Meet The Famous Composers. Part 1

Е. Н. Борисова, П. П. Ростовцева

M E E T  T H E  F A M O U S 
C O M P O S E R S

P a r t  1

Москва
Издательство «Согласие» 2015

УДК 811
ББК 81.2 Англ.
      Б 82

Рецензенты:

О. Р. Рякина, доктор педагогических наук, профессор,
заведующая кафедрой языковой коммуникации РАМ им. Гнесиных

М. Б. Ясинская, кандидат филологических наук,  
профессор кафедры философии, культурологии и политологии МосГУ

Борисова Е. Н., Ростовцева П. П.
Meet The Famous Composers. Part 1. Учебно-методическое пособие по английскому языку. — М.: ООО «Издательство «Согласие», 2015 — 88 с.

ISBN 978–5–906709–25–7

Учебно-методическое пособие предназначено для развития профессионально ориентированной иноязычной компетенции студентов музыкальных специальностей вузов и ссузов. 
Материалы пособия подобраны с учетом требований уровней владения языком А2 и В1 (CEFR), а также программных требований дисциплин «Иностранный язык» и «Профессиональное общение на иностранном языке». 
Цель пособия – овладение профессионально ориентированным иностранным языком.
Пособие состоит из 8 уроков, каждый из которых включает 3 тематических 
текста, контрольно-обучающие и творческие задания.

УДК 811
ББК 81.2 Англ.

The textbook is intended for music students developing their foreign language for 
professional purposes. 
The education materials meet the requirements of CEFR Levels A2 / B1, as well as 
those of Russian academic programmes for disciplines «Foreign language» and «Foreign 
language for professional communication». 
The textbook consists of 8 units. Each unit presents three texts on music followed by 
communication activities. 

ISBN 978–5–906709–25–7                                                     © Борисова Е. Н., 2015
© Ростовцева П. П., 2015

 

СОДЕРЖАНИЕ

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

UNIT 1
Johann Sebastian Bach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Text 1 
DID BACH’S WIFE WRITE SOME OF HIS BEST-KNOWN WORKS? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Text 2 
IF YOU PUT BEETHOVEN, MOZART AND BACH IN A ROOM, 
WHAT WOULD THEY DISAGREE ON? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

UNIT 2
Domenico Scarlatti  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Text 1 
ALESSANDRO SCARLATTI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Text 2 
THE MERCURIAL MAESTRO OF MADRID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

UNIT 3
George Frideric Handel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Text 1 
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL: LIFE AND MUSIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Text 2 
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HANDEL’S MESSIAH! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

UNIT 4
Franz Joseph Haydn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Text 1 
10 FACTS ABOUT FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Text 2 
JOHANN MICHAEL HAYDN: A SHORT BIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

MEET THE FAMOUS COMPOSERS

UNIT 5
Muzio Clementi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Text 1 
MUZIO CLEMENTI: BIOGRAPHY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Text 2 
MUZIO CLEMENTI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

UNIT 6
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Text 1 
THE FEUD THAT NEVER WAS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Text 2 
68 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MOZART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

UNIT 7
Ludwig van Beethoven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Text 1 
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN. BIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Text 2 
WHAT IF BEETHOVEN GAVE YOUR COMMENCEMENT  SPEECH? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

UNIT 8
Frederic Chopin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Text 1 
QUOTES BY CHOPIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Text 2 
QUOTES ABOUT CHOPIN DURING HIS TIME  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

СПИСОК ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Учебно-методическое пособие «Meet the Famous Composers» (Part 1) предназначено для студентов музыкальных специальностей высших учебных заведений, 
а также для студентов ссузов. 
Материалы пособия могут быть использованы для формирования профессионально ориентированной иноязычной компетенции студентов уровней владения языком А2 и В1 в соответствии с Общеевропейскими компетенциями владения иностранным языком (CEFR).
Цель учебного пособия – формирование умений и готовностей к осмыслению 
и анализу профессионально ориентированного текста на иностранном языке. На 
основе материалов пособия развиваются основные виды речевой деятельности, 
необходимые при овладении студентами иностранным языком.
Учебно-методическое пособие состоит из 8 уроков, каждый из которых включает материалы музыкальной тематики (основной и два дополнительных текста), 
контрольно-обучающие и творческие задания. 
Пособие может быть использовано как в процессе аудиторной работы, так 
и самостоятельной работы студентов.
Дидактические материалы пособия обеспечивают развитие иноязычной компетенции студентов в информативном пространстве музыкального искусства 
и культуры. 
 

UNIT 1

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany, into 
a large family of musicians in 1685. His father played the violin. 
Other relatives were fiddlers, music copyists, town pipers, and 
played the oboe or organ. It was no wonder that Bach grew up 
loving music.
Bach’s parents died when he was 10 years old. He went 
to live with his oldest brother, Christoph, who taught him to 
play the harpsichord and organ. During this time Bach went to 
school where his boy soprano voice was admired. When his voice 
changed, he studied the violin, but soon became interested in the organ 
and decided to pursue church music. At the age of 18, he became organist at Arnstadt 
and began composing.
When he was 22, Bach moved to Muhlhausen and married Maria Barbara Bach. They 
had seven children. He was known as an outstanding church musician and excellent 
organist and was appointed court organist and violinist to the Duke of Weimar. He 
stayed in Weimar for nine years, and during this time Bach composed some of his 
finest organ music, including the great Toccata and Fugue in D Minor as well as church 
cantatas and keyboard suites.
In 1717, when he was 32, Bach accepted the post of master of music to Prince Leopold 
of Anhalt-Cothen. While there he composed much of his orchestral music including 
the six popular Brandenburg Concertos and works for the clavichord and harpsichord. 
Bach’s wife, Maria, died in 1720, and in 1721 he married the beautiful Anna Magdalena 
Wulken, who was a good singer and musician. Bach had 13 more children with her and 
taught most of his children to play a musical instrument. He composed a Little Book 
for the Keyboard for his nine-year-old son, Wilhelm Friedemann. Wilhelm grew up to 
be a respected performer and composer in his own right, as did several of Bach’s sons.
In 1723, Bach accepted the post of music director of St. Thomas’s School in Leipzig. 
Here he composed many of his most famous choral works, including his Christmas 
Oratorio and the St. Matthew Passion.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach was deeply religious and a devoted family man. His music was signed 

«S.D.G».  (Soli Deo Gloria) which means «to the glory of God». He spent many musical 
evenings with his family, and boasted he could form a vocal and instrumental ensemble 
just from his family alone.
Bach became blind in 1749 and died in 1750. Johann Sebastian Bach is considered 
to be one of the greatest masters of the Baroque period.

1. Read and translate the text using a dictionary if necessary.

2. Match the following Russian words and phrases with the English equivalents.
1. родиться в большой семье
a. a music copyist
2. играть на скрипке
b. boy soprano voice
3. уличный скрипач
c. to be appointed court organist
4. переписчик нот
d. an outstanding church musician
5. неудивительно
e. a keyboard suite
6. дискант
f. a deeply religious man
7. восхищаться
g. to be born into a large family
8. заняться церковной музыкой
h. an ensemble
9. в возрасте 18 лет
i. to pursue church music
10. выдающийся церковный музыкант
j. to boast
11. получить пост (2 варианта)
k. a fiddler
12. сюита для клавира
l. to be considered to be one of the greatest 
masters of the Baroque period
13. произведения для клавикорда и клавесина
m. to become blind

14. произведения для хора
n. a devoted family man
15. глубоко религиозный человек
o. to play the violin
16. преданный семьянин
p. choral works
17. хвастаться
q. to accept the post of master of music
18. ансамбль
r. to admire
19. ослепнуть
s. at the age of 18
20. считаться одним из величайших композиторов барочной музыки
t. no wonder

u. works for clavichord and harpsichord

3. Give the synonyms and antonyms.

Words and word combinations
Synonyms
Antonyms
1. to love music
2. to admire
3. to become interested in
4. outstanding
5. excellent
6. including
7. devoted
8. to boast
9. popular
10. to marry

MEET THE FAMOUS COMPOSERS

4. Complete the table.

Infinitive present
Past Simple
Participle II
1. to bear
bore
born
2.
grew
3.
gone
4. to teach
5.
became
6.
began
7. to know
8.
done
9. to spend
10
been

5. Unscramble the following words.
1. cimunais
2. drefild
3. booe
4. psihadorchr
5. nagor
6. niovli
7. tatanac
8. tiseu
9. gufue
10. viclodrach

6. Check your comprehension by filling in the blanks with suitable words or word 
combinations.

1. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in __________ .
А. France  
B. Russia 
 
C. Germany  
D. Holland

2. Bach’s parents died when he was 10 years old. He went __________ .
А. to the boarding school 
 
B. to live with his oldest brother
С. for a walk 
 
 
 
D. shopping

3. At the age of 18, he __________ .
А. began composing 
 
 
 
 
В. married Maria Barbara
C. wrote his great Toccata and Fugue in D Minor 
D. stopped composing music

4. When Bach was 22, he __________ .
A. went to Weimar to study law 
B. was appointed court organist and violinist
C. divorced from his wife 
 
D. stopped composing music

5. Being master of music to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cothen, Bach __________ .
A. formed a vocal and instrumental ensemble 
B. moved to another country
C. composed much of his orchestral music 
D. went to live with his oldest brother

Johann Sebastian Bach

6. He composed a Little Book for the Keyboard __________ .
A. to sell it and earn money 
B. for his youngest daughter
C. for his pupils  
 
D. for his nine-year-old son, Wilhelm Friedemann

7. Bach became __________ in 1749.
A. fat 
 
B. blind 
 
C. deaf 
 
D. a singer

7. Choose the correct form.

1. It was no wonder that Bach __________ loving music.
A. grew up 
 
B. was grown
C. grew up to be  
D. has grown up to be

2. Bach __________ the organ and decided to pursue church music.
A. became interested in  
B. became interested at
C. became interesting in  
D. became interesting at

3. Bach __________ as an outstanding church musician and excellent organist.
A. has been known 
B. has known
C. was known 
 
D. knew

4. Johann Sebastian Bach lived in Weimar for nine years where he composed some of 
his finest organ music, __________ the great Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.
A. excluding 
 
B. included  
C. excluded  
D. including

5. Bach’s son grew up to be a __________ performer.
A. respecting 
 
B. respect 
 
C. respectable 
D. respected

6. In Leipzig Bach composed many of his __________ choral works.
A. more famous  
B. most famous 
C. less famous 
D. the famousest

7. Johann Sebastian Bach __________ one of the greatest masters of the Baroque period.
A. consider to be  
 
B. is considered to being
C. is considered be 
 
D. is considered to be

8. Complete the sentences with necessary prepositions.

1. Johann Sebastian Bach was born _____ a large family _____ musicians _____ 1685.

2. It was no wonder that Bach grew _____ loving music.

3. When his voice changed, he studied the violin, but soon became interested _____ the 
organ and decided to pursue church music.

4. _____ the age _____ 18, he became organist _____ Arnstadt and began composing.

5. _____ the age _____ 22, Bach moved _____ Muhlhausen and married _____ Maria 
Barbara Bach.

6. He was known _____ an outstanding church musician and excellent organist.