Interesting Secrets About Famous Composers
Classical composers are often presented as untouchable geniuses who lived in a world apart from us. But the reality is far more interesting.
Behind the symphonies and sonatas were real people with bizarre habits, surprising feuds, and secrets that would raise eyebrows in any era. Some were superstitious, others were prone to eccentric behavior, and a few met their end in ways that seem almost too strange to believe.
Here’s a look at fascinating secrets about the composers whose music still fills concert halls today.
Haydn’s Tomb Contains Two Skulls
When Joseph Haydn died, phrenologists stole his head from his grave, believing they could study genius by examining skull shape. A replacement skull was placed in his tomb, but when the real one was finally returned in 1954, nobody bothered to remove the fake one.
So if you visit Haydn’s final resting place today, you’ll find he’s been lying there with two heads for over 70 years.
Lully Killed Himself With a Conducting Staff
Jean-Baptiste Lully had a habit of keeping time during performances by pounding a large staff on the ground. During one rehearsal, he missed the floor and stabbed himself in the foot, which became infected with gangrene and eventually killed him.
It’s one of the strangest occupational hazards in musical history.
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Grieg Carried a Lucky Frog
Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg kept a cloth frog figurine in his pocket and would pat it on the head for good luck before every concert. For a man who composed some of the most powerful Romantic music, he apparently needed a little amphibian encouragement before facing an audience.
Beethoven Was Still Conducting After the Music Stopped
At the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, Beethoven was so deaf that he continued conducting an imaginary orchestra in his head even after the performance had ended. A soloist had to physically turn him around so he could see the audience giving him a standing ovation.
The moment was so moving that many in attendance were brought to tears.
Mozart Wrote While Hungover
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed the overture to Don Giovanni on the morning of its premiere while nursing a hangover from drinking too much the night before. The fact that he could create such a masterpiece under those conditions says something about his extraordinary talent—or perhaps about the strength of 18th-century wine.
Schubert Was Nicknamed ‘Little Mushroom’
Franz Schubert stood just five feet one inch tall, which earned him the nickname ‘Schwammerl’ or ‘Little Mushroom’ from his friends. Despite his small stature, his musical output was enormous.
He died at 31 but left behind over 600 songs and some of the most beautiful music ever written.
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Scarlatti’s Cat Composed Music
Domenico Scarlatti wrote his ‘Cat Fugue’ after his pet cat, Pulcinella, walked across his keyboard. The random notes the cat played became the basis for the composition’s theme.
It’s probably the only piece of classical music that can claim a feline co-composer.
Liszt Sent Dog Hair Instead of His Own
Franz Liszt received so many requests from admirers wanting locks of his hair that he eventually bought a dog and started sending out clippings of its fur instead. Given that Lisztomania was a real phenomenon in 19th-century Europe, you can’t entirely blame him for finding a creative solution to the constant demands.
Brahms Played Piano in Rough Taverns as a Boy
The young Johannes Brahms was forced to play piano in dance halls to help support his impoverished family. He earned money at night performing on out-of-tune instruments in questionable establishments along the Hamburg waterfront.
It was a far cry from the concert halls where his symphonies would later be performed.
Schumann Put His Hands in Animal Guts
Robert Schumann would plunge his hands into the entrails of freshly slaughtered animals, believing this would cure his various ailments. He came from a family with a long history of psychological issues, and his unusual healing methods were just one sign of his deteriorating mental health.
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Schoenberg’s Fear Came True
Arnold Schoenberg suffered from triskaidekaphobia, an intense fear of the number 13, despite being born on September 13. When he turned 76, a friend pointed out that seven plus six equals 13, convincing him he wouldn’t survive to 77.
He died that same year on Friday, July 13, 1951. Sometimes superstitions have an eerie way of manifesting.
Chopin and Liszt Were Frenemies
Frédéric Chopin dedicated his Opus 10 Etudes to Franz Liszt, but when Liszt played them so brilliantly, Chopin became jealous and told a friend he wished he could steal back Liszt’s technique. Years later, Chopin was annoyed when Liszt performed one of his nocturnes with added embellishments.
The two respected each other’s genius but couldn’t quite get past the competitive edge.
Bach Got Arrested for Fighting
Johann Sebastian Bach spent time in prison for disorderly public conduct after getting into fights, including at least one brawl with a bassoon player. The man who gave us some of the most sublime religious music in existence apparently had a temper problem and wasn’t afraid to use his fists when provoked.
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When Genius Meets Reality
The stories behind these composers remind us that brilliance doesn’t require perfection. Some were superstitious, others were jealous or temperamental, and a few had habits that seem downright bizarre.
But their flaws and eccentricities didn’t diminish their art—if anything, they made their achievements more remarkable. These were real people who happened to create extraordinary music, and their secrets show us that genius often comes wrapped in very human packaging.
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