Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, however, most of his life of a musician he spent in Vienna. Of the seven children born to Johann van Beethoven, only Ludwig, the second-born, and two younger brothers survived infancy. Beethoven's musical talent was obvious at a young age. His first music teacher was his father. Although tradition has it that … [Read more...]

Johann Sebastian Bach (March 21, 1685 - July 28, 1750) was the master of Baroque composition who in his later years held the post of music director in Leipzig, Germany. Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected throughout Europe during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest … [Read more...]

Friedrich Schiller (November 10, 1759 - May 9, 1805), later ennobled to Friedrich von Schiller by the Duke of Wurttemberg, is one of the most famous German philosophers, playwrights and poets. Although he was born and grew up in Wurttemberg, the peak of his power happened while he was living in Weimar. The destiny joined two geniuses of the German … [Read more...]

Friedrich Nietzsche was not your average philosopher. He didn’t aim to comfort readers—he aimed to wake them up. Often poetic, sometimes scathing, and always provocative, Nietzsche’s quotes distill his explosive insights on power, morality, individualism, and meaning. This collection of Nietzsche quotes captures the raw energy of his thought and … [Read more...]