 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive Your purchase from Public Radio Market helps support the American Composers Forum and Composers Datebook.  |
December 18-24, 2006
Playing audio requires the free RealPlayer from RealNetworks. See Audio Help for instructions.
Monday, December 18
Previn and Adams salute Emily ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Andre Previn (b. 1930): Three Dickinson Songs Renee Fleming, soprano; Andre Previn, piano DG 471 028 & John Adams (b. 1947): Harmonium San Francisco Symphony and Chorus; Edo de Waart, cond. ECM 1277 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Andre Previn and John Adams ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1860—American composer and pianist Edward MacDowell, in New York City; Deaths: 1869—American composer and piano virtuoso Louis Moreau Gottschalk, age 40, in Tijuca (near Rio de Janerio); 1919—American composer and teacher, Horatio William Parker, age 56, in Cedarhurst, N.Y.; He became chairman of the Yale music department in 1894, where he taught the young Charles Ives; Premieres: 1795 — possible premiere of Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C, Op. 15 (or less likely, his Concerto No. 2 in Bb), in Vienna at a concert organized by Haydn to perform three of his "London" Symphonies in that city; 1880 — Tchaikovsky: "Capriccio italien," in Moscow, Nikolai Rubinstein conducting (Julian date: Dec. 6); 1892 — Bruckner: Symphony No. 8, with Vienna Philharmonic, Hans Richter conducting; This performance used a revised and cut version of Bruckner's original 1887 score prepared by the composer and his pupil Franz Schalk in 1889-90; The original 1887 score was first performed in 1973 by the Bournemouth Symphony for a BBC broadcast conducted by Hans-Hubert Schönzeler; The edition prepared by Robert Haas, which is based on the 1889-90 revised version but with the cuts restored, is the version most often performed today; 1892 — Tchaikovsky: ballet, "The Nutcracker," and opera "Iolanta," at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Dec. 6); 1911 — Rachmaninoff: 13 Piano Preludes, Op. 32, in St. Petersburg, by the composer (Julian date: Dec. 5); 1924 — Bliss: Concerto for Two Pianos, by the Boston Symphony, Serge Koussevitzsky conducting; 1926 — Janácek: opera "The Makropoulos Case," in Brno at the National Theater; 1929 — Webern: Symphony for Chamber Orchestra, in New York City; 1941 — Milhaud: Piano Concero No. 2, in Chicago, with the composer as soloist; 1962 — Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 ("Babi Yar"), by the Moscow Philharmonic, with basso Vitaliy Gromadsky, and the bass voices of the Republican State and Gnesin Institute Choirs, Kirill Kondrashin conducting; 1964 — Creston: Concerto for Koto and Orchestra, by Kimio Eto (Koto soloist), with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1994 — Morten Lauridsen: “O Magnum Mysterium” for chorus, at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Paul Salamunovich conducting; 1999 — André Previn: "Three Dickinson Songs," in Quebec, Canada, by soprano Renée Fleming and pianist Richard Bado; Other: 1732—John Rich opens his "Theatre Royal, Covent Garden" in London (Julian date: Dec. 7).
Tuesday, December 19
Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971): Symphony of Psalms The Monteverdi Choir; London Symphony; John Eliot Gardiner, cond. DG 436 789 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Igor Stravinsky On other Boston Symphony commissions ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1676—French composer and organist, Louis Nicolas Clérambault, in Paris; 1825—American composer George Frederick Bristow, in Brooklyn, N.Y.; 1894—German composer Paul Dessau, in Hamburg; Premieres: 1865 — Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 1, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Dec. 31); 1873 — Tchaikovsky: symphonic fantasia "The Tempest" (after Shakespeare), in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 7); 1890 — Tchaikovsky: opera, "Pique Dame," in St. Petersburg, at the Mariinsky Theatre, Eduard Napravnik conducting (Julian date: Dec. 7); 1919 — Griffes: "The White Peacock" (orchestral version), by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1930 — American premiere of Stravinsky: "Symphony of Psalms," by the Boston Symphony under Serge Koussevitzky (who commissioned the work to celebrate the Boston Symphony's 50th Anniversary); The world premiere had occurred in Brussels on December 13, 1930, conducted by Ernest Ansermet; 1991 — Corigliano: opera "The Ghosts of Versailles," in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera; 2002 — Rodion Shchedrin: “The Enchanted Wanderer” for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra, by the New York Choral Artists and New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel conducting;
Wednesday, December 20
Harbison's "Great American Opera?" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: John Harbison (b. 1938): Remembering Gatsby Minnesota Orchestra; Edo de Waart, cond. Vol. 11, from "Minnesota Orchestra at 100" boxed CD set ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On John Harbison An interview with Harbison on his opera "The Great Gatsby" ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1871—American composer and conductor Henry Hadley, in Somerville, Massachusetts; 1909—Danish composer Vagn Holmboe, in Horsens, eastern Jutland; 1938—American composer and conductor John Harbison, in Orange, New Jersey; Deaths: 1738—French composer Jean Joseph Mouret, age 56, in Charenton; 1783—Spanish composer and organist Padre Antonio Soler, age 54, at the monastery of El Escorial; 1974—French composer André Jolivet, age 69, in Paris; Premieres: 1721 — Handel: opera "Floridante" (Julian date: Dec. 9); 1823 — Schubert: incidental music to "Rosamunde," in Vienna, at the Theater an der Wien; 1879 — Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 1, in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 8); 1886 — Brahms: Piano Trio No. 3 in c, Op. 101, in Budapest; The work was also presented in Vienna on February 26, 1887, by members of the Heckmann Quartet with the composer at the piano; 1890 — Glazunov: Symphony No. 3, in Sat. Petersbur (Julian date: Dec. 8); 1928 — Bloch: "America," in New York City; 1959 — Stravinsky: "Double Canon (Raoul Dufy in memoriam)" in New York at Town Hall, during a Stravinsky Festival; 1999 — Harbison: opera "The Great Gatsby," at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with a cast including Jerry Hadley as Gatsby and Dawn Upshaw as Daisy, with James Levine conducting; Other: 1775—Mozart finishes his Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, K. 219, in Salzburg; The work was probably premiered soon after, with the composer as soloist; 1915—Stravinsky's public debut as a conductor, leading a performance of his "Firebird" Ballet Suite at a benefit concert organized by Diaghilev in Geneva, Switzerland;
Thursday, December 21
William Henry Fry ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: William Henry Fry (1813–1864): The Breaking Heart Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Tony Rowe, cond. Naxos 8.559057 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On William Henry Fry as an opera composer Sheet music for an excerpt from one of Fry's operas ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1837—Russian composer Mily Balakirev (Gregorian date: Jan. 2); 1850—Bohemian composer Zdenek Fibich, in Vseborice; 1940—American composer and guitarist Frank Zappa, in Baltimore, Maryland; Deaths: 1864 —American composer and journalist William Henry Fry, age 51, in Santa Cruz, West Indies; 1890—Danish composer Niels W. Gade, in Copenhagen, age 73; 1957—British light-music composer Eric Coates, age 71, in Chichester; Premieres: 1890 — Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 (final version), in Vienna, Hans Richter conducting; 1900 — Frederick Converse: “The Festival of Pan” for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Wilhelm Gericke conducting; 1903 — Glazunov: Symphony No. 7, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Jan. 3); 1908 — Schoenberg: Quartet No. 2 for strings and soprano, in Vienna, by the Rosé Quartet with soprano Marie Gutheil-Schoder; 1934 — Prokofiev: "Lieutenant Kijé" Suite (from the film), on a Moscow radio broadcast; 1934 — Toch: “Big Ben (Variation Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes)” for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Serge Koussevitzky conducting; 1939 — Prokofiev: cantata "Zdravitza" (A Toast), in Moscow, to celebrate the 60th birthday of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin;
Friday, December 22
Deems Taylor ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Deems Taylor (1885–1966): Through the Looking Glass Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3099 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Deems Taylor As an opera composer On ASCAP's Deems Taylor Awards ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1723—German composer and gamba player Carl Friedrich Abel, in Cöthen; 1821—Italian composer, doublebass player and conductor Giovanni Bottesini, in Crema; 1858—Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, in Lucca; 1874—Austrian composer Franz Schmidt, in Pressburg (Bratislava); 1883—French-born American composer Edgard (or Edgar) Varèse, in Paris; 1885—American composer and critic Deems Taylor, in New York City; 1900—British composer Alan Bush, in Dulwich, South London; 1901—Russian-born American conductor and arranger André Kostelanetz, in St. Petersburg; Deaths: 1745—Czech composer Jan Dismas Zelenka, age 66, during the night of December 22-23, age 66, in Dresden; 1950—American composer and conductor Walter Damrosch, age 88, in New York City; Premieres: 1808 — Beethoven: Symphonies 5 and 6 along with the Choral Fantasy and the Piano Concerto No. 4, at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, with composer as conductor and piano soloist; 1837 — Lortzing: opera "Zar und Zimmermann" (Csar and Carpenter), in Leipzig at the Stadttheater; 1888 — Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in d, Op. 108, in Budapest; 1906 — Glazunov: Symphony No. 8, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Dec. 9);
Saturday, December 23
Mendelssohn cooks up some music ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809–1847): Concert Piece, Op. 113, no. 1 Sabine and Wolfgang Meyer, clarinet & basset horn; Wurtemberg Chamber Orchestra; Jorg Faerber, cond. EMI 47233 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Mendelssohn More on Mendelssohn ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1689—French composer Joseph Bodin de Boismorter, in Thionville; 1906—American composer Ross Lee Finney, in Wells, Minn.; Premieres: 1785 — Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 in Eb (K. 482), in Vienna as the entr'acte at a performance of the oratorio "Ester" by Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf conducted by Antonio Salieri; Mozart was the soloist in his Concerto, and it is possible that Salieri conducted both the oratorio and Mozart's new concerto; 1806 — Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61, by the orchestra of Vienna's Theater an der Wien, with its music director and concertmaster, Franz Clement, as the soloist and the composer conducting; The concert also included works by Méhul, Mozart, Cherubini, and Handel; 1880 — Dvorák: oratorio "Stabat Mater," in Prague; 1887 — Chadwick: “Melpomene” overture, by the Boston Symphony, Wilhelm Gericke conducting; 1893 — Humperdinck: opera "Hansel and Gretel," in Weimar at the Hoftheater; 1894 — Debussy: Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun," at a concert of the Societé Nationale de Musique (not presented in ballet form until 1912); 1911 — Wolf-Ferrari: opera "Jewels of the Madonna," in Berlin; 1952 — Shostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues for piano (part one of a two-part recital), in Leningrad, by pianist Tatyana Nikolayeva; See also Dec. 28th; Other: 1989—Leonard Bernstein leads first of two public performances of Beethoven's Ninth at the Philharmonie in West Berlin, with an international orchestra assembled to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall; The second performance occurred on December 25 at the Schauspielhaus in East Berlin;
Sunday, December 24
(Christmas Eve)
Menotti's TV opera ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Gian Carlo Menotti (b. 1911): Amahl and the Night Visitors Suite The New Zealand Symphony; Andrew Schenck, cond. Koch 7005 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Menotti A Menotti interview ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1879—Russian composer and pianist Nicolai Medtner (see Jan. 5, 1880); 1881—American composer Charles Wakefield Cadman, in Johnstown, Pa.; 1950—American composer Libby Larsen, in Wilmington, Del.; Deaths: 1453—English composer John Dunstable, age c. 65, in London; 1935—Austrian composer Alban Berg, age 50, in Vienna; 1975—American composer and conductor Bernard Herrmann, age 64, in Los Angeles, after completing the filmscore for Scorsese's "Taxi Driver"; Premieres: 1739 — Handel: revival performance of oratorio "Acis and Galetea" (Julian date: Dec. 13); 1871 — Verdi: opera "Aida" in Cairo, Egypt, at the Khedival Theater; 1951 — Menotti: opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" as a TV broadcast on the NBC network; According to Opera America magazine, this is one of the most frequently-produced American operas during the past decade; Other: 1920—Last operatic appearance ever of the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, in an evening performance of Halevy's "La Juive" (The Jewess) at the old Metropolitan Opera in New York City; Caruso would die in Naples (where he made his operatic debut on March 15, 1895) at the age of 48 on August 2, 1921; |
