Hugo Wolf Biography

Hugo Wolf was a late 19th century Austrian composer best known for his art songs. He was a highly creative person whose works, though influenced by Romantic music were unique and intense in their own right. He became especially well-known for his tremendous influence on the German lieder—lieder are art songs, a genre of composition in which Romantic German poems are set to music. He is credited to have brought lieder to its peak in the late 19th century. A child prodigy, he started learning piano and violin when he was just four years old. Related to the renowned composer Herbert von Karajan, he was deeply interested in music from an early age and was not at all interested in any other subject. He did not perform well in school because of his preoccupation with music and was often dismissed from his classes. Eventually he embarked on a career as a composer and became famous for his art songs. His works were critically acclaimed and he gained a reputation as a brilliant song composer. Along with his skills in the field of music, he was equally known for his fiery temperament and unpredictable behavior. His career as a composer was frequently disrupted by bouts of depression and he also suffered from numerous other health issues.