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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 1-7, 2007
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Monday, January 1
(New Year's Day)
Violin Concerto(s) by Brahms ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Johannes Brahms (1833 –1897): Violin Concerto, Op. 77 Hilary Hahn, violin; St. Martin's Academy; Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Sony 89649 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Johannes Brahms More on Brahms ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1866—Russian composer Vassili Sergeievitch Kalinnikov (Gregorian date: Jan. 13); 1923—Jazz vibraphone virtuoso, Milt Jackson, in Detroit; He was a member of the famous Modern Jazz Quartet; Deaths: 1782—German composer Johann Christian Bach, in London, age 47; He was the youngest surviving son of J.S. Bach; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 190 ("Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied") performed (incomplete) on New Year's Day as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 41 ("Jesu, nun sei grepreiset") performed on New Year's Day as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle (1724/25); 1726 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 16 ("Herr Gott, dich loben wir") performed on New Year's Day as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1729 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 171 ("Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm") probably performed in Leipzig on News Year's Day as part of Bach's fourth annual Sacred Cantata cycle (to texts by Christian Friedrich Henrici, a.k.a. "Picander") during 1728/29; 1735 — Bach: Part 4 ("Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, in Leipzig; 1848 — Moniuszko: opera “Halka” (1st version in 2 acts in a concert version), in Vilnius; 1858 — Moniuszko: opera “Halka” (2nd version in 4 acts), in Warsaw at the Weilki Theater; 1873 — Rimsky-Korsakov: opera "The Maid of Pskov," in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Jan. 13); 1879 — Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77, by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, with soloist Joseph Joachim and the composer conducting; 1894 — Dvorák: String Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96 and String Quintet in Eb, Op. 97 (both nicknamed the "American"), in Boston, by the Kneisel Quartet (and violist M Zach in the Quintet); 1942 — Chavez: Piano Concerto, in New York City, by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Dimtri Mitropoulos, with soloist Eugene List; 1953 — Bloch: "Suite Herbaïque" in Chicago; 1954 — Walter Piston: “Fantasy” for English horn and orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting; Other: 1585—Composer Giovanni Gabrieli becomes the second organist at St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice; His uncle, the composer Andrea Gabrieli, is the first organist; 1791—Haydn arrives in England for a series of concerts at the invitation of orchestral conductor and impresario Johann Salomon; 1801—Eight members of the U.S. Marine band perform the first official music at the unfinished Executive Mansion (the "White House") at a New Year's Day reception hosted by President and Mrs. John Adams; 1908—Gustav Mahler makes his conducting debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, leading a performance of Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde."
Tuesday, January 2
Dvorák reviewed ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Antonín Dvorák (1841 –1904): String Quartet, Op 96 (American) Keller Quartet Warner 44355 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Dvorák ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1732—Baptism of Bohemian composer Frantisek Xaver Brixi, in Prague; 1837—Russian composer Mily Balakirev, in Nizhny-Novgorod (Julian date: Dec. 21, 1836); 1913—American composer Gardner Read, in Evanston, Illinois; 1905—British composer Sir Michael Tippett, in London; Deaths: 1780—German composer Johann Ludwig Krebs, age 65, in Altenburg; 1915—Austro-Hungarian composer Karl Goldmark, age 84, in Vienna; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 153 ("Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind") performed on the Sunday after New Year's Day as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1735 — Bach: Part 5 ("Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, in Leipzig; 1843 — Wagner: opera, "Der fliegende Holländer" (The Flying Dutchman), in Dresden at the Hoftheater, conducted by the composer; 1936 — Morton Gould: "Chorale and Fugue in Jazz," by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 2000 — Christopher Rouse: "Concert de Guadi" for guitar and orchestra, in Hamburg(Germany), by guitarist Sharon Isbin and the NDR (North German Radio) Symphony, Christoph Eschenbach conducting; On the same program was the premiere of Bright Sheng's "Nanking! Nanking!" for orchestra; Other: 1955—Canadian pianist Glenn Gould plays his first U.S. recital in Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, January 3
HK Gruber ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: HK Gruber (b. 1943): Three Mob Pieces London Mob Ensemble; HK Gruber EMI 56441 & HK Gruber (b. 1943): Frankenstein!! HK Gruber, singer (?); Salzburg Camerata; Franz Welser-Most, cond. EMI 56441 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On HK Gruber ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1909—Danish pianist and musical humorist Victor Borge, in Copenhagen; 1943—Austrian composer, singer (?), and double bass player H.K. Gruber, in Vienna; Deaths: 1785—Italian composer Baldassare Galuppi, age 68, in Venice; 1942—Russian composer and violinist Julius Conus, age 72, in Malenski (USSR); Premieres: 1738 — Handel: opera "Faramondo" in London at the King's Theater in the Haymarket; This was the opening production of Handel's opera season that year, and featured the London debut of Gaetano Majorano (called "Caffarelli"), a male soprano castrato (Gregorian date: Jan. 14); 1843 — Donizetti: opera "Don Pasquale," in Paris; 1890 — Tchaikovsky: ballet, "Sleeping Beauty" (Gregorian date: Jan. 15); 1897 — Dukas: Symphony in C, in Paris; 1903 — Glazunov: Symphony No. 7, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Dec. 21, 1902); 1941 — Rachmaninoff: "Symphonic Dances," by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; Other: 1925—German conductor and composer Wilhelm Furtwängler makes his Americandebut, conducting the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall.
Thursday, January 4
Schuller and the MJQ ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Gunther Schuller (b. 1925): Conversation Modern Jazz Quartet and ensemble; Gunther Schuller, cond. Wounded Bird 1345 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Gunther Schuller On John Lewis and the Modern Jazz Quartet ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1710—Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, in Jesi, Marche; 1720—German composer, organist, singing teacher and writer on music Johann Friedrich Agricola, in Dobitschen, Saxe-Altenburg; 1874—Czech composer and violinist Josef Suk, in Krecovice; The famous contemporary Czech violinist and Supraphon recording artist Josef Suk (b. 1929) is this composer’s grandson; Premieres: 1869 — Symphony No. 1, at a Russian Musical Society Concert in St. Petersburg conducted by Mily Balakirev (Gregorian date: Jan. 16); 1880 — Brahms: Piano Pieces, Op. 76, in Leipzig; 1881 — Brahms: "Academic Festival Overture," in Breslau, with the composer conducting; 1961 — Gunther Schuller: jazz ballet "Variants," in New York City; 1996 — Richard Danielpour: "Toward the Splendid City" for Orchestra, by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Slatkin and commissioned by the Philharmonic for its 150th Anniversary; Other: 1840—The climax of Franz Liszt's triumphal return to his native land occurs at the old Hungarian National Theatre, where the composer is presented with a bejeweled "Sword of Honor"; Liszt delivers an impassioned speech that calls for Hungarian cultural and political independence; 1950—RCA announces it will produce long play records as Columbia did two years earlier (RCA had unsuccessfully attempted to compete with Columbia's new 33.3-rpm LPs by issuing some of their classical catalog as multiple disc 45-rpm sets).
Friday, January 5
Strauss, Tchaikovsy, Bruckner and Vienna's "Golden Hall" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Johann Strauss, Sr. (1804 - 1849): Zampa Galop Jhn. Strauss Orchestra; Christopher Warren-Green, cond. Black Box 1059 & Peter Tchaikovsky (1840 –1893): Violin Concerto, Op. 35 Ilya Gringolts, violin; Israel Philharmonic; Itzhak Perlman, cond. DG 471 616 & Anton Bruckner (1824 –1896): Symphony No. 3 SWR Symphony; Michael Gielen, cond. Hänssler 93.031 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Color photos of the "Golden Hall" and other Viennese landmarks "Musikverein" website (English version) ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1792—American composer Peter Wolle, in New Herrnhut, St. Thomas, West Indies; 1871—American composer Frederick Shepherd Converse, in Newton, Massachusetts; 1880—Russian composer and pianist Nicolai Medtner, in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 24, 1879); 1881—Russian composer Nicolai Roslavetz, in Dushatino, Chernigov region, Ukraine (Julian date: Dec. 24, 1880); Deaths: 1869 —Russian composer Alexander Dargomizhsky (Gregorian date: Jan. 17); 1970—Catalan-born British composer Roberto Gerhard, age 73, in Cambridge, England; 1979—American jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus, age 56, in Mexico City; Premieres: 1677 — Lully: opera "Isis," in Paris; 1727 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 58 ("Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid" II) performed on the Sunday after New Year's Day as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1745 — Handel: musical drama "Hercules" at the King's Theater in London (Gregorian date: Jan. 16); 1868 — Bruch: Violin Concerto in g, Op. 26 (final version), in Bremen, with Karl Martin Rheintahler conducting and Joseph Joachim the soloist; An earlier version of this work had been premiered on April 24, 1866, which Bruch substantially revised with the assistance of Joachim; 1884 — Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta, "Princess Ida," at the Savoy Theatre in London; 1932 — Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, in Vienna, with Vienna Symphony conducted by Robert Heger, with Paul Wittgenstein (who commissioned the work) as soloist; 1941 — Mark Blitzstein: opera "No for an Answer," in New York City; 1949 — Henry Cowell: Symphony No. 5, at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., by the National Symphony, Hans Kindler conducting; 1949 — Morton Gould: symphonic suite, "Fall River Legend," Pierre Monteux conducting San Francisco Symphony Orchestra; 1961 — Easley Blackwood: Symphony No. 2, in Cleveland (commissioned by music publisher G. Schirmer to celebrate its centenary); 1962 — Ross Lee Finney: Piano Quintet No. 2, in Los Angeles; 1973 — Pierre Boulez: ". . . explosante/fixe" at a concert by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York City.
Saturday, January 6
Concertos by Poulenc and Carter ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Francis Poulenc (1899 –1963): Piano Concerto Pascal Roge, piano; Philharmonia Orchestra; Charles Dutoit, cond. London 436 546 & Elliot Carter (b. 1908): Piano Concerto Ursula Oppens, piano; SWF Symphony; Michael Gielen, cond. Arte Nova 27773 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Poulenc On Carter More on Carter Other Boston Symphony premieres ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1835—Russian composer César Cui (Gregorian date: Jan. 18); 1838—German composer Max Bruch, in Cologne; 1850—German composer and pianist Xaver Scharwenka, in Samter; 1872—Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 25, 1871); 1920—American composer Earl Kim, in Dinuba, Calif.; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 65 ("Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen" performed on the Feast of the Epiphany as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 123 ("Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen") performed on the Feast of Epiphany as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1735 — Bach: Part 6 ("Herr, wenn die stoltzen Feinde schnauben") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, on the Feast of the Epiphany in Leipzig; 1755 — Karl Heinrich Graun: opera "Montezuma" (with a French libretto by Frederick the Great) at the Royal Opera House in Berlin; 1863 — Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3 in f, in Vienna; 1888 — Dvorák: Piano Quintet No, 2 in A, Op. 81, in Prague; 1924 — Ibert: "Escales" (Ports of Call), in Paris; 1950 — Poulenc: Piano Concerto, in Boston, by the Boston Symphony conducted by Charles Munch with the composer as soloist; 1967 — Elliott Carter: Piano Concerto, by the Boston Symphony conducted by Erich Leinsdorf, with Jacob Lateiner the soloist; 1991 — Michael Torke: "Bronze" for piano and orchestra, at Carnegie Hall in New York, by the American Composers Orchestra conducted by David Zinman and the composer as the piano soloist; 1999 — Christopher Rouse: "Kabir Padavali" for soprano and orchestra, in Minneapolis by the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by David Zinman, with Dawn Upshaw the soloist; 2000 — Bright Sheng: "Red Silk Dance" for piano and orchestra, by the Boston Symphony conducted by Robert Spano, with Emanuel Ax the soloist; Other: 1733—This notice appears in the Leipzig newspaper Nachtricht auch Frag u. Anzeiger: "Tonight at 8 o'clock there will be a Bach Concert at the Zimmermann Coffeehouse on Catharine Street"; This presumably featured secular vocal works, chamber music and concertos performed by the Leipzig Collegium, an ensemble directed by J.S. Bach.
Sunday, January 7
"Statements" from Copland ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Aaron Copland (1900 –1990): Statements London Symphony; Aaron Copland, cond. Sony 47232 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On the Copland Collection at the Library of Congress The Copland House website MPR's Copland Centennary webpage ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1899—French composer and pianist Francis Poulenc, in Paris; 1917—American composer Ulysses Kay, in Tucson, Ariz.; Deaths: 1964—American composer Colin McPhee, age 62, in Los Angeles; Premieres: 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 124 ("Meinen Hesum lass ich nicht") performed on the 1st Sunday after Epiphany as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1857 — Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A, in Weimar, with the composer conducting and his pupil, Hans von Bronsart, the soloist; 1895 — Brahms: Two Sonatas for clarinet and piano (Op. 120, no. 1 in f & No. 2 in Eb), in Vienna at a private performance for members of the Tonkünstler Society, with clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld and the composer at the piano; The first public performances of these pieces took place at the Rosé Quartet's chamber concert series on Jan. 8 (Sonata No. 2) and Jan. 11 (Sonata No. 1); See also Jan. 8 & 11 below for more information on early performances of these two sonatas; 1897 — Loeffler: “The Death of Tintagiles” for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Emil Paur conducting; 1898 — Glazunov: ballet "Raymonda" (Gregorian date: Jan. 19); 1898 — Rimsky-Korsakov: "Sadko," in Moscow at the Solodovnikov Theater, Esposito conducting (Julian date: Dec. 26, 1897; 1933 — Gruenberg: opera "Emperor Jones" (after the play by Eugene O'Neill), at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City; 1942 — Copland: "Statements" for Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall by New York Philharmonic conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos; 1952 — Gail Kubik: "Symphonie-Concertante" in New York City; This work was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1952; 1955 — Martinu: Symphony No. 6 ("Fantaisies symphoniques"), by the Boston Symphony, with Charles Munch conducting; 2000 — Danielpour: "The Night Rainbow," in Santa Anna, Calif., by the Pacific Symphony, Carl St. Clair conducting; Other: 1955—Marian Anderson makes her Metropolitan Opera debut as Ulrica in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Mascera" (A Masked Ball); She is the first African-American singer to perform as an opera soloist on the Met stage; Subsequent distinguished African-American singers who performed as members of the Met company included Robert McFerrin, Sr. (Bobby McFerrin Jr.’s father), Leontyne Price, Martina Arroyo, Kahtleen Battle and Jessye Norman. |
