6 Classical Music Composers of Hillcrest Village

When I was little, like really little….. umm… a toddler… until grade 2…. I lived in a part of Toronto called Hillcrest Village. Our family moved into a brand-new apartment building on a street named Brahms Avenue. Of course, two-year-old me had no idea what the name of our street meant.

When I was five years young, our family moved down the street to a street called Field Sparroway. The Sparroways ran west off Leslie Street, opposite Ravel Road, which leads to Rameau Drive which leads to Brahms Avenue. Between Ravel Road and Brahms Avenue, Rameau Drive meets Liszt Lane. Not far from Rameau and Ravel is a street called Beethoven Court.

If one looks into the names of the streets mentioned, they will find that they are all named after famous classical composers. As a little kid, I knew nothing about classical music. By the time I was 7 years young, our family had moved to another neighborhood.

As an adult, I became a fan of classical music. It was then that I realized Brahms Avenue was named after German composer and pianist, Johannes Brahms. I noticed that nearby Liszt Lane was named after Hungarian composer Franz Liszt.

It wasn’t until 2021 when I began to learn to play the piano and study classical music that I realized the other names in my childhood community. I was looking at the map and discovered streets named after French composer Maurice Ravel, French composer and music theorist Jean-Philippe Rameau, Hungarian composer Franz Lehar, and German composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

I turns out that several streets in my childhood community were named after great composers. This revelation inspired me and brought a sense of pride to me. Back when I lived in that community, nobody would have guessed that I would grow up to love classical music.

One of the few positive outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic was that I had purchased an electronic piano and started taking lessons virtually. I discovered that I really love classical music — especially piano.

As of the time of this article, I have not been able to confirm whether the naming of these streets were in fact in honour of the composers discussed. I will imply that they were in fact named after the composers of the same name because the coincidence of the streets being located in the same vicinity.

Brahms Avenue
Brahms Avenue, perhaps named after Johannes Brahms, runs north from Finch Avenue East towards Steeles Avenue, just west of Don Mills Road. It starts off as a straight road flanked by two mid-rise apartment buildings followed by single-family homes lining the rest.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was a composer and pianist who was born in Germany. He was known for his contributions to the Romantic era. His music was revered for its rich harmonic language and profound emotional expression, which was new for that time and age. Perhaps his best-known work is Symphony No. 4. I recently found Piano Concerto No. 2 and find it a stunning work of orchestral bliss.

Beethoven Court
Beethoven Court, perhaps named after Ludwig van Beethoven, is a rather short residential street which ends in a cul-de-sac just east of Leslie Street and north of Finch Avenue East.

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Germany in 1770 and died in 1827. He was best known for Symphony No. 9, which includes the iconic “Ode to Joy”. His compositions are characterized by their intensity, innovation, and emotion. He is perhaps one of the, if not most well-known composers in history.

Ravel Road
Ravel Road is a small road that runs north off Finch Avenue east, just east of Leslie Street and heads west to Leslie Street, lining the Finch-Leslie Square shopping centre. The street passes by Rameau Drive, one block north of Finch Avenue East.

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), was a French composer and master of musical Impressionism who captivated audiences with his richly evocative compositions. Renowned for works like “Boléro” and “Daphnis et Chloé,” Ravel’s meticulous orchestration and unique harmonic language demonstrated his unparalleled ability to create vivid musical landscapes.

Rameau Drive
Rameau Drive is a winding street situated one block north of Finch which runs west to east from Ravel Road in the west, to Skymark Park in the east at Don Mills Road. Along the way, the street passes Liszt Gate and Brahms Avenue.

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764), a French composer and music theorist, was a significant figure in the Baroque era. Renowned for his operas, including “Castor et Pollux” and “Les Indes galantes,” Rameau’s compositions were marked by their dramatic expression and innovative use of harmony, solidifying his legacy as a key figure in the evolution of French music.

Liszt Gate
Liszt Gate is a very short street located one street west of Brahms Avenue beginning at Finch Avenue and running north for one block to Rameau Drive. This street serves as a gate to a rather large condominium townhouse complex flanking both sides of the street.

Franz Liszt (1811-1886), was a Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist. I credit him with getting me into classical music. His “Hungarian Rhapsodies” remain one of my favorite pieces of music to this day.

Lehar Crescent
Lehar Crescent begins at Rameau Drive, two blocks east of Liszt Gate and runs north before looping back to Rameau Drive, before Brahms Avenue.

Franz Lehar (1870-1948), was an Austro-Hungarian composer, celebrated for his contributions to the world of operettas during the early 20th century. Best known for “The Merry Widow,” Lehar’s charming melodies and delightful storytelling charmed audiences worldwide, making him a prominent figure in the Viennese operetta tradition.

If you would like to learn more about these legendary composers, feel free to read their Wikipedia entries by clicking the images below.