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February 12-18, 2007
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Monday, February 12
Harris No. 3 ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Roy Harris (1898 — 1979): Symphony No. 3 Dallas Symphony; Eduardo Mata, cond. Dorian 90170 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Roy Harris ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1567—Baptism of English composer and poet Thomas Campion, in London; 1760—Bohemian composer and keyboard virtuoso Jan Ladislav (Johann Ladislaus/ Ludwig) Dussek (Dusik), in Cáslav; 1898—American composer Roy Harris, in Chandler, Oklahoma; 1923—American composer Mel Powell, in New York City; Deaths: 1799—Czech composer and pianist František Xaver Dušek (Duschek, Duscheck or Dussek), age 67. in Prague; He was a friend and colleague of Mozart; 1896—French composer Amboise Thomas, age 84, in Paris; 1906—Russian composer Anton Arensky (Gregorian date: Feb. 25); 1915—French composer, conductor and pianist Emile Waldteufel, age 77, in Paris; 1959—American composer George Antheil, age 58, in New York; 1972—English composer Benjamin Frankel, age 67, in London; Premieres: 1760 — Rameau: comedy-ballet "Les Paladins," in Paris; 1797 — Haydn: "A National Song," in Vienna, in honor of the birthday of the Austrian Emperor Franz II (who reigned from 1792-1835); This melody was later used as a theme in Haydn's "Emperor" String Quartet, Op. 76, no. 3, and eventually became the Austrian national anthem; 1894 — Rachmaninoff: “Trio élégiaque” (Elegiac Trio) No. 2 in d minor, for violin, cello, and piano, in Moscow, with Yuly Konyus (Julius Conus) (violin), Anatoly Brandukov (cello), and the composer at the piano (Julian date: Jan. 31); 1905 — Koussevitzky: Double-Bass Concerto (Gregorian date: Feb. 25); 1909 — Paderewski: Symphony in b ("Polonia"), by the Boston Symphony, Max Fiedler conducting; 1924 — Gershwin: "Rhapsody in Blue," at Aeolian Hall in New York, with Paul Whiteman conducting and the composer as soloist; 1936 — David Diamond: Three "Vocalises" for soprano and viola, at the third "Composer's Forum Laboratory" in New York City (sponsored by the WPA Federal Music Project), by soprano Louise Taylor and violist John Howell; 1964 — Cowell: "Quartet Euphometric," at Philharmonic Hall in New York City, by the Galimir String Quartet; This music was composed between 1916-1919; Other: 1785—Likely date of the premiere performances of three of Mozart's "Haydn" Quartets (K.458, 464, and 465), at Mozart's apartment in Vienna, with Haydn present and a quartet made up of Leopold and Wolfgang Mozart with the Barons Anton and Bartholmaus Tinti.
Tuesday, February 13
Toch in Neverland ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Ernst Toch (1887 — 1964): Peter Pan (A Fairy Tale for Orchestra) NDR Symphony, Hamburg; Leon Botstein, cond. New World 80609 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Ernst Toch A list of Toch's filmscores ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1778—Spanish composer and guitarist Fernando Sor, in Barcelona; 1870—American composer and virtuoso pianist Leopold Godowsky, in Soshly, near Vilnius; 1946—English composer Colin Matthews, in London; Deaths: 1741—Austrian composer Johann Joseph Fux, age c. 80, in Vienna; 1883—German composer composer Richard Wagner, age 69, in Venice; 1968—Italian composer Ildebrando Pizetti, age 87, in Rome; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 181 ("Leichgesinnte Flattergeister") and No. 18 ("Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee") performed on Sexagesimae Sunday as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1725 — Handel: opera “Rodelinda,” in London at the King’s Theater in the Haymarket (Gregorian date: Feb. 24); On May 6/17 that same year, the score to this opera was published, the first Handel score to be offered to the public by subscription; 1867 — Johann Strauss, Jr.: "Blue Danube" Waltz, in Vienna; 1881 — Tchaikovsky: opera “The Maid or Orleans,” in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Feb. 25); 1926 — Honegger: opera "Judith" (2nd version), at the Monte Carlo Opéra; 1943 — William Schuman: "Prayer in Time of War," by the Pittsburgh Symphony, Fritz Reiner conducting; 1944 — Antheil: Symphony No. 4, by the NBC Symphony, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1956 — Toch: "Peter Pan (A Symphonic Fairy Tale)" for orchestra, in Seattle; 1959 — Martinu: "The Parables" for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting; 1961 — Bernstein: "Symphonic Dances," from "West Side Story," by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Lukas Foss; 1978 — Roger Reynolds: "Fiery Winds" for orchestra, in New York; Other: 1727—Handel applies for British citizenship (Gregorian date: Feb. 24); Handel received his official citizenship seven days later, on Feb. 20/Mar. 3; 1914—ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is formally organized in New York City, with composer Victor Herbert as its first director.
Wednesday, February 14
(Valentine's Day)
SYNOPSIS:
Thursday, February 15
Miaskovsky and Brooks for band ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Nikolai Miaskovsky (1881 — 1950): Symphony No. 19 USSR Ministry of Defence Band; Nikolai Mikailov, cond. Olympia 105 & Jeffrey Brooks: Dreadnought U of Minn Symphonic Wind Ensemble; Craig Kirchhoff, cond. Innova 517 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Nikolai Miaskovsky (and Prokofiev) On Jeffrey Books ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1571—possible birth date of German composer Michael Praetorius, in Creuzberg an der Werra, near Eisenach; 1847—Austrian composer Robert Fuchs, in Frauenthal, Styria; 1899—French composer Georges Auric, in Lodève; 1907—French composer and organist Jean Langlais, in La Fontenelle; 1947—American composer John Adams, in Worcester, Mass.; 1949—American composer Christopher Rouse, in Baltimore, Maryland; Deaths: 1621—German composer Michael Praetorius, supposedly on his 50th birthday, in Wolfenbüttel; 1857—Russian composer Mikhail Glinka, age 52, in Berlin; 1887—Russian composer Alexander Borodin (Gregorian date: Feb. 27); 1974—Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg, age 86, in Stockholm; 1992—American composer William Schuman, age 81 in New York; He won the first Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1943 for his Walt Whitman cantata, "A Free Song"; Premieres: 1686 — Lully: opera "Armide et Renaud," (after Tasso) in Paris; 1845 — Verdi: opera "Giovanna D'Arco" (Joan of Arc) in Milan at the Teatro all Scala; 1868 — Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1 ("Winter Dreams") (first version), in Moscow (Julian date Feb. 3); A revised version of this symphony premiered in Moscow on Nov. 19/Dec. 1, 1883; 1874 — Bizet: "Patrie" Overture, in Paris, by the Concerts Pasedeoup; 1884 — Tchaikovsky: opera "Mazeppa" in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theater (Julian date: Feb. 3); 1919 — Loeffler: "Music for Four Stringed Instruments" at New York's Aeolina Hall by the Flonzaley Quartet; 1939 — Miakovsky: Symphony No. 19 for wind band, in Moscow; 1945 — Paul Creston: Symphony No. 2, by the New York Philharmonic, with Arthur Rodzinski conducting; 1947 — Korngold: Violin Concerto, by the St. Louis Symphony, with Jascha Heifetz as soloist; 1958 — Diamond: orchestral suite "The World of Paul Klee," in Portland, Ore.; 1965 — B.A. Zimmermann: opera "Die Soldaten" (The Soldiers), in Cologne at the Städtische Oper; Other: 1940—American Music Center, a library and information center for American composers, is founded in New York City.
Friday, February 16
Varèse and Larsen solos ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Edgard Varèse (1883 - 1965): Density 21.5 Eugenia Zukerman, flute Delos 3184 & Libby Larsen (b. 1950): Aubade Eugenia Zukerman, flute Delos 3184 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: BBC Varèse profile Frank Zappa on Varèse On Libby Larsen ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1709—English composer and writer on music Charles Avison, in Newcastle upon Tyne; 1878—Finnish composer Selim Palmgren, in Björneborg (now Pori); 1907—American composer Alec Wilder (Alexander Lafayette Chew), in Rochester, N.Y.; 1938—American composer John Corigliano, in New York; Deaths: 1829—Belgian-born French composer François Joseph Gossec, age 95, in Paris; 1868—Canadian composer Healey Willian, age 87, in Toronto; 1963—Hungarian composer Laszlo Lajtha, age 70, in Budapest; 1987—Soviet composer Dimtri Kabalevsky, age 82, in Moscow; Premieres: 1737 — Handel: opera “Giustino,” in London at the Covent Garden Theater (Gregorian date: Feb. 27); 1884 — Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 2, in Moscow (Julian date: Feb. 4); 1892 — Massenet: opera, "Werther," in Vienna at the Court Opera; 1893 — Sibelius: tone-poem "En Saga," in Helsinki; 1929 — Copland: "Vitebsky" Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello, at New York's Town Hall at a League of Composers concert featuring two members of the Pro Arte Quartet (violinist Alphonse Onnou and cellist Robert Mass) and the German pianist Walter Gieseking; 1936 — Varèse: "Density 21.5" for solo flute, in New York, by flutist Georges Barrère; 1956 — Leon Kirchner: "Toccata" for strings, winds and percussion, in San Francisco.
Saturday, February 17
Carter times Three ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Elliot Carter (b. 1908): Symphony for Three Orchestras New York Philharmonic; Pierre Boulez, cond. Sony 68334 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Elliott Carter More on Carter "American Mavericks" interview with Carter (audio available) ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1653—Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli, in Fusignano (near Imola); 1820—Belgian composer Henri Vieuxtemps, in Verviers; 1862—English composer Edward German (Jones) in Whitechurch; 1887—Finnish composer Leevi Madetoja, in Oulu (Uleaborg); 1920—American composer Paul Fetler, in Philadelphia; 1926—Austrian composer Friedrich Cerha, in Vienna; 1926—American composer Lee Hoiby, in Madison, Wis.; Deaths: 1732—French composer and organist Louis Marchand, age 63, in Paris; 1841—Italian composer and guitarist Ferdinando Carulli, age 70, in Paris; 1924—Finnish composer Oskar Merikanto, age 55, in Hausjärvi-Oiti; 1970—American composer and conductor Alfred Newman, age 69, in Los Angeles; 1982—American Jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk, age 64, in Englewood, N.J.; Premieres: 1728 — Handel: opera “Siroe, re di Persia” (Cyrus, King of Persia), in London at the King’s Theater in the Haymarket (Gregorian date: Feb. 28); This was the first Handel opera with a libretto by Metastasio; 1792 — Haydn: Symphony No. 93, conducted by the composer, at the Hanover-Square Concert Rooms in London; 1855 — Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in Eb, in Weimar, with the composer as soloist and Hector Berlioz conducting; 1859 — Verdi: opera "Un Ballo in Maschera" (A Masked Ball), in Rome at the Teatro Apollo; 1889 — Franck: Symphony in d, in Paris; 1901 — Mahler: oratorio "Das Klagende Lied" (Song of Lamentation), in Vienna, with composer conducting; 1904 — Puccini: opera “Madama Butterfly,”in Milan at the Teatro alla Scala; 1914 — Ernst von Dohnányi: "Variations on a Nursery Song" for piano and orchestra, in Berlin, with the composer as soloist; 1927 — Deems Taylor: opera "The King's Henchmen," at the Metropolitan Opera in New York; 1943 — Copland: "Music for Movies," at a Town Hall Forum concert in New York City; 1947 — Copland: "Danzón Cubano" (orchestral version), by the Baltimore Symphony; 1948 — David Diamond: Violin Sonata No. 1, at Carnegie Hall in New York, by Joseph Szigeti (violin) and Josef Lhevinne (piano); 1952 — Henze: opera "Boulevard Solitude," in Hanover at the Landestheater; 1961 — Elie Siegmeister: Flute Concerto, in Oklahoma City; 1977 — Elliott Carter: "A Symphony of Three Orchestra," by the New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez conducting; 1982 — George Perle: "Ballade" for piano, at Alice Tully Hall in New York, by Richard Goode.
Sunday, February 18
Hanson's Fifth ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Howard Hanson (1896 — 1981): Symphony No. 5 (Sinfonia Sacra) Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3130 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Howard Hanson ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1632—Italian composer Giovanni Battista Vitali, in Bologna; 1864—American music publisher Gustave Schirmer, Jr., in New York City, son of the German-born music publisher Gustave Schirmer, Sr. 1915—French composer Marcel Landowski in Prêt L'Abbé (Finistère); 1939—Brazilian composer, conductor and pianist Marlos Nobre, in Recife; Deaths: 1956—French composer French composer Gustave Charpentier, age 95, in Paris; Premieres: 1743 — Handel: oratorio “Samson,” at Covent Garden Theatre in London, and possibly the premiere of Handel’s recently-completed Organ Concerto Op. 7, no. 2 at the same concert (Gregorian date: Mar. 1); 1874 — Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 3, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Mar. 2); 1893 — Berlioz: "La Damnation de Faust" (as a staged opera), in Monte Carlo with a cast headed by tenor Jean de Reske; Berlioz conducted the first concert performance of this work (as an oratorio) at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on Dec. 6, 1946; 1893 — Brahms: Intermezzo No. 1, for piano, from Op. 117, in Vienna; 1895 — Loeffler: Quintet for three violins, viola and cello, at Boston's Union Hall by the Kneisel Quartet joined by violinist William Kraft; 1916 — Daniel Mason: First Symphony (first version), by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1919 — Deems Taylor: chamber suite "Through The Looking Glass," by the New York Chamber Music Society; 1947 — Menotti: one-act opera "The Telephone," in New York City at the Heckscher Theater; 1952 — Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 125 (as "Cello Concerto" No. 2), in Moscow, with Sviatoslav Richter conducting and Mstislav Rostropovich the soloist; 1955 — Hanson: Symphony No. 5 ("Sinfonia Sacra"), the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1965 — Ginastera: Harp Concerto, by harpist Nicanor Zabaleta , with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1998 — Thea Musgrave: "Phoenix Rising," at the Royal Festival Hall in London, by the BBC Symphony, Andrew Davis conducting. |
