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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive
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September 20-26, 2004
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Monday, September 20
Sibelius passes ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Jean Sibelius (1865-1957): Alla Marcia, from Karelia Suite Finnish Radio Symphony; Jukka-Pekka Saraste, cond. RCA 7765 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Finnish Jan Sibelius Web site More Sibelius links ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1880—Italian composer Ildebrando Pizetti, in Parma; 1885—Frequently cited birth date of American composer and jazz pianist Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton, in New Orleans; This date has been proven incorrect (See October 20, 1890); 1900—Finnish composer Unno Klami, in Virolahti; Deaths: 1908—Spanish violin virtuoso and composer Pablo de Sarasate, age 63, in Biarritz; 1957—Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, age 91, in Järvenpää; Premieres: 1878 — Tchaikovsky: "Valse-scherzo" for violin and orchestra, in Paris, with Nicolai Rubinstein conducting and Stanislaw Barcewicz the soloist; 1930 — first public performance of Elgar: "Pomp and Circumstance" March No. 5, at Queen's Hall in London, Sir Henry Wood conducting; The first performance ever of this music occurred two days earlier, when Elgar himself recorded his new march at HMV's London studios; 1954 — Stravinsky: "In Memoriam Dylan Thomas," in Los Angeles, conducted by Robert Craft; Stravinsky had met the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas the previous year, and they had discussed collaborating on an opera project, but Thomas died on November 9, 1953; 1975 — Jack Beeson: opera "Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines" in Kansas City, Mo.
Tuesday, September 21
Of froth and Friml ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Rudolf Friml (1879-1972): Song of the Vagabonds, from The Vagabond King Eastman-Dryden Orchestra: Donald Hunsberger, cond. Arabesque 6562 & Rudolf Friml (1879-1972): Chanson “In Love” New London Orchestra; Ronald Corp, cond. Hyperion 67067 ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1698 —French violinist and composer François Francoeur, in Paris; He was one of the "24 violins du roi" and collaborated with François Rebel in the production of several works for the Paris Opéra; 1737—American statesman and composer Francis Hopkinson, in Philadelphia; He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and also composed some songs; 1874—English composer Gustav Holst, in Cheltenham; He was born Gustavus Theodore von Holst, and his early works were published under the name "Gustav von Holst," but removed the Germanic "von" after World War I broke out in 1914; Deaths: 1953—English composer Roger Quilter, age 75, in London; Premieres: 1795 — revised version of Haydn: Symphony No. 103 ("The Drumroll"), conducted by the composer, in Vienna (Haydn had conducted the first version of this symphony at the King's Theater in London, on March 2, 1795; 1925 — Rudolph Friml's operetta, "The Vagabond King," in New York City; 1966 — Havergal Brian: Symphony No. 6 ("Sinfonia Tragica") in London; This work was composed in 1948; 1966 — Maliperio: Symphony No. 9 ("Hélas") at the "Warsaw Autumn" Festival of Contemporary Music in Poland; 1972 — Piston: Flute Concerto, with Dorothy Anthony Dwyer the soloist and the Boston Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas; 1988 — Peter Maxwell Davies: Trumpet Concerto, in Hiroshima (Japan), by the Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli conducting, with soloist John Wallace; 1994 — James MacMillan: "Britannia" for orchestra, at the Barbican in London by the London Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas conducting; Other: 1880—The International Mozart Foundation is established in Salzburg; 1962—Igor Stravinsky returns to the Soviet Union for the first time in 48 years; He visits Moscow, Leningrad and Oranienbaum.
Wednesday, September 22
Higdon welcomes Autumn ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962): Autumn Music Moran Woodwind Quintet Crystal 754 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Jennifer Higdon ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1875 —Lithuanian composer Mikolajus Ciurlionis, in Varena (then the Kaunas province of the Russian Empire; Julian date: Sept. 10); 1933—Spanish composer Leonardo Balada, in Barcelona; 1961—American composer Michael Torke, in Milwaukee, Wisc.; Deaths: 1989—American song composer Irving Berlin, age 101, in New York City; Premieres: 1869 — Wagner: opera, "Das Rheingold," in Munich at the Hoftheater, Franz Wüllner conducting; The opera was performed at the Bavarian emperor Ludwig II's request, but against the composer's wishes; 1938 — Webern: String Quartet, Op. 28, at South Mountain, Pittsfield, Mass., during the Berkshire Chamber Music Festival; This work was commissioned for $750 by the American music patron, Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge; 1964 — Jerry Bock: musical "Fiddler On the Roof" opens on Broadway: It would run for 3,242 performances before closing; 1971 — Barber: "The Lovers" for solo voice and chorus (after a poem by Pablo Neruda), in Philadelphia; 1989 — Bernstein: "Arias and Barcarolles" (orchestrated version prepared by Bright Sheng), at the Tilles Center of Long Island University with the New York Chamber Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz and featuring vocalists Susan Graham and Kurt Ollmann; The first version of this work, for soloists and piano four-hands, premiered on May 9, 1988, at Equitable Center Auditorium in New York City; 1990 — James MacMillan: "The Beserking" (Piano Concerto), at Henry Wood Hall in Glasgow by pianist Peter Donohoue and the Royal Scottish Orchestra, Matthias Bamert conducting; 1990 — Christopher Rouse: "Jagannath" for orchestra, by the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach conducting; 2000 — Philip Glass: “Tirol Concerto” for piano and orchestra, by Dennis Russell Davies (piano and conductor) with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, at the 7th annual Klangspuren Festival in Schwaz, Tirol (Austria); 2000 — Zwilich: "Millennium Fantasy" for piano and orchestra, by the Cincinnati Symphony, Jesús Lopez-Cobos conducting with soloist Jeffrey Biegel; Other: 1937 —During the Spanish Civil War, Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas conducts his 1935 composition “Homage to Federico Garcia Lorca” in Madrid while the city was under siege by Spanish fascist forces; The Spanish poet Lorca had been killed by the Falangists;
Thursday, September 23
Mr. Copland (and Mrs. Kennedy) ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Aaron Copland (1900-1990): Connotations New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. Sony 47236 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Copland Collection at the Library of Congress The Copland House website MPR’s Copland Centennary webpage ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1899—American composer William Levi Dawson, in Anniston, Ala.; 1920—Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian, in Yerevan; His Trumpet Concerto, composed in 1950, is his best-known work; 1926 —American composer and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, in Hamlet, N.C.; 1928—American pianist and composer Robert Helps, in Passaic, New Jersey; Deaths: 1835—Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini, age 33, in Puteaux (near Paris); Premieres: 1777 — Gluck: opera, "Armide," at the Académie Royale in Paris; 1913 — Charles Wakefield Cadman: Piano Trio in D, at a private home in Denver; The first public performance took place the following month in Minneapolis; 1958 — Stravinsky: "Threni," at San Rocco in Venice, by the North German Radio Orchestra of Hamburg (who had commissioned the work), conducted by the composer; 1962 — Copland: "Connotations" for Orchestra, at Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fisher Hall) during the opening season of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein; This concert, televised by CBS, also included the "Gloria" from Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis" and the first movement ("Veni, creator spiritus") from Mahler's Symphony No.8; 1965 — Diamond: "Elegies" for Flute, English Horn, and Strings, by Murray Panitz (flute), Louis Rosenblatt (English horn), and the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1990 — James MacMillan: "Sowetan Spring" for winds, at the Glasgow Hospitality Inn by the winds of the Royal Scottish Orchestra, John Paynter conducting.
Friday, September 24
Bach & Hoover “double their pleasure, double their fun” ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: J.S. Bach (1685-1750): Double Concerto in d, S. 1043 Vladimir Spivakov, Arkady Futer, violins; Moscow Virtuosi; Vladimir Spivakov, cond. RCA 7991 & Katherine Hoover (b. 1937): Double Concerto David Perry, Suzanne Beia, violins; Wisconsin Philomusic: Vartan Manoogian, cond. Parnasus 96019 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On J.S. Bach On Katherine Hoover More on Hoover ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1914—Polish composer and conductor Andrzej Panufnik, in Warsaw; 1919—Czech-born American composer Vaclav Nelhybel, in Polanska; 1945—English composer and conductor John Rutter, in London; Deaths: 1813—Belgian-born French composer André Grétry, age 72, in Montmorency; 1892—Irish-born American bandmaster and composer Patrick Gilmore, age 62, in St. Louis; Premieres: 1909 — Rimsky-Korsakov: opera "The Golden Cockerel," posthumously, in Moscow (Gregorian date: Oct. 7); 1962 — Barber: Piano Concerto, with soloist John Browning and the Boston Symphony conducted by Erich Leinsdorf; This performance was the second concert scheduled at the newly-opened "Philharmonic Hall" (now Avery Fisher Hall) at Lincoln Center in New York City; 1965 — George Rochberg: "Black Sounds" for winds and percussion, on a "Lincoln Center" television broadcast (as a ballet by Anna Sokolov under the title "The Act"); 1992 — Tobias Picker: "Bang!" by the New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur onducting (A New York Philharmonic 150th Anniversary commission); 1994 — Zwilich: "American" Concerto for trumpet and orchestra, at the inaugural concert of the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, by the San Diego Symphony, JoAnn Faletta conducting, with soloist Doc Severinson; Other: 1947—German-born composer Hans Eisler is questioned about his former membership in the Communist Party by the House Committee on Un-American activities; Eisler had been a member of the Party in the 1920s, left Germany when Hitler came to power in 1933, and had been working in Hollywood on film scores and as the musical assistant to Charlie Chaplin; He left the U.S. in 1948 and settled in East Germany - where he composed that country's national anthem.
Saturday, September 25
Shostakovich’s 60th ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) : Symphony No. 1, Op 10 St. Petersburg Philharmonic: Yuri Temikanov, cond. BMG 68844 & Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) : Cello concerto No. 2. Op 126 Msistislav Rostropovich, cello; Boston Symphony; Seiji Ozawa, cond. DG 437 952 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Dimitri Shostakovich ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1683—French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau, in Dijon; 1862—French organist and composer Léon Boëllmann, in Ensisheim, Alsace; 1896—Catalonian-born British composer Roberto Gerhard, in Valls (near Tarragona, Spain); 1906 —Soviet composer Dimitri Shostakovich, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Sept. 12); 1932—Canadian pianist and occasional composer Glenn Gould, in Toronto; Deaths: 1849—Austrian composer Johann Strauss, Sr., age 45, in Vienna; 1916—Czech band composer Julius Fucik, age 44, in Leitmeritz; He composed the famous "circus" march entitled "Entrance of the Gladiators"; 1997—French composer and pianist Jean Françaix, age 85, in Paris; The composer himself has written that his family name is pronounced with the final "x" sounded (as in "Aix"-en-Provence), although it's commonly pronounced "Français" by many; Premieres: 1870 — Smetana: opera "The Bartered Bride" (4th version), in Prague at the Provisional Theater; 1907 — Sibelius: Symphony No. 3, in Helsinki, with the composer conducting; 1925 — Hindemith: "Kammermusik" No. 4, Op. 36, no. 3, in Dessau, Germany, conducted by Franz von Hoesslin, with Licco Amar the violin soloist; 1936 — R. Vaughan Williams: choral suite "Five Tudor Portraits," in Norwich, England, conducted by the composer; 1960 — Paul Ben-Haim: "Capriccio" for Piano and Orchestra, in Tel Aviv; 1962 — Piston: "Lincoln Center Festival Overture," by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy, at the third concert scheduled at the newly-opened "Philharmonic Hall" (now Avery Fisher Hall) at Lincoln Center in New York City; 1966 — Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 2, in Moscow, by the USSR State Symphony, with Mstislav Rostropovich the soloist and the composer's son, Maxim, conducting; 1980 — Bernstein: "Divertimento" for Orchestra, by the Boston Symphony conducted by Seiji Ozawa; 1986 — Husa: Concerto for Orchestra, by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Zubin Mehta; 1997 — John Adams: Piano Concerto ("Century Rolls"), at Severance Hall, with pianist Emanuel Ax and the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Christoph von Dohnányi; Other: 1966—On the occasion of his 60th birthday, Russian composer Dimitri Shostakovich is nominated as a "Hero of Socialist Labor" by the Soviet government.
Sunday, September 26
Weill’s “September Song” ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Kurt Weill (1900-1950): September Song (arr. Morton Gould) Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; John Mauceri, cond. Philips 446 404 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Kurt Weill ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1898—American pianist and composer George Gershwin in Brooklyn; Deaths: 1800—Early American composer William Billings, age 53, in Boston; He died in poverty and was buried in an unmarked grave in Boston Common; 1945—Hungarian pianist and composer Béla Bartók, age 64, in New York City; Premieres: 1835 — Donizetti: opera "Lucia di Lammermoor," at the Teatro San Carlos in Naples; 1898 — Victor Herbert: operetta, "The Fortune Teller," in Toronto; 1907 — Sibelius: Symphony No. 3, by the Helsinki Philharmonic, with the composer conducting; 1915 — Schillings: opera "Mona Lisa," in Stuttgart at the Hoftheater; 1938 — Kurt Weill: musical, "Knickerbocker Holiday," during trial run in Hartford, Conn.; The musical opened in New York on October 19, 1938; 1957 — Bernstein: musical "West Side Story," at the Winter Garden in New York City; A trial run of the musical had premiered during a trial run in Washington, D.C. at the National Theater on August 19, 1957; 1967 — Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 2 by the Moscow Philharmonic, Kirill Kondrashin conducting, with soloist David Oistrakh; 1991 — Wuorinen: cantata "Genesis," in San Francisco, Herbert Blomstedt conducting; 1997 — Kirchner: "Of Things Exactly As They Are," with vocalists Roberta Alexander and William Stone, with the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood Chorus conducted by Seiji Ozawa; 1998 — Philip Glass: opera "The White Raven," by the San Carlos National Theater at the World Expo in Lisbon, Portugal, with Dennis Russell Davies conducting; Other: 1962—Igor Stravinsky concert by the Moscow State Symphony during the composer's first visit to Russia in 48 years; Stravinsky conducts his "Ode" and "Orpheus" Ballet, Stravinsky's assistant Robert Craft conducts "The Rite of Spring," with the composer returning to conduct his 1917 arrangement of the "Volga Boatmen's Song" as an encore. |
