The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

French composer and organist Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) completed his Quatuor pour le fin du temps while a prisoner of war in 1941. It was first performed by Messiaen and some fellow inmates for an audience of prisoners. The Peabody Trio will perform the piece with clarinetist Anthony McGill in their January 27 concert.

Born María Felicia García Sitches, Maria Malibran (1808-1836) first performed at age 5 alongside her father, a well-known tenor. In 1825, she performed in the first presentations of Italian opera in New York, singing leading roles in 8 operas.

Saxophonist John Coltrane (1926-1967) is considered one of jazz’s most influential musicians. His revolutionary use of multi-tonic systems in jazz has become a widespread composition and reharmonization technique known as "Coltrane changes."

Count Ferdinand Ernst Gabriel von Waldstein, a German nobleman, was an early patron of Beethoven. The composer's Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op.53 is known as the Waldstein Sonata. Beethoven composed Eight variations for piano four hands on a theme by Count Waldstein, WoO 67.

Better known as a big band leader, Count Basie helmed and octet in 1950-1951. The group featured younger, bop-oriented musicians than made up his orchestra, such as tenor saxophonist Wardell Grey, baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff, and clarinetist Buddy DeFranco.

Edgar Varèse (1883-1965) emphasized timbre and rhythm in his compositions. His use of new and electronic instruments led to his being known as the Father of Electronic Music.