[8bitsrule]

Many of the big names in classical music came from privileged backgrounds. Others needed a helping hand. Dvorak (Slavonic Dances, New World Symphony) Just the other day, I found this:

"... the compositions of an unknown Czech composer fell into [Johannes Brahms[ hands in 1875. Fascinated by the work of the young Antonín Dvořák, who came from a small town near Prague on the banks of the Moldau, Brahms immediately had him come to Vienna and arranged for him to receive a state scholarship. For the then 36-year-old Dvořák who was eking out a meager existence as a music teacher and orchestra director at the Prague Theater, heaven had just opened forth.... "

https://web.archive.org/web/20080820143636/http://filebox.vt...

[kashunstva]

I wonder if a minority of composers came from privileged backgrounds. Brahms himself did not. As a young teen, he played the piano in houses of ill repute to earn money for the family.

Mendelssohn did come from privilege, of course. But many of the rest struggled.

Anyway, the Brahms-Dvorak connection is striking; lots of stylistic influence - Dvorak adopted Brahms’ liberal use of polyrhythms and his shifting/ambiguous downbeats.

[8bitsrule]

Good question on privilege. Others were born into poorER families with musical backgrounds.

Just this Monday I learned of lesser-known composer Johannes Wanhal, who was born into serfdom! in Bohemia, mid-1700s. He learned enough by 21 for his 'patron' to show him off in Vienna.

Eventually he made enough teaching and performing to buy himself independence and live in Vienna. Before his 40s he wrote many symphonies (over 130!), then switched to music he could sell to Vienna's 'growing middle class'.

[pseudohadamard]

> As a young teen, he played the piano in houses of ill repute to earn money for the family.

Hey, don't knock playing the piano in a brothel. I tell my mom that's what I do so I don't have to tell her I work in an AI data center.