Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

129 results found

Ormandy, Eugene

(Encyclopedia)Ormandy, Eugene ôrˈməndē [key], 1899–1985, American conductor, b. Budapest. At the age of five Ormandy entered the Budapest Conservatory, where he studied the violin. Graduating in 1914, he beca...

Rodrigo, Joaquín

(Encyclopedia)Rodrigo, Joaquín, 1902–99, Spanish composer, b. Sagunto, Valencia. He lost his sight as a child and wrote his music in Braille. After his musical talent was recognized, Rodrigo studied in Paris wit...

violet

(Encyclopedia)violet, common name for some members of the Violaceae, a family of chiefly perennial herbs (and sometimes shrubs, small trees, or climbers) found on all continents. Violets, including the genus Viola ...

Chávez, Carlos

(Encyclopedia)Chávez, Carlos kärˈlōs shäˈvās [key], 1899–1975, Mexican composer and conductor. In 1928, Chávez established the Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, which he conducted until 1949. He was also dire...

Ginastera, Alberto

(Encyclopedia)Ginastera, Alberto älbārˈtō hēnästāˈrä [key], 1916–83, Argentinean composer, b. Buenos Aires. Ginastera is considered among the most prominent Latin American composers of the 20th cent. His...

Martinů, Bohuslav

(Encyclopedia)Martinů, Bohuslav bôˈho͝osläf märˈtĭno͞o [key], 1890–1959, Czech composer; studied at the Prague Conservatory. He played the violin (1918–23) in the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Martinů...

Khachaturian, Aram Ilich

(Encyclopedia)Khachaturian, Aram Ilich ərämˈ ĭlyēchˈ khäˌchəto͞oryänˈ [key], 1903–78, Russian composer of Armenian parentage, b. Tiflis (now Tbilisi). Khachaturian moved to Moscow in the early 1920s a...

Pfitzner, Hans

(Encyclopedia)Pfitzner, Hans häns pfĭtsˈnər [key], 1869–1949, German conductor and composer, b. Moscow. Pfitzner studied music at Hoch's Conservatory in Frankfurt/ Main. His music, conservative in idiom (Pfit...

Szymanowski, Karol

(Encyclopedia)Szymanowski, Karol käˈrôl shĭmänôfˈskē [key], 1882–1937, Polish composer; studied in Berlin and Warsaw. His early works show marked German, French, and Russian influences, but in his later c...

orchestra and orchestration

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Typical seating plan of a symphony orchestra orchestra and orchestration, an orchestra is a musical ensemble of mixed instruments based on strings and winds, under the direction of a conductor...