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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive
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May 28-June 3, 2007
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Monday, May 28
György Ligeti ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: György Ligeti (b. 1923): Six Bagatelles London Winds Sony 62309 & György Ligeti (b. 1923): Atmospheres Berlin Philharmonic; Jonathan Nott, cond. Teldec 88261 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Sony Classical's Gyorgy Ligeti Web page Philharmonia Orchestra's Gyorgy Ligeti Web page ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1737—American bandmaster and music publisher Josiah Flagg, in Woburn, Mass.; He organized the first militia band in Boston, published music engraved by Paul Revere, and in 1773 organized a "Grand Concert" at Boston's Faneuil Hall involving 50 players, one of the first public concerts in America which presented European music; 1779—Irish singer, poet and composer Thomas Moore, in Dublin; 1841—Italian composer, conductor and pianist Giovanni Sgambati, in Rome; 1883—English composer Sir George Dyson, in Halifax (Yorkshire); 1913—Soviet composer Tikhon Khrennikov, in Elets (Gregorian date: June 10); 1923—Hungarian composer György Ligeti, in Dicsöszentmartin (now Tirnaveni), Transylvania; Deaths: 1787—Leopold Mozart, composer, and Wolfgang's father, age 67, in Salzburg; 1805—Italian composer Luigi Boccherini, age 62, in Madrid; 1836—Czech composer Anton Reicha, age 66, in Paris; Premieres: 1608 — Monteverdi: opera "Ariana," for a ducal wedding in Mantua; This opera now lost; 1904 — Puccini: “Madama Butterfly” (successful revised version), in Brescia; the opera’s original version, premiered on Feb. 17 at La Scala in Milan, was hissed; 1922 — Zemlinsky: opera "Der Zwerg" (The Dwarf), at the Cologne Opera; 1938 — Hindemith: opera "Mathis der Mahler," in Zurich at the Stadttheater, conducted by Robert Denzler; 1966 — Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 11, in Leningrad, by the Beethoven Quartet; 1993 — Stockhausen: opera "Dienstag aus Licht" (Tuesday from Light) at the Leipzig Opera; 1993 — Michael Torke: "Proverbs" for female voice and ensemble, at the Milwaukee Museum of Art, by the Present Music ensemble, conducted by the composer; Other: 1904—Puccini: "Madama Butterfly" (successful revised version), in Brescia; the opera's original version, premiered on Feb. 17 at La Scala in Milan, was hissed.
Tuesday, May 29
Brahms in New York and Boston ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Serenade No. 1 in D L.A. Chamber Orchestra; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Nonesuch 79065 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Johannes Brahms ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1860—Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz, in Camprodón; 1873—Estonian composer Rudolf Tobias, in Kaina on Haiiumaa Island; 1897—Austrian composer Eric Wolfgang Korngold, in Brno; 1922—Greek composer Iannis Xenakis, in Braila, Roumania; 1948—English composer Michael Berkley, in London; He is the son of English composer, Sir Lennox Berkeley (1903-89); Deaths: 1910—Russian composer Mily Balakirev, age 73, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: May 16); 1911—British lyricist Sir William S. Gilbert (of "Gilbert & Sullivan" fame), age 74, from a heart attack after rescuing a drowning woman, at Harrow Weald, England; 1935—Czech composer Josef Suk, age 61, in Benesov; 1951—Czech composer Josef Bohuslav Foerster, age 91, in Vestec, near Stará Boleslav; Premieres: 1901 — Paderewski: "Manru," in Dresden; Also staged at the Metropolitan Opera in 1902; 1905 — Scriabin: Symphony No. 3 ("'Divine Poem"), in Paris, Arthur Nikisch conducting; 1913 — Stravinsky: "Le Sacre du printemps" (The Rite of Spring), in Paris, by Diaghilev's Ballet Russe, Pierre Monteux conducting; 1954 — Cowell: Symphony No. 11 ("Seven Rituals"), by the Louisville Orchestra, Robert S. Whitney conducting; 1970 — Rautavaara: Piano Concerto, in Helsinki, with composer as soloist, and the Finnish Radio Symphony, Paavo Berglund conducting; Other: 1873 —American premiere of Brahms's Serenade No. 1 in D, at Steinway Hall, by the New York Symphony, Theodore Thomas conducting; 1963—The New York Philharmonic "Promenade" concert series is inaugurated.
Wednesday, May 30
Britten's "War Requiem" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Benjamin Britten (1913–1976): War Requiem soloists; choirs; BBC Scottish Symphony; Martyn Brabbins, cond. Naxos 8.553558 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Britten ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1883—Italian opera composer Riccardo Zandonai, in Sacco, Trentino; 1932—American composer Pauline Oliveros, in Houston, Texas; 1953—American composer Anne LeBaron, in Baton Rouge, La.; Deaths: 1971—French composer and organist Marcel Dupré, age 85, in Meudon; Premieres: 1846 — Lortzing: opera "Der Waffenschmied" (The Armorer), in Vienna at the Theater an der Wien; 1866 — Smetana: "The Bartered Bride" (1st version) in Prague at the Provisional Theater; 1923 — Hanson: Symphony No. 1 ("Nordic"), in Rome, composer conducting; 1927 — Stravinsky: opera-oratorio "Oedipus Rex," at the Sarah Bernhardt Theater in Paris (in concert performance; first staged performance took place in Berlin on Feb. 25, 1928); 1938 — Piston: ballet "The Incredible Flutist," in Boston; 1962 — Britten: oratorio "War Requiem," in the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral in England; 1991 — Harrison Birtwistle: opera "Gawain" in London at the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Elgar Howarth conducting; 1995 — Alla Pavlova: Symphony No. 1 (“Farewell Russian”), in Moscow at the Concert Hall of the Union of Russian Composers, by the Russian Philharmonia, Konstantin Krimets, conducting; Other: 1723—Bach's first cantata performance in Leipzig (Cantata No. 75, "Die Elenden sollen essen"), presented at St. Nicolai Church, the day before his official induction as Cantor in that city.
Thursday, May 31
Billy Strayhorn ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Billy Strayhorn (1915 - 1967): Take the "A" Train Billy Strayhorn, celeste; Duke Ellington, piano; ensemble Riverside 108 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Strayhorn ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1656—French composer and viola da gamba virtuoso, Marin Marais, in Paris; 1804—French composer, pianist and teacher (Jeanne-) Louise Farrenc (née Dumont), in Paris; Deaths: 1809—Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn, age 77, in Vienna; 1967—American composer and arranger Billy Strayhorn, age 51, in New York City; Premieres: 1817 — Rossini: "La Gazza Ladra" (The Thieving Magpie"), at La Scala in Milan; 1884 — Puccini: opera "Le villi" (The Willies), in Milan at the Teatro dal Verme; 1961 — Penderecki: "Threnody in Memory of the Victims of Hiroshima" for strings, in Warsaw; 1998 — Melinda Wagner: Concerto for Flute, Strings and Percussion, at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Purchase, with flutist Paul Lustig Dunkel and the Westchester Philharmonic, Mark Mandarano conducting; This work won the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1999.
Friday, June 1
Show information not yet available. ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1653—Baptismal date of Baroque composer Georg Muffat, in Megève (Savoy); 1771—Italian composer Ferdinando Paër, in Parma; 1804—Russian composer Mikail Glinka, in Novospasskoye (now Glinka), near Yelnya, Smolensk District (Julian date: May 20); 1929—Canadian-born American composer Yehudi Wyner, in Calgary; Deaths: 1639—German composer Melchior Franck, age c. 60, in Coburg; 1909—Italian composer Giuseppe Martucci, age 53, in Naples; Premieres: 1853 — Liszt: "Fantasy on Themes from Beethoven's Ruins of Athens" and "Fantasy on Hungarian Themes" for piano and orchestra, in Budapest; 1869 — Smetana: opera "The Bartered Bride" (third of four versions), in Prague at the Provisional Theater; 1925 — Bloch: Concerto Grosso No. 1 for strings and piano, in Cleveland, with the composer conducting; 1932 — Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 12 ("Collective Farm Symphony"), in Moscow, by the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra, Albert Coates conducting; 1988 — Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: "Symbolon" for orchestra, in Leningrad (USSR), by the New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta conducting; 1991 — Peter Maxwell Davies: "Ojai Festival Overture," in the Ojai Valley north of Los Angeles, by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, with the composer conducting; Other: 1723—J.S. Bach is formally inducted as cantor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig; 1728—The Royal Academy of Music folds in London following a revival performance of Handel's opera "Ademto" (Gregorian date: June 12); 1750—Handel makes out his will, leaving to John Christopher Smith (the elder) "my large harpsichord, my little house organ, my musick books, and 500 pounds sterling" and the rest to his niece Johanna Floerken; On August 4, 1957, Handel modifies his will, leaving his theater organ to John Rich, some paintings to Charles Jennens and Bernard Granville, and "a fair copy of the score and all parts" of "Messiah" to the Foundling Hospital; On April 1759, Handel bequeaths 1000 pounds to the Society for the Support of Decayed Musicians, and directs that 600 pounds be used for his monument in Westminster Abbey; These dates are all according to the Julian calendar still in use in England, but not in the rest of Europe, in Handel's day.
Saturday, June 2
Show information not yet available. ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1835—Russian composer, pianist and conductor Nicolai Rubinstein (brother of Anton), in Moscow (Gregorian date: June 14); 1857—English composer Sir Edward Elgar, in Broadheath (near Worcester); 1863—German composer and conductor Felix Weingartner, in Zara, Dalmatia (now Zadar, Croatia); Deaths: 1937—French composer and organist Louis Vierne, age 66, in Paris at Notre Dame Cathedral while playing an organ recital; Premieres: 1914 — Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 1, in Pavlovsk (Gregorian date: June 15); 1937 — Berg: opera "Lulu" (Acts 1 & 2 only), in Zürich at the Stadtstheater; The first complete performance of the 3-act version of this opera with Berg's unfinished Act 3 (arranged by Friedrich Cerha) premiered in Paris on February 24, 1979; 1953 — Bliss: "Processional" in London, at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II; 1953 — Ginastera: "Variaciones Concertantes" in Buenos Aires; 1953 — Walton: "Coronation Te Deum" and "Orb and Sceptre" March, in London, at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II; 1954 — Leroy Anderson: "Bugler's Holiday" at a Decca recording session in New York City, with the composer conducting; The three cornet soloist for this classic recording were Robert Cusamann, Carl Poole and Melven Solomon; 1983 — Henze: opera "The English Cat," in Schwetzingen at the Schlosstheater; Other: 1711—The opera season at the Queen's Theater in London ends with a production of Handel's opera, "Rinaldo," (Gregorian date: June 13) which had opened there on February 24 (Gregorian date: March 7) the same year; This was the first Handel opera produced in London, and the first Italian opera written specifically composed for the London stage, and proved extremely popular; 1938—At the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, N.H., Amy Beach begins work on a Piano Trio based on some of her earlier works; She would finish the trio fifteen days later (June 18th) and publish it as her Op. 150.
Sunday, June 3
Show information not yet available. ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1801—Czech opera composer Franz (František) Škroup, in Osice; One of his songs was eventually used as the Czech national anthem; 1832—French operetta composer Charles Lecocq, in Paris; Deaths: 1875—French composer Georges Bizet, age 36, at Bougival (near Paris); 1899—Austrian composer Johann Strauss, Jr., age 73, in Vienna; 1939—Spanish composer and conductor Enrique Fernandez Arbos, in San Sebastian; Premieres: 1896 — Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5, in Paris, with the composer as soloist; 1915 — Chadwick: symphonic ballad "Tam O'Shanter" at the Norfolk Festival; 1922 — Stravinsky: opera "Marva," at the Paris Opéra; 1947 — Poulenc: opera "Les Mamelles de Tirésias" (The Breasts of Tiresias) in Paris at the Opéra-Comique; 1964 — Menotti: "Martin's Lie," at Bristol Cathedral in Bath, England; 1979 — Menotti: "La Loca," in San Diego, Calif.; 1988 — Michael Torke: "Copper" for brass quintet and orchestra, at the Midland (Michigan) Festival, with the Empire Brass and the Detroit Symphony conducted by Stephen Stein; 1999 — Tan Dun: "Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra (In Memory of Toru Takemitsu)," at Lincoln Center, with percussionist Christopher Lamb and the New York Philharmonic conducted by Kurt Masur. |
