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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.  |
December 25-31, 2006
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Monday, December 25
(Christmas Day)
The Bachs at Christmas ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Magnificat, S. 1082 Gachinger Kantorei and Stuttgart Bach-Collegium; Helmuth Rilling, cond. Hanssler 92.073 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: More on Bach's life and music ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1583—Baptism of English composer and organist Orlando Gibbons, in Oxford; Deaths: 1845—German composer Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach, age 86, in Berlin; His father was the "Buckeburg" Bach, Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (The last of J.S. Bach's composer-children); 1871—Russian composer Alexander Scriabin (Gregorian date: Jan. 6, 1872); Premieres: 1723 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 63 ("Christen, ätzet diesen Tag") and "Magnificat" in E-flat, (S. 243a) performed on the 1st Day of Christmas as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 91 ("Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ") performed Christmas Day as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 110 ("Unser Mund sei voll Lachens") performed on Christmas Day as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1728 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 197a ("Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe") probably performed in Leipzig on Christmas Day as part of Bach's fourth annual Sacred Cantata cycle (to texts by Christian Friedrich Henrici, a.k.a. "Picander") during 1728/29; 1734 — Bach: Part 1 ("Jauchzet, frohlocket") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, in Leipzig; 1815 — Beethoven: cantata "Meeresstille und Glückliche Fahrt" (Sea Calm and Prosperous Voyage) and the "Namensfeier" (Name Day Fest) Overture, Op. 115, at the Redoutensaal in Vienna, conducted by Beethoven, at a benefit for the Citizens' Hospital Fund; 1818 — Franz Gruber: "Silent Night," in St. Nicholas Church, Obendorf, Germany, composed the night before (Christmas eve); 1870 — Wagner: "Siegfried Idyll," at his villa in Switzerland as a combined birthday and Christmas gift to his 33-year old wife, Cosima (she was born on Dec. 24, 1837), Hans Richter playing trumpet and Wagner conducting an ensemble from the top of the staircase; The work is named for their son Siegfried who was six months old on that Christmas morning, and who later also became a composer; 1902 — Rimsky-Korsakov: opera "Kashchey the Immortal," in Moscow, Ippolitov-Ivanov conducting (Julian date: Dec. 12); 1934 — Shostakovich: Cello Sonata, in Leningrad, by cellist Viktor Kubatsky, with the composer at the piano; Other: 1821—Beethoven finishes his "Hammerklavier" Piano Sonata (No. 29; 1931—First national radio broadcast of a complete opera, Humperdinck's "Hänsel und Gretel," from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, New York City; 1937—Arturo Toscanini conducts his first radio concert by the NBC Symphony Orchestra, consisting of a Vivaldi concerto in D minor; Mozart Symphony No. 40; and Brahms Symphony No. 1;
Tuesday, December 26
(Boxing Day)
Brahms up and down ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 New York Philharmonic; Kurt Masur, cond. Teldec 77291 & Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Tragic Overture, Op. 81 Vienna Symphony; Wolfgang Sawallisch, cond. Philips 438 760 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Johannes Brahms More on Brahms ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1687—German violinist and composer and violinist Johann Georg Pisendel, in Cadolzburg; 1926—American trumpeter and composer Earle Brown, in Lunenburg, Ma.; Premieres: 1709 — Handel: opera "Agrippina" in Venice at the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo; 1723 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 40 ("Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes") and "Magnificat" in E-flat, (S. 243a) performed on the 2nd Day of Christmas as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 121 ("Christum wir colleen loben schon") performed on the 2nd Day of Christmas as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 57 ("Selig ist der Mann") performed in Leipzig on the 2nd Day of Christmas as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle(1725/27); 1734 — Bach: Part 2 ("Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegen") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, in Leipzig; 1767 — Gluck: opera, "Alceste" (1st version) in Vienna at the Imperial Court Theater; 1770 — Mozart: opera, "Mitridate, Re di Ponto," (composed at age 14) in Milan, at the Teatro Regio Ducale; 1772 — Mozart: opera, "Lucio Silla," (composed at age 16) in Milan, at the Teatro Regio Ducale; 1827 — Schubert: Piano Trio in Eb, Op. 100 (D. 929), at the Music Society Hall in Vienna, by Ignaz Schuppanzigh (violin), Josef Linke (cello), and Carl Maria von Bocklet (piano); 1830 — Donizetti: opera, "Anna Bolena," at the Teatro Carcano, Milan; 1831 — Bellini: opera, "Norma," in Milan the Teatro alla Scala; 1833 — Donizetti: opera "Lucretia Borgia," in Milan; 1867 — Bizet: "La jolie fille de Perth," at the Théatre-Lyrique in Paris; 1880 — Brahms: "Tragic Overture," Op. 81, in Vienna; 1897 — Rimsky-Korsakov: "Sadko," in Moscow (Gregorian date: Jan. 7); 1926 — Sibelius: tone-poem "Tapiola" by the New York Symphony, Walter Damrosch conducting; 1931 — Gershwin: musical "Of Thee I Sing," at the Music Box Theater in New York City; This show includes the classic Gershwin songs "Love is Sweeping the Country," "Of Thee I Sing," and "Who Cares?" (see also Dec. 8 for Boston trial run premiere); 1941 — Robert Russell Bennett: Violin Concerto, on an NBC Symphony broadcast; Other: 1936—First concert of the Palestine Symphony Orchestra in Tel Aviv, with Arturo Toscanini conducting;
Wednesday, December 27
Bruckner in Boston ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Anton Bruckner (1824–1896): Symphony No. 5 Saarbrucken Radio Symphony; Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, cond. Arte Nova 43305 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On other American premieres given by the Boston Symphony ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1906—American composer, pianist and entertainer Oscar Levant, in Pittsburgh, Pa.; Deaths: 1944—American composer and pianist Amy Marcey Cheney (Mrs. H.H.A.) Beach, age 77, in New York; 1992—American composer Stephen Albert, age 51, in a car accident in Truro, Mass.; Premieres: 1723 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 64 ("Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget") performed on the 3rd Day of Christmas as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 133 ("Ich freue mich in dir") performed on the 3rd Day of Christmas as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 151 ("Süsser Trost, mein Jesus kömmt"") performed on the 3rd Day of Christmas as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1734 — Bach: Part 3 ("Herrscher der Himmels, erhöre das Lallen") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, in Leipzig; 1896 — Chausson: "Poéme," Op. 25, in Nancy, with Guy Ropartz conducting and Eugène Ysayë as soloist; 1901 — American premiere of Bruckner: Symphony No. 5, by the Boston Symphony, Wilhelm Gericke conducting; 1906 — Florent Schmitt: "Psalm XLVII," in Paris; 1954 — Menotti: "The Saint of Bleecker Street," in New York City; This work won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1955; Other: 1841—Franz Liszt performs at the Singakademie in Berlin; Women swooned and the general audience reacts with such uncontrolled enthusiasm that Heinrich Heine coins the term "Lisztomania" to describe their fanatical devotion to the performer, which soon swept through most of Europe;
Thursday, December 28
Huss in Boston ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Henry Holden Huss (1862–1953): Piano Concerto, Op. 10 Ian Hobson, piano; BBC Scottish Symphony; Martyn Brabbins, cond. Hyperion 66949 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On the recording of Huss's Piano Concerto ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1812 —German composer, cellist and conductor Julius Rietz, in Berlin; 1837—American composer, conductor, pianist and organist B. J. Lang, in Salem, Ma.; 1896—American composer Roger Sessions, in Brooklyn; Deaths: 1937—French composer Maurice Ravel, age 62, in Paris; 1963—German composer Paul Hindemith, age 68, in Frankfurt; Premieres: 1720 — Handel: opera "Radamisto" (2nd version), in London at the King's Theater in the Haymarket, with the great Italian alto-castrato Senesino making his debut in one of Handel's works (Gregorian date: Jan. 8, 1721); 1737 — Handel: anthem "The Ways of Zion do Mourn"(Julian date: Dec. 17); 1894 — Henry Holden Huss: Piano Concerto in B, by the Boston Symphony, Emil Paur conducting, and the composer as soloist; 1925 — Gershwin: musical "Tip-Toes," at the Liberty Theater in New York City; This show included the classic Gershwin songs "Sweet and Low Down," "That Certain Feeling," and "These Charming People"; 1930 — Cowell: Piano Concerto, in Havana, Cuba, by the Havana Philharmonic, with the composer at the piano; 1944 — Bernstein: musical "On the Town," in New York City at the Adelphi Theater; A trial run of this show had opened in Boston at the Colonial Theater on December 13, 1944; The 1944 Broadway production would run for 462 performances; 1944 — Miklós Rósza: Concerto for String Orchestra, in Los Angeles; 1948 — Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 26, in Moscow; 1952 — Shostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues for piano (part two of a two-part recital), in Leningrad, by pianist Tatyana Nikolayeva; See also Dec. 23rd; Other: 1945—Igor Stravinsky becomes an American citizen;
Friday, December 29
The Seattle Symphony ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Max Bruch (1838–1920): Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 44 Nai-Yuan Hu, violin; Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3156 & Deborah Drattell (b. 1956): Lilith Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3159 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On the history of the Seattle Symphony (with timeline) ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1850—Spanish composer Tomás Bretón, in Salamanca; 1876—Spanish composer, cellist and conductor Pablo Casals, in Vendrell, Catalonia; 1912—Australian composer Peggy Glanville-Hicks, in Melbourne; Deaths: 1785—German composer Johann Heinrich Rolle, in Magdeburg, age 69; 1900—Russian composer Vassili Sergeievitch Kalinnikov (Gregorian date: Jan. 11, 1901); Premieres: 1733 — Porpora: opera "Arianna in Nasso" (Ariadne on Naxos) opens the first London season of "The Opera of the Nobility," a company formed to rival Handel's "Royal Academy"; This date is according to the Julian "Old Style" calendar still in use in England that year; Under the Gregorian "New Style" calendar in use today, this premiere actually occurred 11 days later, on Jan. 9, 1734; 1882 — Brahms: Piano Trio No. 2 in C, Op. 87, and String Quintet No. 1 in F, Op. 88, in Frankfurt, with a violinist named Heermann and a cellist name Müller, with Brahms at the pianist; Brahms had completed the work during his summer holiday in Bad Ischl (near Salzburg), and had participated in a reading of the new work at a private home in Bad Ischl; On that occasion, as a joke, Brahms introducing the trio as having been composed by his friend, the composer and pianist Ignaz Brull, who was also in Bad Ischl at the time; 1893 — Debussy: String Quartet, in Paris, by the Ysaye Quartet; 1906 — Sibelius: tone poem, "Pohjola's Daughter," in St. Petersburg, Russia; 1916 — Max Bruch: Concerto for two pianos and orchestra, by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting, with duo-pianists Rose and Ottilie Sultro; Other: 1903—First concert by the Seattle Symphony at Christensen's Hall in Seattle under the baton of violinist Harry F. West; The program includes music of Massenet, Bruch, Schubert and Rossini;
Saturday, December 30
Prokofiev in peace and cold war ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953): March, from The Love of Three Oranges Montreal Symphony; Charles Dutoit, cond. London 440 331 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Prokfiev under the Soviet regime An old-time radio themes website ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1853—French composer André Messager, in Montlucon; 1859—Czech composer Joseph Bohuslav Foerster, in Prague; 1874 —Russian composer Reinhold Glière (Gregorian date: Jan. 11, 1875); 1904—Soviet composer Dimtri Kabalevsky, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Dec. 17); 1910—American composer and writer Paul Bowles, in Jamaica, N.Y.; Deaths: 1946—American composer Charles Wakefield Cadman, age 65, in Los Angeles; 1979—American composer Richard Rodgers, age 77, in New York City; Premieres: 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 28 ("Gottlob, nun geht das Jahr zu Ende") performed on the Sunday after Christmas as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1877 — Brahms: Symphony No. 2, with Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Hans Richter; 1879 — Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta "The Pirates of Penzance," in Paignton at the Royal Bijou (partial preview to insure British copyright); The first full performance of the new work occurred at the Fifth Avenue Theater in New York City the following day, with Sullivan conducting and Gilbert in attendance; The New York premiere was arranged to register American copyright of the new work and pre-empt unauthorized "pirate" productions in the U.S.; 1884 — Bruckner: Symphony No. 7, with Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Arthur Nikisch; 1905 — Lehar: operetta "The Merry Widow," at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna; 1921 — Prokofiev: opera "The Love for Three Oranges," in Chicago, with composer conducting; 1943 — Khachaturian: Symphony No. 2 in Moscow; 1961 — Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4, by Moscow Philharmonic, Kiril Kondrashin conducting; This symphony was scheduled to be premiered in 1936, but the composer withdrew the score after performances of his opera "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" had cancelled after being was severely criticized in the official press; 1977 — Daniel Pinkham: "The Miracle at Cana" at King's Chapel in Boston, performed by flutist Liselyn Adams and organist Barry Turley at their own wedding; This music was later incorporated into a larger "Miracles" suite for flute and organ; 1992 — Christopher Rouse: Trombone Concerto, by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Slatkin, with soloist Joseph Alessi; This work won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1993.
Sunday, December 31
(New Year's Eve)
Martinu and Hanson premieres ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Bohuslav Martinu (1890–1959): Violin Concerto No. 2 Josef Suk, violin; Czech Philharmonic; Vaclav Neumann, cond. Supraphon 11 0702 & Howard Hanson (1896–1981): Piano Concerto, Op. 36 Alfred Mouledous, piano; Eastman-Rochester Orchestra; Howard Hanson, cond. Mercury 434 370 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Martinu and Hanson and dozens more BSO premieres over the decades ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1894—Anglo-Irish composer Ernest John Moeran, in Heston, Middlesex; 1899—Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, in Santiago, Papasquiaro; 1962 —American composer Jennifer Higdon, in Brooklyn, New York; Deaths: 1950—French composer Charles Koechlin, age 83, in Canadel, France; 1970—British composer Cyril Scott, age 91, in Eastbourne, England; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 122 ("Das neugeborne Kindelein") performed on the Sunday after Christmas as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1842 — Lortzing: opera "Der Wildschütz" (The Poacher), in Leipzig at the Stadttheater; 1865 — Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 1, in St. Petersburg, with Balakirev conducting (Julian date: Dec. 19); 1879 — Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta "The Pirates of Penzance," at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York, with the composer conducting (see also Dec. 30 above); 1943 — Martinu: Violin Concerto (No. 2), by the Boston Symphony with Serge Koussevitzky conducting and Micsha Elman the soloist; 1948 — Antheil: Symphony No. 5, by Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1948 — Howard Hanson: Piano Concerto, by the Boston Symphony with the composer conducting and Rudolf Firkusny the soloist. |
