Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Crisóstomo Jacobo Antonio de Arriaga y Balzola
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Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga
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| Born | January 27, 1806 Bilbao, Spain
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| Died | January 17, 1826 (aged 19) Paris, France
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| Occupation | Composer |
| Parent(s) | Juan Simón de Arriaga |
Juan Crisóstomo Jacobo Antonio de Arriaga y Balzola (born January 27, 1806 – died January 17, 1826) was a talented Spanish Basque composer. People called him "the Spanish Mozart" after he passed away. This was because, like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, he was an amazing child prodigy and a skilled composer who died very young at just 19 years old. They also shared the same first two baptismal names and the same birthday, January 27, though they were born fifty years apart.
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Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga was born in Bilbao, Biscay, Spain. His birthday, January 27, was exactly fifty years after Mozart's birth. Juan's father, Juan Simón de Arriaga, and his older brother were his first music teachers. They helped him discover his musical talent at a very young age.
Studying Music in Paris
In September 1821, when Juan was 15, his father sent him to Paris. This decision was encouraged by another composer, José Sobejano y Ayala. In November of that year, Arriaga began his studies at the famous Paris Conservatoire.
What Juan Studied
At the Conservatoire, Juan studied several important musical subjects:
- He learned to play the violin from Pierre Baillot.
- He studied counterpoint with Luigi Cherubini. Counterpoint is a way of writing music where different melodies play at the same time.
- He learned harmony from François-Joseph Fétis. Harmony is about how different notes sound good together.
Juan made a big impression on his teachers. They were amazed by his skills. He quickly became a teaching assistant in Fétis's class. Both his fellow students and the teachers at the Conservatoire highly praised his talent.
A Short but Brilliant Life
Juan's father supported him well during his four years in Paris. However, Juan's intense focus on his studies and his quick rise to fame might have affected his health. His teachers often complimented him and believed he had a very bright future.
Sadly, Juan died in Paris just ten days before his twentieth birthday. He passed away from a lung illness, possibly tuberculosis, or perhaps from exhaustion, or even both.
He was buried in an unmarked grave in the Cimetière du Nord in Montmartre. In 1977, thanks to the Spanish Embassy, a plaque was placed at 314 rue Saint-Honoré. This plaque marks the house where he lived and serves as a memory of the young composer.
Images for kids
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The Teatro Arriaga in Bilbao is one of the centers of the August city festivals
See also
In Spanish: Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga para niños
