# Musician with the most influential biography ?



## wonderhow

Hello ,
I'm new to this forum I liked it . I like to play piano.

I have an audition for a class teacher next week.

I have to choose a great historical figure to talk about.

I decided to talk about a historical pianist like Bach Beethoven Mozart ....

I need you to help me to choose the musician with the most influential and interesting life story and biography.

I have read little about Beethoven I found that he has a dramatic background.

but before I make my choice I thought about hearing from you. 

so what do you say ? and who do you recommend to talk about ?

Thanks in advance.


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## Webernite

Beethoven's probably the easiest to talk about at length.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I think Mozart had a more interesting life


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## emiellucifuge

I think Wagner. Political activism, exile, running all over from debts, wealthy patronage, discourse with philosophers.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Wagner it is.


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## emiellucifuge

Lets see,

Quite an interesting upbringing; troubled with vivid nightmares
took part in Dresden uprising, friendly with anarchists such as Bakunin.
flees to Zurich on a false passport, lives in exile until he is 50
a failing marriage
discovers philosophy of schopenhauer and changes his life. E.g. Becomes a vegetarian as a consequence
debts force him to flee zurich, eg to Venice etc...
constantly contemplating suicide
suddenly, king Ludwig assumes the throne, builds his theater and absolves his debts
he is hugely influential in the royal household
Nietszche who idolises him is a regular guest where they converse for hours
steals Cosima from another man who is resigned to this. She worships him
Bayreuth premieres are THE musical events of the time, with the whole world in attendance
again he is forced to leave Munich for social reasons, the king considers abdicating in order to follow him.
he has a gay son, which must have been difficult in those days.

This whole time he has been creating masterpieces.


(incomplete and probably not chronological)


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I love Wagner (the same way I love Danish blue cheese)


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## Moira

One of the things I did in a talk once was I used a piece of music (specially selected as I talked about that specific piece of music) as a background sound while I talked. 

So if your talk needs to be five minutes long find a piece of music by the composer which is that length, then use that to 'time' your talk. In my case I needed to talk for EXACTLY ten minutes (purposes theoretically for a radio show) so I chose a piece of music which came in at 9.49. Left me 11 seconds for greeting before and after.


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## MaestroViolinist

Beethoven's life was definitely dramatic! He would probably be the best. Maybe Vivaldi, he taught in a girl's grammar school or something, and he was named the Red Priest (though I suppose that isn't that interesting!). Paganini, or Mozart would also be good because the were child geniuses. You could talk about how Paganini's mother had a dream that she was going to have him and that he was important, and his father made sure he was! At least, I think that was Paganini...


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## Hesoos

For me the Verdi's biography is really interessant, and he was the most influential music, politician and man from Italy from all the Italy's history.

For my country, Catalonia, one of the most influential musicians was Pau Casals.

Freedom for Catalonia!!!!
Pau Casals in the United Nations speaking about our nation: Catalonia (these days just a province of Spain)






Pau Casals playing a catalan traditional song






Pau Casals playing Bach


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