# Late bloomers



## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

We always hear about the child prodigies who started composing in early childhood and made masterpieces before (say) 25 years old. What about classical composers who started later on in life? Who are they?


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Bruckner? He would have written his first significant output after Mozart and Schubert were dead.


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2012)

Couchie said:


> Bruckner? He would have written his first significant output after Mozart and Schubert were dead.


????? So did a lot of others.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Andante said:


> ????? So did a lot of others.


You know what I mean. Andante... such a tease.


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2012)

Yes, I know and thanks for taking it as a bit of a joke :tiphat:


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

Bruckner I believe only started studying composition very late (in his thirties?) so he is very exceptional. Berlioz and Wagner are late compared to others because they started studying late teens more or early twenties. I don't think they wrote beforehand. Actually Beethoven is quite late, but we think that he may have burned many of his earlier works because they weren't up to scratch. Haydn is also in his twenties before he starts writing. These are the ones that come to mind.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

My two favourite latish bloomers are Rameau and Domenico Scarlatti, who were both approaching 50 when they started the cycle of works for which they are mainly known know, Rameau's lovely danceable operas and Scarlatti's inventive lively sonatas.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Ramako said:


> Bruckner I believe only started studying composition very late (in his thirties?) so he is very exceptional. Berlioz and Wagner are late compared to others because they started studying late teens more or early twenties. I don't think they wrote beforehand. Actually Beethoven is quite late, but we think that he may have burned many of his earlier works because they weren't up to scratch. Haydn is also in his twenties before he starts writing. These are the ones that come to mind.


Wagner was intending to be a writer. Which of course explains the fact he wrote his own librettos, wrote profusely his whole life, and emphasized the literary aspect of opera as equal to the musical (although the musical definitely won).


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