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How They Died
Music Memory composers for 2009-2010
These links go to Wikipedia.  Wikipedia is a good source but remember anyone can contribute and information should be checked out with other sources.
Beethoven, des Prez, Fanny Mendelssohn, Holst, Bach, Puccini, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Chopin, Haydn, Williams, Still, Rossini, Brahms, Sousa.


beethoven  Beethoven - It is said that he died during a hail storm.  He went rowing and caught a chill which progressed into pneumonia complicated by cirrhosis of the liver.  Age of 57
Brahms and Schubert are buried next to him at their request.



des Prez   des Prez -  "Natural causes"  (Old age) at the age of 71

fanny mendelssohn  Fanny Mendelssohn- Died of complications from a stroke suffered while rehearsing one of her brother's Oratorios (Felix died less than six months later from the same cause.)

holst  Gustav Holst-  Holst fell backward off a conductor's podium and suffered a concussion.  Then he grew ill with stomach problems and died of complications following stomach surgery at the age of 60.



bach Bach -Died from a stroke after eye surgery for cataracts at the age of 75

puccini  Giacomo Puccini-  Died of throat cancer at the age of 66.

mozart  Mozart - Many theories are around.  Some by poison (Mercury was commonly used in medicines of the time) but most likely complications from Rheumatic Fever at the age of 35

tchaikovsky  Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky-  Died from Cholera from drinking contaminated water at the age of 53.

Wagner  Richard Wagner-   Died of a heart attack at the age of  70.

chopin Frederic Chopin-    Died of either tuberculosis or cystic fibrosis, both lung illnesses.  He is buried in Paris but his heart was removed and sent to his beloved Poland...(REALLY!)

haydn  Joseph Haydn-  "Natural Causes" (Old age) at the age of 77.  His skull was stolen from his grave by sudo-scientist who wanted to study his genius....Later it was recovered and buried properly.

williams  John Williams-  Still alive!!!


StillWilliam Grant Still-    Died of heart failure at the age of 63.


rossini picture         Rossini- "Natural Causes" at the age of 76


brahms  Brahms - Died of cancer of the liver at the age of 64
Buried next to Beethoven and Schubert.

Sousa  John Philip Sousa- Died of heart failure at the age of 77.