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Yeah

Alright, too slow again! I'll do another.

One of the "Russian Exiles" of the 20th century
He didn't like the black keys or the notes played by them on the piano.
His wife was arrested for espionage because she tried to send money to Spain via an embassy.
He died on the same day as Stalin.

And I thought I was the lazyest person in the guild... 0_o

I know! I'm sure out there somewhere is a quantum state in flux where it happened, but I wonder weather music is better or worse, or just different. Or, none of that.

I mean, would it have delayed the onset of the romantic period? would this have allowed classical musicians to better develop their style? would some other scandal have changed the music at the time, and moreso the music of today?

But you are incorrect. I haven't found the information I've given in any internet biography, [as I imagine they are all copied off one another,] but I'd think that someone should be able to pick it.

Well that clue helps narrow things down a bit.

The next guess I would have had is Franz Liszt, which would fit the latest clue here. I can't think of anyone before him who would have attempted expanding the sound of the piano, and there were plenty afterwards, but he would be in the correct timeframe, since when he was young it was still in the age of monarchies.

If I get it right, I'll think up a couple of entries for y'all to guess on.

Okay, I'll put up two to guess.

1. While on his deathbed, he was asked that in order to receive absolution he has to destroy the draft of his last work, which was an opera. He complied and recieved last rites. After the event, a horrified friend asked him what compelled him to destroy something he worked so hard to make. He whispered: "Don't worry, I've got another copy!"

An accidental injury led to his death.


2. He was more known to have his performances in art galleries and more intimate settings, but in 1974 on the invitation of Michael Tilson-Thomas, he was granted a premiere to have his work performed in the Boston Symphony Concert Hall and later at Carnegie in New York City. Both performances recieved hostile reception including and not limited to repeated calls to stop the performance, a woman storming onto the stage to interrupt, and the loud chorus of "boo"s that greeted it upon the end of performance. It was later revealed that there were a group of people who actually enjoyed the performance and upon later anaylsis there was a distinct age divide between those who hated the piece (the older audience) and those who loved it (the younger audience).

One of his pieces, not the one described above, involved only two people clapping hands in differing rhythms.

I try to find interesting anecdotes as clues as opposed to rote facts.

You got Lully right. Probably one of the strangest deaths I ever heard of: stabbing himself in the foot with his own conducting staff and letting the wound fester.

Now let's see who can guess composer #2 . . .