Whether you're looking for composer biographies, historical music articles or public domain sheet music, Music of Yesterday has what you are looking for. We update content daily and link the best articles on this page weekly to keep you up to date on what's new.
Our content consists of article extracts from newspapers, magazines and books written and published prior to 1923 bringing to you the flavor of early music history as it was presented by prominent people in the music industry at that time including articles written by famous composers about other famous composers as well as articles written by opera stars and the top music educators of the time.
Also included in our archive are articles concerning the teaching of various musical instruments as well as music theory and what the best methods were for teaching students of all ages.
Most of our biographies include not only birth dates and places but more personal information on the lives and times of the person being studied and in some cases the interaction between composers of their time. Learn about their struggles, successes and more.
Are you interested in information about a particular opera? Read a short description of some of the most famous operas; feel the drama.
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| Franz Abt |
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Born in Eilenburg, Prussian Saxony, December 22 1819. He studied theology at Leipzig, but abandoned it for music. In 1841 he became kapellmeister a the court theater in Bernburg, and soon after took a similar position in Zurich, where he remained till 1852. He was then called to Brunswick as chief conductor of the orchestra in the royal theater. In 1882 he retired to Wiesbaden. Many of his songs (for example, "When the Swallows Homeward Fly") and part-songs are popular favorites. Simplicity of melody, rather than great depth, characterizes his work. In 1872 he visited the United States. He died in Wiesbaden, March 31, 1885. |