Friedrich Schiller
German historian, philosopher, playwright, poet and writer Friedrich Schiller was born at Marbach am Neckar on 10 November 1759.
Schiller's work has been set to music by Ludwig van Beethoven - notably An die Freude (Ode to Joy) in his Choral Symphony, Johannes Brahms, Gaetano Donizetti, Giselher Klebe, Gioachino Rossini, Franz Schubert, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Giuseppe Verdi, Graham Waterhouse and Zinaida Petrovna Ziberova.
There are relatively few well-known musical settings of Schiller's poems. Beethoven (who had a very high opinion of Schiller) thought that this was because the composer must rise higher than the poet, which is much more difficult in the case of great poetry. (Beethoven thought it was much easier to set verse by Schiller's friend Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.)
Schiller died from tuberculosis in Weimar on 9 May 1805, aged forty-five.
A selection of articles about Friedrich Schiller
The Magnanimity of Michael Tilson Thomas - Jeffrey Neil reflects on a performance of Beethoven's Choral Symphony
Ensemble. Joy Indeed - Beethoven's Choral Symphony at the University of California San Diego impresses Ron Bierman
Towards the Unknown Region - The late George Colerick discusses Ralph Vaughan Williams as writer on music, particularly when he turns his thoughts towards Beethoven's Choral Symphony
Ensemble. A Rare Bird - Verdi's 'Luisa Miller', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. A Connolly Smorgasbord - A selection of performances by Sarah Connolly, as part of the Buxton International Festival Digital 2020 Season, reviewed by Mike Wheeler
Ensemble. Pappano's 'Ninth' - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on Beethoven from Rome's Parco della Musica
Ensemble. Petrenko's Highly Dramatic 'Ninth' - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a special concert in Rome
Ensemble. A Timeless Staging - Giuseppe Pennisi visits Bologna for a very political 'Don Carlo'
Ensemble. Bandits in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi describes the stormy reaction to Verdi's 'I Masnadieri'
Ensemble. A Duel of Voices - Donizetti's 'Maria Stuarda' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Astonishing Work - 'Giovanna D'Arco' in the Farnese Theater, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Born Again - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the revitalised Verdi Festival in Parma for 'Don Carlo'
Ensemble. Passion and Commitment - Verdi's 'Giovanna D'Arco' at La Scala, recommended by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Uneven but Gorgeous - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Naples on 'I Masnadieri' and 'Die Räuber'
Ensemble. Opulent and Effective - Puccini's 'Turandot' in Arizona, enjoyed by Maria Nockin
Ensemble. Terrific Pace and Direction - Verdi's 'Luisa Miller' at the Buxton Festival, recommended by Mike Wheeler
Ensemble. Sisters Under the Skin - Donizetti's 'Maria Stuarda' at Opera North, reviewed by Mike Wheeler
A Vision of Shostakovich's String Quartet No 8 - A poem by J Jean Mayfield
DVD Spotlight. Malignant Fate - Donizetti's 'Maria Stuarda', recommended by Robert Anderson. '... wonderfully alert ...'
Arts and the Colour of Politics - Béla Hartmann muses on growing social equality and democratization
DVD Spotlight. Beyond Beauty - A film about Sergiu Celibidache, seen by Ioana Osoianu. 'There are no compromises.'
CD Spotlight. A Distinctive Voice - Music by Vincent d'Indy, recommended by Robert Anderson. 'The eloquent solo viola of Lawrence Power is crucial ...'
Ensemble. Outstanding Performance - A San Diego performance of Verdi's 'Rigoletto' impresses Maria Nockin
Record Box. A Triumph - Matthias Goerne sings Schubert, enjoyed by Robert Anderson
Murdering Classical Music - A Speculative History of the Present, by Gordon Rumson
Ensemble. Dramatic Veracity - Puccini's 'Turandot' from St Louis, reviewed by Maria Nockin
Ensemble. A Sumptuous Display - Verdi's 'Don Carlo' at LA Opera, appreciated by Maria Nockin
DVD Spotlight. Terrifying Intensity - Puccini's 'Turandot', reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... brimful of imagination ...'
DVD Spotlight. Original groupings - Verdi's 'Don Carlo', reviewed by Robert Anderson. 'The chief glory ... is Zeffirelli's staging.'