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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive
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November 17-23, 2008
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Monday, November 17
David Amram, Renaissance Man ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: David Amram (b. 1930): Rondo a la Turca, fr Triple Concerto David Amram Jazz Quintet; Rochester Philharmonic; David Zinman, cond. Flying Fish 751 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On David Amram ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1919—American composer and arranger Hershy Kay, in Philadelphia; 1930—American composer, French horn player and conductor David Amram, in Philadelphia; Deaths: 1959—Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, age 72, in Rio de Janeiro; 1982—Estonian composer Eduard Tubin, age 77, in Stockholm; Premieres: 1726 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 55 ("Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht") performed on the 22nd Sunday after Trinity as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1839 — Verdi: opera "Oberto" in Milan at the Teatro all Scala; This was Verdi's first opera; 1866 — Ambroise Thomas: opera, "Mignon,"in Paris at the Opéra-Comique; 1876 — Tchaikovsky: “Marche slav” in Moscow (see Julian date: Nov. 5); 1877 — Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta, "The Sorcerer," at the Opera Comique Theatre in London; 1888 — Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, in St. Petersburg, with the composer conducting (se Julian date: Nov. 5); 1924 — Ernst von Dohnányi: "Ruralia Hungarica" in Budapest, with composer conducting; 1937 — Daniel Gregory Mason: "A Lincoln Symphony," John Barbirolli conducting the New York Philharmonic; 1955 — Bernstein: incidental music for "The Lark" (play by Jean Anoilh adapted by Lillian Hellman) in New York City at the Longacre Theater, performed by New York Pro Musica conducted by Noah Greenberg; A trial run of this show had opened in Boston at the Plymouth Theater on October 28, 1955; 1977 — Vincent Persichetti: "Concerto for English Horn & Strings," soloist Thomas Stacy, Erich Leinsdorf conducting New York Philharmonic; 1991 — Katherine Hoover: "Canyon Echoes," by flutist Susan Morris De Jong and guitarist Jeffrey Van, at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis; 1996 — Michael Torke: “Chrome” for flute and piano, at Colden Center in Queens, N.Y., by Marina Piccinini (flute) and Andreas Haefliger (piano).
Tuesday, November 18
Paul Bowles' "Road to Morocco" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Paul Bowles (1910 – 1999): Suite & Concerto for Two Pianos EOS Ensemble; Jonathan Sheffer, cond. BMG/Catalyst 68409 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Paul Bowles More on Bowles ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1786—frequently cited birthdate of German composer Carl Maria Von Weber, in Eutin, Oldenburg (the exact date is not certain); 1836—British playwright Sir William Schwenck Gilbert, in London; Gilbert provided most of the witty librettos for the famous operettas of Sir Arthur Sullivan; 1895 —Russian composer and pianist Sergei Liapunov (Lyapunov), in Yaroslavl (Gregorian date: Nov. 30); 1860—Polish composer, piano virtuoso, and statesman, Ignace Jan Paderewski, in Kurylowka, Podolia/Russian Poland(see Julian date: Nov. 6); 1909—American song writer and lyricist Johnny Mercer, in Savannah, Ga.; Deaths: 1953—American composer and American folksong compiler, Ruth Crawford (Seeger), age 52, in Chevy Chase, Md.; She was the step-mother of the famous folk singer Peter Seeger; 1999—American composer and author Paul Bowles, age 88, in Tangier, Morocco; Premieres: 1875 — Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 3 in c, Op. 60, in Vienna, by the Hellmesberger Quartet, with the composer at the piano; 1877 — Tchaikovsky: “Variations on a Rococo Theme,” in Moscow (Gregorian date: Nov. 30); 1883 — Dvorak: "Husitska" Overture at the opening of the Czech National Theater in Prague; 1891 — Tchaikovsky: symphonic balled "The Voyevode" in Moscow (Julian date: Nov. 6); 1953 — Peter Mennin: Symphony No. 6, by the Louisville Orchestra in Kentucky; 1968 — Paul Creston: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, in Montevallo, Alabama; Other: 1741—Handel arrives in Dublin for an extended stay, involving a number of concerts in the Irish capital, including the premiere of his latest oratorio "Messiah" the following Spring (Gregorian date: Nov. 29); 1928—Mickey Mouse debuts in "Steamboat Willie," in New York; This was the first animated cartoon with synchronized pre-recorded sound effects and music -- the latter provided by organist and composer Carl Stalling of Kansas City; Stalling would later provide memorial music for many classic Warner Brothers cartoons;
Wednesday, November 19
Rameau and Adams go dancing ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Jean Philippe Rameau (1683 – 1764): Dardanus Suite Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra; Nicholas McGegan, cond. Conifer 51313 & John Adams (b. 1947): John's Book of Alleged Dances Kronos Quartet Nonesuch 79453 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Rameau On Adams ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1859—Russian composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov, in Gatchina, near St. Petersburg (see Julian date: Nov. 7); Deaths: 1630—German composer Johann Hermann Schein, age 44, in Leipzig; 1828—Austrian composer Franz Schubert, age 31, in Vienna; 1825—Bohemian composer Jan Vaclav Hugo Vorisek (or Worzischek), age 34, in Vienna; 1998—American composer Earl Kim, age 78, in Cambridge, Mass.; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 26 ("Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig") performed on the 24th Sunday after Trinity as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1739 — Rameau: opera "Dardanus," in Paris; 1875 — Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3, in Moscow (see Julian date: Nov. 7); 1923 — In Budapest, for the 50th Anniversary of the union of the cities Buda and Pest (on opposite sides of the Danube), a gala concert premieres Ernst von Dohnányi's "Festive Overture," Zoltán Kódaly's "Psalmus Hungaricus," and Béla Bartók's "Dance Suite"; 1953 — Elliott Carter: Sonata for flute, oboe, cello and harpsichord, in New York City; 1984 — Christopher Rouse: “Gorgon” for orchestra, by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, David Zinman, cond; 1994 — John Adams: "John's Book of Alleged Dances" for string quartet and foot-controlled sampler, at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, by the Kronos Quartet; 2000 — Philip Glass: Double Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra, at Lincoln Center in New York, by the American Composers Orchestra; 2004 — Henry Brant: "Wind, Water, Clouds and Fire," for six spatial arranged performing groups and choirs including the Present Music Ensemble,the Bucks American Indian Drumming and Singing Group, and the Milwaukee Youth Symphony, at the Cathredral of St. John the Evagelist in Milwaukee, Wisc. Other: 1863—The U.S. Marine Corps Band accompanies President Lincoln to Gettysburg for the dedication of the National Cemetery on the occasion of his famous Gettysburg Address; 1937—The RKO film "Damsel in Distress" is released, with music by George Gershwin; This film includes the classic Gershwin songs "A Foggy Day," and "Nice Work If You Can Get It"; 1957—Leonard Bernstein named Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, the first American-born and American-trained conductor to assume the post of a major American orchestra;
Thursday, November 20
thoven, Bonaparte, and "Fidelio" in Vienna ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827): Overture & Prisoner's Chorus, fr Fidelio Dresden Opera Chorus & Orchestra; Bernard Haitink, cond. Philips 438 496 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Beethoven's "Fidelio" ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1873—American composer Daniel Gregory Mason, in Brookline, Massachusetts; 1942—American composer and singer Meredith (Jane) Monk, in Lima, Peru; Deaths: 1518—French-Flemish composer Pierre de la Rue, age ca. 66, in Courtrai (Kortrijk); 1758—Swedish composer Johan Helmich Roman, age, near Kalmar; 1894—Russian composer Anton Rubinstein, age 64, in age 64; Peterhof (now Petrodvorets), near St. Petersburg (Julian date: Nov. 8); 1927—Swedish composer Wilhelm Stenhammar, age 56, in Stockholm; 1950—Italian opera composer Francesco Cilea, age 84, in d'Varazze, near Savona; Premieres: 1805 — Beethoven: opera "Fidelio" (1st version, with the "Leonore" Overture No. 2), in Vienna at the Theater an der Wien; 1866 — Brahms: String Sextet in G, Op. 36, in Zürich, Swizterland (European premiere); The Brahms biographer and scholar Jan Swafford says the work's world premiere public performance occurred a few days earlier in Boston, at a concert by the Mendelssohn Quintet Club on November 11 that same year; 1889 — Mahler: Symphony No. 1, by the Budapest Philharmonic, with the composer conducting; 1891 — Loeffler: “Les Veilees d l’Ukraine” Suite, by the Boston Symphony, Arthur Nikisch conducting; 1911 — Mahler: "Das Lied von der Erde"(posthumously) in Munich, conductor Bruno Walter; 1925 — Copland: "Music for the Theatre," by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky conducting; 1949 — Vaughan Williams: "An Oxford Elegy," in Dorking; 1952 — Roy Harris: Symphony No. 7 (first version), by the Chicago Symphony, with Rafael Kubelik conducting; 1964 — Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 9 and 10, in Moscow, by the Beethoven Quartet; 1986 — Michael Torke: “Green,” by the Milwaukee Symphony, Lukas Foss conducting; 1987 — John Harbison: String Quartet No. 2, at Jordan Hall in Boston, by the Emerson String Quartet;
Friday, November 21
Hindemith in E-flat (and in Minneapolis) ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Paul Hindemith (1895 – 1963): Symphony in Eb BBC Philharmonic; Yan Pascal Tortelier, cond. Chandos 9060 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Hindemith ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1852—Spanish guitarist and composer Francisco Tárrega, in Villarreal, Castellon; 1877—German composer and organist Sigfrid Karg-Elert, in Oberndorf-am-Neckar; 1931—Australian composer Malcolm Williamson, in Sydney; Deaths: 1695—English composer Henry Purcell, age 36, in Westminster, London; 1710—Italian composer Bernardo Pasquini, age 72, in Rome; 1938—Polish-born American piano virtuoso and composer Leopold Godowsky, age 68, in New York City; 1974—Swiss composer Frank Martin, age 84, in Naarden, Holland; Premieres: 1723 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 70 ("Wachet! Betet! Betet! Wachet!") performed on the 26th Sunday after Trinity as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1831 — Meyerbeer: opera, "Robert le Diable," at the Paris Opéra; 1896 — Dvorák: symphonic poem "The Noonday Witch," Op. 108, in London; 1901 — R. Strauss: opera "Feuersnot" (Fire Famine), in Dresden at the Hofoper, conducted by Ernst von Schuch; 1935 — Stravinsky: Concerto for Two Pianos, the composer and his son as soloists; 1937 — Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, by Leningrad Philharmonic, Yevgeny Mravinsky conducting; 1939 — Shostakovich: Symphony No. 6, by Leningrad Philharmonic, Yevgeny Mravinsky conducting; 1941 — Hindemith: Symphony in Eb, by the Minneapolis Symphony, Dimtri Mitropoulos conducting; 1945 — Britten: String Quartet No. 2 in C, Op. 36, in London, by the Zorian Quartet; 1947 — Persichetti: Symphony No. 3, by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1974 — Peter Mennin: Symphony No. 8, Daniel Barenboim conducting New York Philharmonic; 1984 — Gunther Schuller: "Concerto Quarterino" for flute, oboe, trumpet & orchestra, Zubin Mehta conducting New York Philharmonic, which commissioned it; 1986 — John Harbison: cantata "The Flight into Egypt," at the New England Conservatory of Music, with soprano Lorraine Hunt, baritone John Osborne, and the Camerata Singers, David Hoose conducting; This work won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1987; 1989 — Michael Torke: “Rust” for piano and winds, at the Huddersfield (U.K.) Contemporary Music Festival, by the Orkest de Volharding; 1996 — George Perle: "Transcendental Modulations," Jahja Ling conducting New York Philharmonic, a 150th anniversary commission;
Saturday, November 22
(St. Cecilia's Day)
Grofe does the Grand Canyon ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Ferde Grofé (1897 – 1972): Grand Canyon Suite Philadelphia Orchestra; Eugene Ormandy, cond. Sony Classical 62402 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On the Grand Canyon Suite Grand Canyon Suite profiled in the "NPR 100" More on Grofé ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1709—Baptism of Bohemian composer Frantisek Benda, in Staré Benátky; In 1763 Benda wrote his autobiography, an important source of information on music and musicians of the period; 1710—German composer Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (eldest son of J. S.), in Weimar; 1780—German composer Conradin Kreutzer, in Messkirch, Baden; 1899—American pianist and songwriter Hoagy Carmichael, in Bloomington, Ind.; 1901—Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo, in Sagunto; 1913—English composer Benjamin Britten, in Lowestoft, Suffolk; 1925—American composer, conductor, professional French horn player, and author Gunther Schuller, in New York; 1936—German composer and conductor Hans Zender, in Wiesbaden; Deaths: 1900—English composer Sir Arthur Sullivan, in London, age 58; 1955—French composer Guy Ropartz, age 91, in Lanloup; Premieres: 1712 — Handel: opera “Il pastor fido,” at the Queen’s Theater in London (Gregorian date: Dec. 3); 1727 — Handel: opera “Riccardo Primo” in London (see Julian date: Nov. 11); 1739 — Handel: “Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day,” in London at Lincoln’s Inn Field (Gregorian date: Dec. 3); 1740 — Handel: opera “Imeneo” in London at Lincoln’s Inn Fields (Gregorian date: Dec. 3) ; This work was billed as an “operetta”; 1872 — Dvořák: Piano Quintet in A, Op. 5 (original version), at the Konvikt Hall in Prague; Dvořák revised this early chamber work in 1887; 1895 — Rachmaninoff: “Caprice bohémien” (Capriccio on Gypsy Themes) (Gregorian date: Dec. 4); 1907 — Charles Martin Loeffler: "A Pagan Poem," Karl Muck conducting Boston Symphony Orchestra; 1928 — Ravel: ballet "Bolero," danced by Ida Rubinstein, at the Paris Opéra; 1931 — Ferde Grofé: "Grand Canyon" Suite, in Chicago, by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra;
Sunday, November 23
Berlioz gets paid (eventually) ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Hector Berlioz (1803 – 1869): Harold in Italy Nobuko Imai, viola; London Symphony; Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips 416 431 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Hector Berlioz . . . . . . and some Viola jokes ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1876—Spanish composer Manuel de Falla, in Cádiz; 1878—French composer, conductor and arranger André Caplet, in Le Havre; 1928—American musical composer Jerry Bock, in New Haven, Conn.; 1933—Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, in Debica; Deaths: 1585—English composer and organist Thomas Tallis, age c. 80, in Greenwich; This date is not certain (Nov. 20 is also cited as a possibility); Premieres: 1834 — Berlioz: "Harold in Italy," by the Paris Conservatory Orchestra, with Narcisse Girard conducting and Chrétien Urhan the soloist; 1850 — George Loder: overture, "Marmion," composer conducting Philharmonic Society of New York; 1867 — Brahms: Ballad No. 1 ("Edward"), from Op. 10, in Vienna; 1890 — Dvorák: Piano Quartet No. 2 in Eb, Op., 87, in Prague; 1899 — Dvorák: opera "The Devil and Kate," in Prague; 1921 — Janácek: "Kátya Kabanová," in Brno at the National Theater; 1928 — Daniel Gregory Mason: "Chanticleer (Festival Overture)", in Cincinnati; 1931 — Bartók: ballet, "The Wooden Prince," in Budapest; 1934 — Copland: "Short Symphony" in Mexico City, by the Orquestra Sinfonica de Mexico, with Carlos Chávez conducting; Subsequent scheduled performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Boston Symphony had to be cancelled, as the work was considered too difficult to prepare in the available time; 1940 — Shostakovich: Piano Quintet in g, in Moscow, by the Beethoven Quartet, with the composer at the piano; 1963 — Daniel Pinkham: Symphony No. 2 in Lansing, Michigan; 1985 — Michael Torke: “Bright Blue Music,” at Carnegie Hall in New York, by the New York City Youth Symphony, David Alan Miller conducting; Other: 1885—Austro-Hungarian conductor Anton Siedl, a Wagner protégé, makes his American debut conducting "Lohengrin" at the Metropolitan Opera in New York; 1903—Italian tenor Enrico Caruso debuts at New York's Metropolitan Opera in Verdi's "Rigoletto"; He would sing a total of 607 performances with the Met, the last occurring on December 24, 1920 (an evening performance of Halevy's "La Juive"); |
