The month of August is a time of beginnings as a new academic year begins—children go back to school, and piano studios fill with new students eager to play. Read below to discover more about piano history in the month of August including the birth of two important composers, the completion of a major symphonic work, and the death of a legendary pianist.
August 7, 1896
Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona was born in Guanabacoa, Havana, Cuba on August 7, 1896.1 Famous for his numerous pieces for piano based on Cuban dances and songs, Lecuona was a talented pianist and composer. Studies at the National Conservatory in Havana in 1913 led to additional studies with composer Joaquín Nin, as well as travel throughout the world to perform.2 His music has been championed by pianist Thomas Tirino, whose editions and recordings are a useful resource for anyone wanting to learn more about Lecuona’s music. Among his most popular works is the Suite Andalucia, which includes the famous selection titled “Malagueña.” Interested in learning more about music from Cuba? Read this article by Elizabeth Borowsky to learn more about her experience connecting musically with others in Cuba:
August 10, 1788
On August 10, 1788, Mozart finished the Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K. 551, nicknamed “Jupiter.” The last symphony that Mozart wrote, it is one of his crowning achievements, demonstrating his ingenious approach to form and counterpoint. This four-movement work concludes with a remarkable finale that includes an impressive fugato coda. The work has become one of his most popular in the symphonic realm, alongside his Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550. Are you working on or teaching music by Mozart? Learn tips about Mozart’s style and his Fantasie in D Minor, K. 397 in this video by pianist Sean Schulze.
August 18, 1957
Born in China on August 18, 1957, Tan Dun is an American composer well known for his compositions that blend Western and Eastern musical elements.3 He studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing before moving to the United States and completing his doctoral degree at Columbia University.4 Among his many achievements are winning an Academy Award for Best Original Score (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and a Grawemeyer Award in Music Composition. His piano work Eight Memories in Watercolor is particularly popular, and was performed by Lang Lang in Carnegie Hall in 2003. Interested in learning more about this composition? Yu Han’s prizewinning article discusses the cultural and practical implications of this work. Read more by clicking here.
August 22, 1976
On August 22, 1976, Greek pianist Gina Bachauer passed away in Athens, Greece. A graduate of the Athens Conservatory and the Ecole Normale in Paris studying under Cortot, she traveled around the world performing with orchestras such as those in Paris and Athens, along with tours throughout the United States.5 During World War II, she performed hundreds of concerts for allied troops in Egypt.6 Her incredible career and legacy resulted in the establishment of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation, founded in 1976.
Endnotes
- Aurelio de la Vega, “Lecuona (Casado), Ernesto,” Grove Music Online, 2001, Accessed 14 Aug. 2025, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000016235.
- Vega, “Lecuona (Casado), Ernesto,” Grove Music Online.
- Joanna C Lee, “Tan Dun,” Grove Music Online, 2001, Accessed 14 Aug. 2025, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000042657.
- Lee, “Tan Dun,” Grove Music Online.
- Graham Wade, “Bachauer, Gina,” Grove Music Online, 2001, Accessed 14 Aug. 2025, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000001694.
- Wade, “Bachauer, Gina,” Grove Music Online.
Lee, Joanna C. “Tan Dun.” Grove Music Online. 2001; Accessed 14 Aug. 2025. https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000042657.
Vega, Aurelio de la. “Lecuona (Casado), Ernesto.” Grove Music Online. 2001; Accessed 14 Aug. 2025. https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000016235.
Wade, Graham. “Bachauer, Gina.” Grove Music Online. 2001; Accessed 14 Aug. 2025. https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000001694.
OTHER RESOURCES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
- PIANO MAGAZINE ARTICLE: An American Family’s Musical Journey Through Cuba by Elizabeth Borowsky
- PIANO MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Teaching Students to Love Classical Period Repertoire: Q&A with Suzanne Newcomb by Suzanne Newcomb
- PIANO MAGAZINE ARTICLE: LIVING IN TECHNICOLOR—An Interview with Sara Davis Buechner by Craig Sale
- PIANO MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Collegiate Essay Winner: The Cultural and Practical Implications of Tan Dun’s Eight Memories in Watercolor by Yu Han
- PIANO MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Piano Music by Composers from Asia: A History of Self-Discovery by Lisa Yui
- PIANO INSPIRES PODCAST: Midori Koga with Andrea McAlister
- REPERTOIRE VIDEO SERIES: Mozart: Fantasie in D Minor, K.397 by Sean Schulze
- DISCOVERY POST: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Mozart by Sarah Leonard
- DISCOVERY POST: This Month in Piano History – January 2025 by Megan Hall
- Use our search feature to discover more!