{"id":85549,"date":"2022-08-18T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-18T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.allclassical.org\/?p=85549"},"modified":"2026-01-23T12:58:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T20:58:21","slug":"classical-hobbies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allclassical.org\/classical-hobbies\/","title":{"rendered":"Classical Hobbies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In the world of classical music, it\u2019s easy to get lost in the mystique and lore surrounding its musical figures. At All Classical Portland, we strive to connect to the real, living humans behind the music. What better way to get acquainted with these renowned composers than through their hobbies? Perhaps in doing so, we can form an even deeper connection to their music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional editing and research by Rebecca Richardson<\/strong>, All Classical Portland’s Music Researcher & Digital Producer.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Felix Mendelssohn, visual artist<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Gewandhaus by Felix Mendelssohn (1836). Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Felix Mendelssohn\u2019s artistic achievements were not limited to music. From an early age, Mendelssohn was also inspired to draw and paint with watercolors. Visual art became an essential creative outlet for the composer both during periods of joy and grief. His painting titled \u201cGewandhaus\u201d was likely created as a memento for a performance he conducted in 1836 in the venue of the same name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drawing at the top of this article is also by Mendelssohn, titled “Baumgruppe in Interlaken” (“Group of trees in Interlaken”). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anton\u00edn Dvo\u0159\u00e1<\/span>k, trainspotter and pigeon fancier<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Image courtesy of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Czech composer of \u201cFrom the New World\u201d symphony had two notable passions outside of music – trains and pigeons. Dvo\u0159\u00e1k was fascinated by the technological advancement that trains provided. He almost obsessively tracked the records of trains traveling to and from his local station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At his summer house in Vysok\u00e1, Dvo\u0159\u00e1k meticulously maintained a pigeon loft that included birds gifted by Queen Victoria. While he spent time abroad in New York, the composer visited a zoological garden in Central Park every week to see the 200 pigeons housed there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gioachino Rossini, gourmand<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Gioacchino Rossini by \u00c9tienne Carjat (1865). Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Gioachino Rossini achieved such an unprecedented level of fame and success from his operas that he was able to retire in his 30s. So how did the Barber of Seville <\/em>composer spend his time during his decades of freedom? He cultivated his passion for cooking excellent cuisine, drinking fine wine, and hosting lavish parties. Several culinary dishes were named after Rossini, including Tournedos Rossini<\/a> (filet mignon with foie gras and truffles), Macaroni alla Rossini<\/a> (a creamy baked pasta dish with truffles), and the Rossini Cocktail<\/a> (a spin on a Bellini using strawberries in place of peaches).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sergei Prokofiev, chess player<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Image courtesy of ChessBase.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Sergei Prokofiev is known as one of the giants of 20th-century music, but did you know that he was also an avid chess player? Prokofiev\u2019s passion for the game began as a child and evolved into competitive infatuation throughout the rest of his life. Through this hobby, the composer befriended notable world chess champions such as Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Capablanca (even beating him at a match) and Mikhail Botvinnik.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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George Butterworth, dancer<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Image courtesy of WarComposers.co.uk. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

English composer George Butterworth was especially passionate about preserving and promoting English folk music and dance. In fact, he is known to have said, “I’m not a musician. I’m a professional dancer.” Butterworth co-founded the English Folk Dance Society in 1911 and participated in its dance demonstration team. This video showing Butterworth (among others) performing Morris dancing<\/a> is the earliest known example of English folk dance captured on film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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