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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| Alexander Nicholaevich Alabiev |
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He was a talented amateur of the pseudo national school which preceded Glinka, born at Moscow, August 30, 1802. He entered the army, but being led by his fiery temper into some breach of discipline, was exiled to Tobolsk. On his return, he settled in Moscow, where he died in 1852. In collaboration with Verstovsky and others, he produced several vaudevilles which were popular in their day. Encouraged by the success of Catterino Cavos, he attempted a Russian fairy opera: 'A Moonlight Night, or the Domovio' (House Spirit). Probably the task was beyond his amateur resources, for the work proved a failure. Alabiev composed about a hundred songs, pleasing melodies in the popular style, but exceedingly elementary as regards form and accompaniment. One of these 'The Nightingale' became widely known form having been introduced into the 'Singing lesson' in 'Il Barbiere' by Viardot, Patti, and Sembrich. |