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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive Your purchase from Public Radio Market helps support the American Composers Forum and Composers Datebook.  |
January 20-26, 2003
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Monday, January 20
Kirkpatrick plays Ives ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Charles Ives (1874 - 1954): Sonata No. 2 (Concord, Mass., 1840-1860) Marc-André Hamelin, piano New World 378 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Charles Ives ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1586—German composer Johann Hermann Schein, in Grünhain; 1855—French composer Ernest Chausson, in Paris; 1869—Russian composer and violinist Julius Conus, in Moscow (Gregorian date: Feb. 1); 1894—American composer Walter Piston, in Rockland, Maine; Deaths: 1952—American composer and music educator Arthur Farwell, age 79, in New York; Premieres: 1649 — Cesti: opera "Orontea," in Venice; 1726 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 13 ("Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen") performed on the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1856 — Brahms: Two Sarabandes (in a & b) and Gavotte in A (arranged from Gluck's "Paris ed Elena"), for piano, in Vienna; 1880 — Brahms: Two Rhapsodies, Op. 79, for piano, in Krefeld; 1892 — Catalani: opera "La Wally," in Milan; 1933 — Gershwin: musical "Pardon My English," at the Majestic Theater in New York City; This show included the classic Gershwin songs "Isn't It a Pity," "My Cousin in Milwaukee," and "So What?"; 1939 — Ives: Piano Sonata No. 2 ([Concord, Mass. 1840-1860), by John Kirkpatrick, in New York City; 1941 — Bartók: String Quartet No. 6, in New York City, by the Kolisch Quartet; 1944 — Hindemith: "Symphonic Metamorphosis on a Theme of Weber," by the New York Philharmonic, Artur Rodzinski conducting; 1956 — Hanson: “Elegy” (to the Memory of Serge Kousseviztky), by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting; 1961 — Poulenc: "Gloria," in Boston; 1977 — Tobias Picker: Sextet No. 3, at Alice Tully Hall in New York City, by Speculum Musicae; 1979 — Rochberg: String Quartets Nos. 4-6 ("The Concord Quartets"), at the University of Pennsylvania, by the Concord Quartet. Other: 1626—; Payments to the royal musician, lutenist and composer John Dowland cease, and his son, Robert Dowland, succeeds him in his post at court; This date is often cited as the day the famous elder Dowland died, but his burial at St Ann Blackfriars was not recorded until a month later, on February, 20, 1626, which suggests the elder Dowland had perhaps been too ill to continue in service as of January 20-21 when the records state the transfer took place, and that the elder Dowland might have in fact died sometime in mid-February (see tomorrow’s program);
Tuesday, January 21
Bernstein gets political ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990): So Pretty Roberta Alexander, soprano; Tan Crone, piano Etcetera 1007 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Leonard Bernstein ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1899—Russian-born American composer Alexander Tcherepnin, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Jan. 9); Deaths: 1851—German opera composer Albert Lortzing, age 49, in Berlin; 1948—Italian composer Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, age 72, in Venice; Premieres: 1713 — Handel: opera "Teseo" (Julian date: Jan. 10); 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 111 ("Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit") performed on the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1816 — Cherubini: "Requiem," in Paris; 1880 — Rimsky-Korsakov: opera "May Night," in St. Petersburg, Napravnik conducting (Julian date: Jan. 9); 1904 — Janácek: opera "Jenufa" in Brno at the National Theater; 1927 — Roussel: Suite in F for orchestra, in Boston; 1929 — Schreker: opera "Der Schatzgräber" (The Treasure Hunter), in Frankfurt at the Opernhaus; 1930 — Shostakovich: Symphony No. 3 ("May First"), in Leningrad; 1936 — Gershwin: "Catfish Row" Suite (from the opera "Porgy and Bess"), by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Alexander Smallens conducting; 1947 — Martinu: "Toccata e due canzona" for chamber orchestra, in Basel, Switzerland; 1968 — Bernstein: song "So Pretty" (a song protesting the Vietnam War) at Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fisher Hall) in New York City, with singer Barbra Streisand and the composer at the piano; 1968 — Allan Pettersson: Symphony No. 6, in Stockholm; 1988 — Christopher Rouse: Symphony No. 1, by the Baltimore Symphony, David Zinman conducting;
Wednesday, January 22
John Williams goes west ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: John Williams (b. 1932): The Cowboys Overture Boston Pops; John Williams, cond. Philips 420 178 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On John Williams ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1727—French composer Claude-Bénigne Balbastre, in Dijon; 1870—French composer and organist Charles Tournemire, in Bordeaux; 1901—Austrian composer Hans Erich Apostel, in Karlsruhe, Germany; 1903—English composer Robin Milford, in Oxford; 1916—French composer Henri Dutilleux, in Angers; 1923—American composer Leslie Bassett, in Hanford, Calif.; 1924—American jazz composer and trombonist James Louis ("J.J.") Johnson, in Indianapolis; Deaths: 1964—American composer Marc Blitzstein, age 58, from injuries suffered in a barroom fight, in Fort-de-France, Martinique; Premieres: 1723 — Handel: opera "Ottone, re di Germania" (Julian date: Jan. 12); 1859 — Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in d, Op. 15, with the Hanover Court Orchestra conducted by Joseph Joachim and the composer as the soloist; 1887 — Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta "Ruddigore" at the Svoy Theatre in London; 1894 — Glazunov: Symphony No. 4, in St.Petersburg (Gregorian date: Feb. 3); 1908 — Stravinsky: Symphony in Eb, Op. 1, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Feb. 4): 1934 — Shostakovich: opera "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District" (1st version), in Leningrad at the Maliiy Opera Theater; 1936 — Hindemith: "Trauermusik (Music of Mourning)" for Viola and String Orchestra,on a BBC memorial concert for King George V of England (who had died on January 20, 1935), with Sir Adrian Boult conducting and the composer as soloist; 1970 — Carlisle Floyd: opera "Of Mice and Men," in Seattle; According to Opera America, this is one of the most frequently-produced American operas during the past decade; 1980 — John Williams: "Cowboys Overture," by the Boston Pops, conducted by the composer; 1998 — Ned Rorem: song-cycle “Evidence of Things Not Seen,” as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York City, by the New York Festival of Song; 1998 — Bright Sheng: "Postcards," in Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota, by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Hugh Wolff conducting; Other: 1575—The Protestant Queen of England, Elizabeth I, grants a license to Thomas Tallis and William Byrd (both Catholics), to print music for 22 years; 1889—Columbia Phonograph Company founded in Washington, D.C.; 1907—The Metropolitan Opera production of R. Strauss' opera "Salome," with soprano Olive Fremstad in the title role, creates a scandal; The opera is dropped after a single performance, and not staged at the Met again until the 1930s.
Thursday, January 23
SYNOPSIS:
Friday, January 24
Tavener's "The Whale" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: John Tavener (b. 1944): The Whale The London Sinfonietta and Chorus; David Atherton, cond. Capitol 98497 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On John Tavener More on Tavener ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1712—Frederick II the Great, King of Prussia, monarch, flutist and composer, in Berlin; 1776—German composer, author, conductor and music critic E. T. A. Hoffmann, in Königsberg; 1913—American composer Norman Dello Joio, in New York City; 1918—Austrian composer Gottfried von Einem, in Bern, Switzerland; 1919—American composer Leon Kirchner, in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Deaths: 1851—Italian opera composer Gaspare Spontini, age 76, in Ancona, Italy; 1883—German opera composer Friedrich von Flotow, age 70, in Darmstadt; Premieres: 1835 — Bellini: opera "I Puritani," in Paris at the Théatre-Italien; 1875 — Saint-Saëns: "Dance macabre" for orchestra, in Paris; 1885 — Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 3, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Jan.12); 1895 — ; Ippolitov-Ivanov: “Caucasian Sketches” (Gregorian date: Feb. 5); 1906 — Rachmaninoff: two one-act operas "The Miserly Knight" and "Francesca da Rimini" in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theater (Julian date: Jan.11); 1922 — Walton: entertainment, "Façade," with Edith Sitwell reciting her poetry; 1922 — Nielsen: Symphony No. 5, in Copenhagen, with composer conducting; 1946 — Stravinsky: "Symphony in Three Movements," by New York Philharmonic, with the composer conducting; This work was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic-Society; 1957 — Piston: Wind Quintet, at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, by the Boston Woodwind Quintet; 1959 — Shostakovich: operetta "Moscow, Cheryomushki," at the Moscow Operetta Theater; 1981 — John Harbison: Violin Concerto, at Emmanuel Church in Boston, with soloist Rose Mary Harbison and the Emmanuel Chamber Orchestra, Craig Smith conducting; 1991 — George Perle: Piano Concerto No. 1, with San Francisco Symphony conducted by David Zinman, with Richard Goode the soloist; Other: 1705—Birthdate if the famous Italian castrato singer Carlo Farinelli (born Carlo Broschi), in Andria; His life is depicted in the 1994 film "Farinelli"; 1813—The Royal Philharmonic Society in formed in London.
Saturday, January 25
Post-war Strauss ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949): Metamorphosen Vienna Philharmonic; Simon Rattle, cond. EMI 56580 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Richard Strauss (with many links to other sites) A Richard Strauss timeline ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1851—Flemish composer Jan Blockx, in Antwerp; 1886—German composer and conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler, in Berlin; 1911—American composer and pianist Julia Smith, in Denton, Texas; 1913—Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski, in Warsaw; 1921 —American composer and conductor Alfred Reed, in New York City; Premieres: 1817 — Rossini: opera, "La Cenerentola" (Cinderella), in Rome at the Teatro Valle; 1902 — Franz Schmidt: Symphony No. 1, in Vienna; 1909 — R. Strauss: opera "Elektra," in Dresden at the Hofoper; 1946 — R. Strauss: "Metamorphosen," in Zürich; 1957 — Walton: Cello Concerto, by the Boston Symphony conducted by Charles Munch, with Gregor Piatigorsky the soloist; 1963 — Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Symphony No. 8, by the West German Radio Symphony, Rafael Kubelik conducting; 1987 — Paul Schoenfield: "Café Music" for piano trio at a St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concert.
Sunday, January 26
Argento in Italy ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Dominick Argento (b. 1927): Variations for Orchestra (The Mask of Night) Plymouth Music Series Orchestra; Philip Brunelle, cond. Virgin 91184 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Argento (scroll down on "Composers" menu) Argento on MPR's "The Composer's Voice" ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1924—American composer Warren Benson, in Detroit, Michigan; Deaths: 1795—German composer Johann Christioph Friedrich Bach, age 62, in Bückeburg 1993—American composer and teacher Kenneth Gaburo, age 66, in Iowa City; Premieres: 1732 — Handel: opera "Ezio" (Julian date: Jan.15); 1790 — Mozart: opera, "Così fan tutte," in Vienna at the Burgtheater; 1873 — Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2, in Moscow (Gregorian date: Feb. 7); 1882 — Borodin: String Quartet No. 2 in D, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Feb. 7); 1905 — Schoenberg: symphonic poem "Pelleas und Melisande," in Vienna, with the composer conducting; 1908 — Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Feb. 8); 1911 — Richard Strauss: opera, “Der Rosenkavalier,” in Dresden at the Hofoper, conducted by Ernst von Schuch, with vocal soloists Margarethe Siems (Marschallin), Eva von der Osten (Octavian), Minnie Nast (Sophie), Karl Perron (Baron Ochs), and Karl Scheidemantel (Faninal); 1920 — Prokofiev: "Overture on Hebrew Themes," in New York by the Zimro Ensemble, with the composer at the piano; 1922 — Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 3 "Pastoral," by the Royal Philharmonic, London, Sir Adrian Boult conducting; 1934 — Roy Harris: Symphony No. 1, by the Boston Symphony, Serge Koussevitzky conducting; 1952 — Ernst von Dohnányi: Violin Concerto No. 2, in San Antonio, Texas; 1957 — Bernstein: "Candide" Overture (concert version), by New York Philharmonic conducted by the composer; The musical "Candide" had opened at the Martin Beck Theater in New York City on December 1, 1956; 1957 — Poulenc: opera, "Les dialogues des carmélites" (The Dialogues of the Carmelites) in Milan at the Teatro alla Scala, Nino Sanzogno conducting; 1962 — Diamond: Symphony No. 7, by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1966 — Dominick Argento: Variations for Orchestra and Soprano (The Masque of Night"), at the St. Paul Campus Student Center of the University of Minnesota, by the Minneapolis Civic Orchestra, Thomas Nee conducting, with soprano Carolyn Bailey; A second performance took place on Jan. 27th at Coffmann Memorial Union on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota; 1967 — Frank Martin: Cello Concerto, in Basel, Switzerland; 1994 — Elisabetta Brusa: “La Triade” for large orchestra, by the Tirana (Albania) Radio and Television Orchestra, Gilberto Serembe conducting; 1994 — Christopher Rouse: Cello Concerto, by the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by David Zinman, with Yo-Yo Ma the soloist; 1995 — Joan Tower: "Duets for Orchestra," by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Christoph Perick conducting. |
