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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive
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September 8-14, 2008
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Monday, September 8
Davis? Davies? Or Mavis? ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Peter Maxwell Davies (b. 1934): Mavis in Las Vegas BBC Symphony; Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, cond. Collins 1524 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Sir Peter Maxwell Davies More on Maxwell Davies ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1841 —Czech composer Antonin Dvorák, in Nelahozeves; 1894—Dutch composer Willem Pijper, in Zeist; 1933—American composer Eric Salzman, in New York City; 1934—British composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (whose last name, despite its spelling, is pronounced "Davis" by the British); 1934—Canadian composer Srul Irving Glick, in Toronto; Deaths: 1613—Italian nobleman, composer, lutenist, and murderer (of his first wife and her lover) Don Carlo Gesualdo, age c. 53, at his castle in Gesualdo; 1949—German composer and conductor Richard Strauss, age 85, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen; 1991—American composer Alex North, age 80, in Pacific Palisades, Calif.; Premieres: 1961 — Earle Brown: "Available Forms I" for 18 players, in Darmstadt; 1971 — Bernstein: gala premiere "Mass (A Theater Piece)" at the inauguration of the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., choreographed by Alvin Ainley, directed by Gordon Davidson, and conducted by Maurice Peress (Bernstein shared a box section with members of the Kennedy family, including Senator Ted Kennedy and his mother, Rose; Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis did not attend this performance); A dress rehearsal performances of this new work was also open to the public and specially-invited members of Congress the preceding day; 1975 — Paul Chihara: "Ceremony V (Symphony in Celebration)," in Houston; 1994 — Michael Torke: "Javelin," by the Atlanta Symphony, Yoel Levi conducting; 1995 — Lou Harrison: "New First Suite for Strings," in Majorca, by the Stuttgart Symphony, Dennis Russell Davies conductin; 2000 — Tan Dun: "Water Passion after St. Matthew," in Stuttgart (Germany), with vocal soloists Elizabeth Keusch and Stephen Bryant, violinist Mark O'Connor, cellist Maya Beiser, and percussionist David Cossin, and the orchestra of the Bach Academy conducted by the composer; This work was one of four passion settings commissioned by the International Bach Academy to honor the 250th anniversary of Bach's death in the year 2000 (see also: Aug. 29 Sept 1 5).
Tuesday, September 9
The long and the short of it (with Satie and Mackey) ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Erik Satie (1866 - 1925): Vexations Riri Shimada, piano Sony 89858 & Steven Mackey (b. 1956): Eating Greens New World Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, cond. BMG 63826 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Erik Satie On Steven Mackey ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1872—American composer Edward Burlingame Hill, in Cambridge, Mass.; 1937—American composer Olly Wilson, in St. Louis; Deaths: 1965—Mexican composer Julián Carrillo, age 90, in Mexico City; Premieres: 1825 — Beethoven: String Quartet in a, Op.132, at a private performance for an audience of fourteen at the Tavern "Zum Wilden Mann" (The Wild Man) in Vienna, by the Schuppanzigh Quartet; The same players gave the first public performance in Vienna on November 6 that year; 1973 — Frank Martin: "Polyptyque (Six Passiontide Images for Violin and Two Small String orchestras)," in Lausanne, by the Zurich Chamber Orchestra conducted by Edmond de Stoutz, with Yehudi Menuhin the soloist. 1995 — Michael Torke: "Telephone Book" for chamber ensemble (consisting of "The Yellow Pages" from 1985 and two new pieces: "The Blue Pages" and "The White Pages" composed in 1995), at the Milwaukee Art Museum by the Present Music ensemble, Kevin Stalheim conducting.
Wednesday, September 10
Cowell's "Hymn and Fuguing" tunes ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Henry Cowell (1897 - 1965): Hymn and Fuguing Tune No. 10 Humbert Lucarelli, oboe; Manhattan Chamber Orchestra; Richard Auldon Clark, cond. Koch 7282 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Henry Cowell More on Cowell An essay on Cowell's legacy ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1714—Italian opera composer Niccolo Jommelli, in Aversa (near Naples); He was known as "the Italian Gluck"; 1866—Swedish violinist and composer Tor Aulin, in Stockholm; 1875—Lithuanian composer Mikolajus Ciurlionis, in Varena (Gregorian date: Sept. 22); His birthday is incorrectly listed as Oct. 4 in many reference works; Deaths: 1680—Italian composer Marco Uccellini, age c. 77, in Folimpopoli; Premieres: 1838 — Berlioz: opera, "Benvenuto Cellini," at the Paris Opera; 1950 — Karl Amadeus Hartmann: "Adagio" (Symphony No. 2), by the Southwest German Radio Orchestra, Hans Rosbaud conducting; 1955 — Cowell: "Hymn and Fuguing Tune" No. 10 for oboe and strings, in the Sunken Gardens of the Spanish Court House in Santa Barbara, Calif., by oboist Bert Gassman and the strings of the 3rd Annual Pacific Coast Music Festival orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1971 — Ginastera: opera "Beatrix Cenci" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; 1989 — Peter Maxwell Davies: Symphony No. 4, at a BBC Proms Concert in London's Royal Albert Hall, by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by the composer; 1998 — Joan Tower: "Wild Purple," for solo viola, at Lincoln Center in New York, by Paul Neubauer.
Thursday, September 11
Harbison remembers Gatsby ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: John Harbison (b. 1938): Remembering Gatsby Baltimore Symphony; David Zinman, cond. Argo 444 454 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On John Harbison Harbison interview about "The Great Gatsby" ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1711—Baptismal date of British composer William Boyce, in London; 1786—German-born Danish pianist and composer Friedrich Kuhlau, in Ülzen (near Hanover); 1825—Conservative Viennese music critic Eduard Hanslick, in Prague; 1935 —Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, in Paide; Deaths: 1733—French harpsichordist and composer François Couperin ("le Grand"), age 64, in Paris; 1949—French composer Henri Rabaud, age 76, in Paris; 1985—English composer William Alwyn, age 79, in Southwold; Premieres: 1887 — Dvorák: Mass in D, Op. 86, at a private performance in Luzany; 1924 — Gershwin: musical "Primrose," at the Winter Garden Theater in London; 1936 — Kodály: "Te Deum," in Budapest; 1951 — Stravinsky: opera, "The Rake's Progress," in Venice at the Teatro della Fenice, conducted by the composer; According to Opera America, this is one of the most frequently-produced American operas during the past decade; 1971 — Barber: "Fadograph from a Yestern Scene" (the title is a line from James Joyce's "Finnegans Wake"), by the Pittsburgh Symphony, at the opening concert in Heinz Hall; 1986 — Harbison: "Remembering Gatsby" for orchestra, in Atlanta, with the Atlanta Symphony, Robert Shaw conducting; This music became the prelude to Harbison's 1999 opera, "The Great Gatsby"; Other: 1840—German composer Robert Schumann gives his fiancée, Clara Wieck, his new song-cycle "Liederkreis," as a gift on the eve of their wedding; 1850—Swedish soprano Jenny Lind makes her American debut at the Castle Garden Theatre in New York City, inaugurating a 93-stop American tour arranged by showman and entertainment entrepreneur Phineas "P.T." Barnum; 1950—At a Decca recording session in New York City; Leroy Anderson conducts the premiere performance of his piece entitled "The Waltzing Cat" and also commits to disc six more of his most popular compositions: "Jazz Pizzicato" and "Jazz Legato" (both composed in 1938), "A Trumpeter's Lullaby" and "The Syncopated Clock" (both composed in 1945), and two of his pieces that had premiered at 1947 and 1948 Boston Pops concerts: "Serenata" (Arthur Fiedler's favorite Leroy Anderson composition) and "Sleigh Ride" (which was actually composed in July!); Anderson had conducted the premiere of "Jazz Pizzicato" (his first composition) at a 1938 Boston Pops concert, and "Jazz Legato" was written at the request of Arthur Fiedler as a companion piece for the second side of a 78-rpm recording of "Jazz Pizzicato"; "A Trumpeter's Lullaby" was written at the request of Roger Voison, principal trumpet of the Boston Pops, and "The Syncopated Clock" was popularized when it was used for 25 years as the theme music for "The Late Show" on WCBS-TV in New York City; 1962—At their third recording session at London's Abbey Road studios, The Beatles record one of their early hit songs: "Love me, do!"
Friday, September 12
Milhaud and Bernstein in Venice ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974): Suite provençale, Op. 152b Detroit Symphony; Neeme Järvi, cond. Chandos 7031 & Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990): Serenade (after Plato's "Symposium") Zino Francescatti, violin; NY Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. Sony 60559 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Darius Milhaud & "Les Six" On Leonard Bernstein ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1825—Austrian flautist and conductor Karl Doppler, in Lwow; 1901—German composer Ernst Pepping, in Duisburg; 1906—Soviet composer Dimitri Shostakovich, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Sept. 25); 1939—American composer Phillip Ramey, in Chicago; Deaths: 1764—French composer Jean Philippe Rameau, age 80, in Paris;. Premieres: 1910 — Mahler: Symphony No. 8 ("Symphony of a Thousand") in Munich, with the composer conducting; 1932 — Villa-Lobos: "Bachianas Brasilieras" No. 1, in Rio de Janerio; 1937 — Milhaud: "Suite Provençale" in Venice, conducted by the composer; 1954 — Bernstein: "Serenade" (after Plato's "Symposium") at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, with composer conducting and Isaac Stern the violin soloist; 1967 — Kokonen: Symphony No. 3, in Helsinki; 1969 — Henri Lazarof: Cello Concerto, in Oslo, Norway; Other: 1840—Marriage of Robert Schumann, age 30, to Clara Wieck, on the day before her 21st birthday.
Saturday, September 13
Copland counts to 12 ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Aaron Copland (1900 - 1990): Inscape New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. Sony 47236 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Copland Collection at the Library of Congress MPR's Copland Centenary Feature ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1819—German pianist, teacher and composer Clara Schumann (née Wieck), in Leipzig; 1874—Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg, in Vienna; 1917—American composer Robert Ward, in Cleveland; 1924—French film composer Maurice Jarre, in Lyons; He won an Academy Award in 1965 for his "Dr. Zhivago" film score; Deaths: 1894—French composer Emmanuel Chabrier, age 53, in Paris; 1977—English-born American conductor, arranger and new music patron, Leopold Stokowski, age 95, in Nether Wallop, Hampshire (England); 1985—French-born American composer, painter and mystical philosopher Dane Rudhyar, age 90, in San Francisco; Premieres: 1948 — Cyril Scott: Oboe Concerto, at Royal Albert Hall in London; 1956 — Stravinsky: "Canticum sacrum ad honorem Sancti Marci nomiminis," at St. Mark's in Venice, with the composer conducting; 1967 — Copland: "Inscape" for Orchestra (commissioned by the New York Philharmonic for its 125th Anniversary Year), at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein; 1986 — Bernstein: Concerto for Orchestra ("Jubilee Games"), at Avery Fisher Hall in New York, by the Israel Philharmonic with composer conducting.
Sunday, September 14
Tan Dun and Beethoven -- in (and out) of China ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Symphony No. 5 Royal Philharmonic; René Leibowitz, cond. Chesky 17 & Tan Dun (b. 1957): Out of Peking Opera Cho-Liang Lin, violin; Helsinki Philharmonic; Muhai Tang, cond. Ondine 864 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On the Philadelphia Orchestra On Tan Dun ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1737—Austrian composer Johann Michael Haydn, in Rohrau; He was the younger brother of Franz Joseph Haydn (b. 1732); 1760—Italian composer Luigi Cherubini, in Florence (although August 14 is occasionally cited as his birthdate); 1910—American composer and eminent theatrical conductor Lehman Engel, in Jackson, Miss.; 1910—Swiss composer Rolf Liebermann, in Zurich; Premieres: 1854 — Bruckner: Mass in Bb ("Missa Solemnis") in St. Florian, Austria; 1952 — Frank Martin: Concerto for Harpsichord, in Venice; 1954 — Britten: opera "The Turn of the Screw," in Venice at the Teatro La Fenice; 1968 — Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 12, in Moscow, by the Beethoven Quartet; 1978 — Barber: Third Essay for Orchestra, by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Zubin Mehta; 1994 — Richard Danielpour: Cello Concerto, commissioned and performed by San Francisco Symphony conducted by Herbert Blomstedt, with soloist Yo-Yo Ma; 1996 — Stockhausen: "Freitag aus Licht" (Friday from Light), at the Leipzig Opera; 1997 — Saariaho: "Graal Théâtre" (chamber version), in Helsinki, by the Avanti Ensemble and violinist John Storgards. 2002 — David Amram: Flute Concerto ("Giants of the Night"), in New Orleans by the Louisiana Philharmonic conducted by Klauspeter Seibel, with James Galway the soloist; 2002 — Colin Matthews, Judith Weir, Poul Ruders, David Sower, Michael Torke, Anthony Payne, and Magnus Linberg: "Bright Cecilia: Variations on a Theme by Purcell," at Royal Albert Hall in London, with the BBC Symphony, Leonard Slatkin conducting; This set of orchestral variations on a Purcell theme was commissioned by BBC Music magazine to celebrate its 10th anniversary; Other: 1731—J.S. Bach performs organ recitals in Dresden on Sept. 14-21; 1741—Handel finishes scoring his famous oratorio, "Messiah," begun on August 22 (The entire work was composed in a period of 24 days); These dates are according to the Julian "Old Style" calendar (Gregorian dates: Sept 2 to Sept. 25); 1914—W. C. Handy copyrights his most famous song, "The St. Louis Blues"; 1973—The Philadelphia Orchestra gives a concert in Beijing, the first American orchestra to perform in Red China; Eugene Ormandy conducts symphonies by Mozart (No. 35), Brahms (No. 1) and the American composer Roy Harris (No. 3). |
