. So one can infer his abilities from first piano concerto (the "no.2") and this rondo to show off his virtuosity. The Rondo sounds much in debt to Mozart.

Schubert, he was 23 in the year 1820 and he died eight years later. Let's go with his symphonies, several are incomplete that were composed in the 1820's. Not withstanding that, the completed symphony closest to 1820 was no.6 in C major completed in 1818 when he was 21. He had also started but had not completed other major works including operas around those years. It's troubling to see him dabble into works but not complete them but when he did, he wrote great music. He finally completed an opera in 1822, _Alfonso und Estrella_ but sadly it was not performed until Franz Liszt premiered it about 30 years later.

Mendelssohn, he was quite successful for as a Romantic composer when he was in his early 20's. By age 23 in 1832 he had completed his _Reformation_ symphony and a year later, his _Italian_ symphony in 1833, plus other masterpieces. So I have selected his _Reformation_ symphony as an example of what the 23 year old could write. He passed with flying colors.

Schumann, born a year after Mendelsohn but led a very different life. Not much seems to have been written by him during his early 20's. One of his best is probably his first piano sonata in F minor, which he seemed to have been particularly proud of because he published it. He started it in 1833 aged 23 and completed it about two years later. He wrote what he was best at, which was solo piano music and smaller scale works.

Brahms, funnily enough born 1833 the year when Schumann turned 23. When Brahms was 23, he had started to work on his first piano concerto, his first piano quartet and his first symphony but it took him several years to two decades to complete these. He had the advantage of "no deadline" so to speak, to work on these. Because his first symphony took two decades to complete, it wouldn't be sensible to say it was a 23 year old composer's work. He took five years with his first piano quartet and about four years with his first piano concerto. So his first piano concerto would be his first masterpiece written in his early to mid-20's. By around age 23, he decided the work was going to be a piano concerto after numerous correspondence with other composers and supporters. The premiere of the concerto was however badly received.

Wagner, _ Das Liebesverbot_ was completed in 1836 when he was 23 years old. It is not an opera considered by Wagner nor as canon to be among the ten canon, great Wagner operas. But it nonetheless shows what he was already achieving musically at that age. The premiere of the opera was a total flop.

Verdi, Wagner's greatest contemporary also born 1813. His first opera was _ Oberto_. It took him about four years to compose, certainly around age 23. It premiered in 1839 when he was 26 with reasonable success. It was not a failure, notwithstanding all the politics often associated with grand opera productions and commissions ever since Monteverdi. He was well on his way to enjoy success later in life.

Tchaikovsky, symphony no.1 _Zimniye gryozy_, Op. 13 completed in 1866/67 when he was about 26/27 years old after accepting a post at the prestigious Moscow Conservatory. Not much seems to have came from him in his early to mid-20's, so we can give him the benefit with his first symphony completed when he was past 25 years old. It was first performed complete when he was 27/28, and was well received.

Arnold Schoenberg, _String Quartet in D major_, his first large scale work composed when he was 23. It was even showed to Brahms for "approval". It is my favorite Schoenberg composition written in the rich tonal traditions of late Romanticism and its shows Schoenberg was perfectly capable of writing in such before atonality. It was well received at its premiere but unfortunately this quartet is overshadowed by his other string quartets today.

Speaking of quartets, John Cage, _Quartet for any four percussion instruments_, 1935 when he was 23.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

For your listening pleasure,

Bach





Handel





Haydn





Mozart





Beethoven


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Part 2

Schubert





Mendelssohn





Schumann





Brahms





Wagner


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Part 3

Verdi





Tchaikovsky





Schoenberg





Cage


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

K.250 is the Haffner serenade, which Mozart wrote in 1776. I'm not sure if K.320 is better than sinfonia concertante K.364. Imv, the best work Mozart produced in 1779 was Vesperae de dominica, K.321.




"We know that Mozart held his Vespers in high regard since he once asked his father, in a letter dated 12 March 1783, to send the two works to him in Vienna so that he could show them to Baron Gottfried van Swieten." <baerenreiter>
"Mozart wrote the Vesperae de Dominica in Salzburg in 1779, the same year as the Coronation Mass - a work, which the composer himself held in high esteem. It was no doubt this work that Mozart presented to Baron van Swieten when he later sought to introduce himself to the Viennese musical world as a composer of church music in the serious stile antico." <stretta-music>


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

Erich Korngold was *probably* the truest Mozart/Mendelssohn-like prodigy of the 20th century. Die Tote Stadt was his 23 year old work, though he had been writing opera successfully since he was seventeen.


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## Wilhelm Theophilus (Aug 8, 2020)

Brahms is in the lead. The problem is not everyone who votes is familiar with all the pieces, this is the only possible explanation.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Brahms is cheating as the pieces mentioned were not completed at 23.


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## chu42 (Aug 14, 2018)

Art Music, there is a Schumann Sonata in F Minor and also one in F# minor. You have mentioned one in the poll and then posted the other in your videos. Which is which? 

And neither of them were composed in 1833.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Kreisler jr said:


> Brahms is cheating as the pieces mentioned were not completed at 23.


Well, it does say "approx." in the pole title.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

I don't consider the pieces mentioned for brahms and schumann valid as they were completed years later. Their actual work at 23 such as papillon's is not as impressive. Of the pieces mentioned my favorites are "la resurrezione" and the reformation symphony. I would also have to name mozart with the sinfonia concertante. For some reason I cannot see the polling option in the mobile version.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

An easy, pleasant piece of cake this was. PC 1, in d, op.15.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

I fail to see the point in first specifying exactly 23 and the extending it to 25 or later by "approximately". Then it would make far more sense to say 20-25 or a similar span.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Whatever the exact year of composition, I find the history of the composition of the Brahms PC #1 between 1854-1858 as one of the most interesting of any major warhorse classical work. I don’t know of that many major works that went through so many iterations that involved the designs of a sonata for 2 pianos, a symphony and finally a piano concerto, not to mention the composition of two (three?) movements after the first that were totally discarded. (Whatever became of the material in those discarded movements?)

The role of his friend Julius Grimm in help with the orchestration and that of his life-long friend, the famous violinist Joseph Joachim are particularly interesting. The agonizing process this concerto went through bespeaks the final result which to me borders on perfection. The adagio may be my all-time favorite work with stiff competition from the Beethoven Sonata #32 Arietta.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

For a while, the Reformation Symphony was my favorite work by Mendelssohn. Then I fell in love with Elijah...

I also chose Brahms Piano Concerto no. 1. It is my LEAST favorite Brahms concerto, but it is a masterpiece nonetheless.


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## Amadea (Apr 15, 2021)

I've choosen many ahah, but my favs amongst my favs are absolutely Mozart and Mendelssohn.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

That recording (above) of the Brahms PC#1 with period instruments using an 1854 Erard is IMO a good example why the only benefit of using a period piano for a work like that is to serve as an example as to why it is better to avoid it, especially since by the mid 19th century the instruments of the orchestra were providing a sound not unlike that of the present day, but the sound of the piano is closer to that of a present day upright piano. The fortepiano tinkle-tinkle effect, compared to the modern grand, is still present even though the Erard’s of that era were considered to be pretty good grands.

Now, what I really think would be great would be the John Cage Quartet for Percussion using period instruments...


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

"Recent research by Nicolas Kitchen of the Borromeo Quartet reveals that a more mature Mendelssohn somewhat substantially edited the score before its final publication in 1832." https://www.earsense.org/chamber-music/Felix-Mendelssohn-Octet-in-E-flat-major-Op-20/


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Wilhelm Theophilus said:


> Brahms is in the lead. The problem is not everyone who votes is familiar with all the pieces, this is the only possible explanation.


I agree and I was expecting the work to do so because of the "seniority" status the concerto holds in the repertoire. It has an interesting compositional background, it took him a few years to complete it, after writing numerous letters seeking guidance from other composers and supporters.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

hammeredklavier said:


> K.250 is the Haffner serenade,


My typo with the Kochel, I meant *K.320*, which is what I was referring to, the majestic "Posthorn Serenade". It is a massive symphony, movements are:

1. Adagio maestoso - Allegro con spirito
2. Minuetto
3. Concertante: Andante grazioso in G major
4. Rondeau: Allegro ma non troppo in G major
5. Andantino in D minor
6. Minuetto - Trio 1 and 2
7. Finale: Presto


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

DaveM said:


> That recording (above) of the Brahms PC#1 with period instruments using an 1854 Erard is IMO a good example why the only benefit of using a period piano for a work like that is to serve as an example as to why it is better to avoid it, especially since by the mid 19th century the instruments of the orchestra were providing a sound not unlike that of the present day, but the sound of the piano is closer to that of a present day upright piano. The fortepiano tinkle-tinkle effect, compared to the modern grand, is still present even though the Erard's of that era were considered to be pretty good grands.
> 
> Now, what I really think would be great would be the John Cage Quartet for Percussion using period instruments...


I love it, it's my favorite performance of the concerto, so light and succinct. The 1854 Erard is perfectly contemporaneous with the piano concerto no.1.

John Cage did specify for any specific percussion combination, so you could use the Baroque horn, Baroque trumpet, Baroque timpani and sackbut. :lol:


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Kreisler jr said:


> I fail to see the point in first specifying exactly 23 and the extending it to 25 or later by "approximately". Then it would make far more sense to say 20-25 or a similar span.


My intention was to pick examples completed by the composers during their early to mid-twenties, so 23 is a mid-point. Brahms' concerto took him a few years as did with Tchaikovsky's first symphony, so to give them a benefit of history, there are those few who don't exactly fit the time but shows their best works at a relatively early age during their mid-twenties.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Fast renditions of the Brahms concerto include Manz/Mandeal (45:30), the old Backhaus/Boult (43:50), the old Serkin/Reiner (43:20) and above all Horowitz, including with Walter, unfortunately with a drop-out of the sound in the 1st movement. The barely audible one with Toscanini is 39:30.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

chu42 said:


> Art Music, there is a Schumann Sonata in F Minor and also one in F# minor. You have mentioned one in the poll and then posted the other in your videos. Which is which?
> 
> And neither of them were composed in 1833.


*Piano sonata no.1 in F♯ minor, Op. 11* composed from 1833 to 1835 or so, i.e. when he was around 23 years old. My typo above without the "sharp" symbol.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Dvorak - Symphony 2 (not listed)


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

ArtMusic, welcome back! It's wonderful to see you again!


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> ArtMusic, welcome back! It's wonderful to see you again!


It's good to see you, too! Such a heartfelt warm welcome, thank you.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I will vote for 'other':

Ravel - _Pavane pour une infante défunte_

Composed when he was approximately 23.


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

Thinking abt it, amazing what the 23 year olds were able to create two centuries ago…


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## Wilhelm Theophilus (Aug 8, 2020)

ArtMusic said:


> I love it, it's my favorite performance of the concerto, so light and succinct. The 1854 Erard is perfectly contemporaneous with the piano concerto no.1.
> 
> John Cage did specify for any specific percussion combination, so you could use the Baroque horn, Baroque trumpet, Baroque timpani and sackbut. :lol:


You love the piece but you don't think its the best piece in the list?


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

ArtMusic said:


> It's good to see you, too! Such a heartfelt warm welcome, thank you.


Why'd you leave so soon?


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

ArtMusic said:


> Joseph Haydn, symphony no.37 in C major. This is probably Haydn's first or one of the very first chamber symphonies in the four movement Classical Viennese style. The numbering of 37 is not accurate, it is assigned too late in the Hoboken catalogue. While research cannot be sure exactly when it was written, it was certainly composed before 1758 when Haydn was 26.


"A copy of the score found at Český Krumlov, Czech Republic, *is dated 1758.*"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._37_(Haydn)



ArtMusic said:


> Piano sonata no.1 in F♯ minor, Op. 11 composed from 1833 to *1835* or so, i.e. when he was around 23 years old. My typo above without the "sharp" symbol.


So where is the "cutline"?









(1762)


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I would be inclined to opt for the opera _Die tote Stadt_ by Erich Korngold, but as there is no 'other' option on this occasion...

Maybe I would be cheating anyway - Korngold was 23 when he finished the work but only 19 when he started on it.


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