Ever been busted for adding a spicy chord to the national anthem? No? Then you’re already doing better than Igor Stravinsky.
From murder to tax fraud, these classical music legends got into more trouble than your average rock star. Here’s who did what:
- Igor Stravinsky: The Anthem Outlaw
The same guy who caused riots with “The Rite of Spring” got shut down by Boston police in 1944 for… wait for it… adding a dominant seventh chord to “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The cops literally made him pull his arrangement from the next day’s concert. Talk about harsh music critics. - Glenn Gould: The Well-Dressed “Vagrant”
Picture this: You’re a world-famous pianist chilling on a park bench in Florida. But because you’re wearing winter clothes (in summer), the cops arrest you as a homeless person. Classic Gould move. - Carlo Gesualdo: The Murderous Composer
This one’s not funny. Gesualdo straight-up murdered his lover and her boyfriend, then used his noble status to dodge prosecution. He spent the rest of his life writing music that sometimes referenced the killings. Yikes. - Beethoven: The Angry Window-Peeper
Lost in an Austrian town, a dishevelled Beethoven got arrested for looking through people’s windows (he was just trying to ask for directions). While in jail, he yelled so much that one cop begged his boss for help, saying, “We have arrested a man who gives us no rest and keeps claiming he’s Beethoven.” Plot twist: He actually was Beethoven. - Bach: The Stubborn Employee
Got passed over for a promotion? Bach got thrown in jail for 30 days when he tried to quit his job. But because he was Bach, he spent his jail time composing organ music that we still play today. Best use of prison time ever? - Montserrat Caballé: The Tax-Dodging Diva
This Spanish soprano could hit all the high notes except when it came to paying taxes. She got caught dodging €500,000 in taxes and had to pay a €250,000 fine. That’s a lot of opera tickets. - Franz Schubert: The Mouthy Musician
Schubert talked back to some Vienna cops during a wild night out and got arrested for “opprobrious language.” Basically, he was the 19th-century equivalent of that friend who always argues with the bouncer.
Next time someone tells you classical music is boring, hit them with these stories.
PS: Mozart’s shenanigans didn’t even make the list.
Michael Vincent is the Founder and General Manager Ludwig Van. He publishes regularly and writes occasionally. A specialist in digital media for over 20 years, he has worked as a senior editor and is a former freelance classical music critic for the Toronto Star. Michael holds a Doctorate in Music from the University of Toronto.
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