Though classical music is a more serious genre when it comes to its composition and performance, it’s not all work and no play. There are a handful of fun facts and wild statistics about classical music that many people wouldn’t have ever guessed. From prosperous countries and pricey costumes to crazy composers and chart-toppers, here’s a quick look at some crazy classical music facts:
- German composer Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the biggest names in classical music, but it was actually Flemish composer Orlande de Lassus who produced the most compositions of all time. He composed around 1,400 pieces of work.
- With today’s influx of technology, it’s no surprise that 43 percent of piano teachers enhance their lessons with a smartphone or tablet.
- English composer Edward Elgar miraculously wrote the main theme for his cello concerto on a napkin after waking up from dental surgery.
- In 1960, American opera singer Leonard Warren died on stage after singing “Morir, tremenda cosa,” which eerily translates to “To die, a momentous thing.”
- They say listening to classical music helps you study. However, this is only when you’re writing a paper, organizing notes or assembling a presentation. If you’re memorizing facts, dates, math, science or a foreign language, you should turn off the tunes.
- One of the shortest well-known composers was Austrian Franz Schubert. He stood at 5 feet and 1 inch, prompting his friends to call him “little mushroom.”
- Spanish opera singer Adelina Patti wore the most expensive costume of all time in 1895. It was worth more than $16 million.
- We can thank Germany for a lot in the world of classical music. They have the most pieces of chart-topping classical music, followed by the United Kingdom and Russia. They have also given the world 23.6 percent of the world’s greatest all-time composers. However, the United States has the most living composers with 54.6 percent.
- A single violin is made from more than 70 individual pieces of wood.
- The London Symphony Orchestra was supposed to travel on the Titanic’s maiden voyage, but they serendipitously changed boats at the last minute.
- “Karaoke” is a Japanese word that loosely translates to “empty orchestra.”
- Hungarian composer Franz Liszt was known for his longer hair. He received so many requests for locks of his hair that he began sending clippings of his dog’s fur instead.
- Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky suffered from multiple psychological problems. He believed that his head would fall off, so when conducting an orchestra, he would hold his chin with his left hand.
- German composer Felix Mendelssohn left his original overture for A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the backseat of a cab. He was able to rewrite the entire piece from memory.
- American composer John Cage created 4’33”, a composition of silence for exactly 4 minutes and 33 seconds. A pianist walks on stage, opens the lid of a grand piano, sits down then lowers the lid.
And there you have it. We’ve given you 15 entertainingly strange facts about classical music, and there’s so many more to learn. If you have any more free time, check out the political meaning behind Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 or discover which song was worth $25 million.
To learn even more about classical music, subscribe to our weekly blog below: