 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive
Your support makes our online services possile. Contribute Now.
 Your purchase from Public Radio Market helps support the American Composers Forum and Composers Datebook. Your support makes our online services possible. Contribute Now.  |
December 1-7, 2008
Playing audio requires the free RealPlayer from RealNetworks. See Audio Help for instructions.
Monday, December 1
Bernstein's "Candide" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990): Candide soloists; London Symphony; Leonard Bernstein, cond. DG 429 734 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Leonard Bernstein On "Candide" ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1709—German composer Franz Xaver Richter, probably in Holleschau, Moravia; 1823—French opera composer Ernest (Louise-Etienne-Ernest) Reyer, in Marseilles; An ardent admirer of Wagner, Ernest Reyer added a Germanic "-er" to his real last name "Rey"; His most famous opera is "Sigurd"(1884), a retelling of the Siegfried story familiar from Wagner's "Ring" cycle, but set in the style of a French grand opera; 1847—Norwegian composer and pianist Agathe Backer-Grondahl, in Holmestrand; Deaths: 1707—British composer and organist Jeremiah Clarke, age c. 33, commits suicide in London, supposedly after an unhappy love affair; This date is according to the Julian "Old Style" calendar still in use in England that year (Gregorian date: Dec. 12); 1950—Anglo-Irish composer Ernest John Moeran, age 55, near Kenmare, Ireland; Premieres: 1832 — Mendelssohn: Overture, "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage," in Berlin; 1902 — Nielsen: Symphony No. 2 ("The Four Temperaments") in Copenhagen; 1924 — Gershwin: musical "Lady, Be Good," at the Liberty Theater in New York City; This show featured Fred and Adele Astaire and included the classic Gershwin songs "Fascinating Rhythm," "Oh, Lady Be Good," and "The Half of It, Dearie, Blues"; 1934 — Ravel: "Don Quichotte à Dulcinée," his last work, in Paris at a Colonne Concert; 1935 — Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2, by the Madrid Symphony, with the Spanish conductor Enrique Fernández Arbós and the French violinist Robert Soëtens; 1937 — Vaughan Williams: one-act opera "Riders to the Sea," in London; 1944 — Bartók: "Concerto for Orchestra," by the Boston Symphony, Serge Koussevitzky conducting; Bartók composed a revised and more dramatic ending for this work this work soon after the Boston premiere (The original ending heard at the premiere was judged too perfunctory and abrupt); 1944 — Gruenberg: Violin Concerto, Op. 47, by violinist Jascha Heifetz, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1951 — Britten: opera, "Billy Budd" (libretto by E.M. Forester, after Hermann Melville), in London, at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, with the composer conducting; 1956 — Bernstein: musical "Candide" (original version) at Martin Beck Theater in New York City; A trial run opened at the Colonial Theater in Boston on October 29, 1956; Bernstein revised the work in 1973 (Chelsea Theater version), 1982 (New York City Opera version), 1988 ("opera house" version), and 1989 ("concert version" with narrator); 1957 — Stravinsky: ballet "Agon," at the New York City Ballet, choreographed by Georges Balanchine; The first concert performance of Stravinsky's ballet score occurred on June 17, 1957, at a 75th birthday concert for Stravinsky in Los Angeles conducted by Robert Craft; 1977 — Lukas Foss: "American Cantata," in New York City; Other: 1736—J.S. Bach gives an organ recital at the Frauenkirche in Dresden; 1822—The 11 year-old pianist Franz Liszt performs for the first time in Vienna at that city's town hall; His first public appearance ever had occurred in October of 1820, in Oedenberg, when he was 9 years old; 1859—The French Opera House opens in New Orleans with Rossini's "William Tell"; 1886—Wagner's opera "Tristan und Isolde" receives its American premiere at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with Wagner's protégé, Anton Seidl, conducting;
Tuesday, December 2
Burleigh and Copland ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Harry T. Burleigh (1866 – 1949): A Jubilee Joseph Smith, piano Premier 1041 & Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990): Four Piano Blues Michel Legrand, piano Erato 96386 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Harry T. Burleigh On Copland ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1866—American baritone and composer Henry Thacker Burleigh, in Stamford, Conn.; 1879 —Bohemian-born American operetta composer Rudolf Friml, in Prague; Deaths: 1916—Sir Francesco Paolo Tosti, age 70, in Rome; 1931—French composer Vincent d'Indy, age 80, in Paris; 1990—American composer Aaron Copland, age 90, in North Tarrytown, N.Y.; Premieres: 1729 — Handel: opera "Lotario," in London at the King's Theater in the Haymarket (Gregorian date: Dec. 13); 1840 — Donizetti: opera "La Favorite," at the Paris Opéra; 1883 — Brahms: Symphony No. 3, with Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Hans Richter; The composer and pianist Ignaz Brüll had performed a two-piano arrangement of this symphony the previous month at two private events for friends (including possibly the Viennese music critic, Eduard Hanslick); 1886 — Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A, Op. 100, in Vienna; 1877 — Saint-Saëns: opera "Samson et Dalila" (in German), in Weimar at the Hoftheater; 1900 — Rachmaninoff: second and third movements only of Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 (Gregorian date: Dec. 15); 1901 — Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonata, Op. 19, in Moscow, by cellist Anatoly Brandukov, with the composer at the piano (Gregorian date: Dec. 15); 1924 — Sigmund Romberg: "The Student Prince," in New York City; 1928 — Franz Schmidt: Symphony No. 3, in Vienna; 1928 — Schoenberg: "Variations for Orchestra," in Berlin; 1946 — Milhaud: Symphony No. 2, by the Boston Symphony with the composer conducting; 1949 — Bartók: Viola Concerto (completed by Tibor Serly), posthumously, by violist William Primrose and the Minneapolis Symphony, Antal Dorati conducting; 1949 — premiere of MGM film “On the Town,” based on the 1944 musical by Leonard Bernstein; 1949 — Messiaen: first complete performance of "Turangalila" Symphony, by Boston Symphony conducted by Leonard Bernstein; Three of the ten movements of this symphony were premiered in Paris on February 15, 1948); 1955 — Petrassi: Concerto for Orchestra No. 5, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting; 1955 — Ernst Toch: Symphony No. 3, by the Pittsburgh Symphony, William Steinberg conducting; This work was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1956; 1970 — Tippett: opera "The Knot Garden," in London at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; 1988 — John Harbison: "Fantasy Duo" for violin and piano, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., with violinist David Abel and pianist Julie Steinberg; 1998 — Zwilich: String Quartet No. 2, at Carnegie Hall in New York by the Emerson Quartet; 1999 — James MacMillan: Symphony No. 2, at Ayr Town Hall in Scotland, by the Scottish Chamber Symphony, with the composer conducting; Other: 1717—J.S. Bach is allowed to leave the Duke’s Court at Weimar; He had been imprisoned since Nov. 6 th by his former employer Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar for accepting a new post at Prince Leopold’s court at Cöthen without first asking permission.
Wednesday, December 3
Dvorak plays favorites? ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Antonin Dvořák (1841 – 1904): Sonatina in G, Op. 100 Ivan Zenaty, violin; Antonin Kubalek, piano Dorian 90171 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Dvořák More on Dvořák ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1729—Baptism of Spanish composer and organist, Padre Antonio Soler, in Olot; 1883—Austrian composer Anton Webern, in Vienna; 1914—American composer Irving Fine, in Boston; 1938—Uruguayan-born American composer and conductor, José Serebrier, in Montevideo; Deaths: 1866—Bohemian composer Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda, age 65, in Karlsruhe, Germany; 1876—German opera composer Hermann Goetz, age 35, in Hottingen, near Zurich, Switzerland; 1941—Norwegian composer Christian Sinding, age 85, in Oslo; 1978—American composer William Grant Still, age 83, in Los Angeles; Premieres: 1712 — Handel: opera “Il pastor fido,” in London (Julian date: Nov. 22); 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 62 ("Nun komm der Heiden Heiland" I) performed on the 1st Sunday in Advent as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1739 — Handel: “Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day,” in London (Julian date: Nov. 22); 1740 — Handel: opera “Imeneo” in London (Julian date: Nov. 22); 1908 — Elgar: Symphony No. 1, at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England, with the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Hans Richter; 1913 — Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonata No. 2 (Gregorian date: Dec. 16); 1913 — Franz Schmidt: Symphony No. 2, in Vienna; 1925 — Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F, at Carnegie Hall in New York, with the composer as soloist and the New York Symphony conducted by Walter Damrosch; 1931 — Edward Joseph Collins: Piano Concerto No. 2 in a (“Concert Piece”), by the Chicago Symphony, Frederick Stock conducting and the composer as soloist; 1943 — Hanson: Symphony No. 4 ("Requiem"), with the Boston Symphony conducted by the composer; This work was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1944; 1949 — Grofé: "Death Valley" Suite, at Desolation Canyon, Calif., by the Hollywood Bowl, conducted by the composer; 1953 — Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 4, in Moscow, by the Beethoven Quartet; 1954 — Barber: oratorio “Prayers of Kierkegaard” for soloists, chorus and orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting; 1954 — Walton: opera "Troilus and Cressida," at Covent Garden in London; 1958 — Colin McPhee: "Nocturne" for orchestra, by Lepold Stokowski and "his orchestra"'; 1963 — Copland: ballet "Dance Panels," in Munich; 1992 — John Harbison: Oboe Concerto, with soloist William Bennett and the San Francisco Symphony, Herbert Blomstedt conducting; Other: 1721—J.S. Bach (age 36) marries his second wife, Anna Magdalena Wülken (age 20) at Cöthen;
Thursday, December 4
"Medea" by Charpentier (and Druckman) ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1635 – 1704): Médée Les Arts Florissants; William Christie, cond. Harmonia Mundi 90.1139/41 & Jacob Druckman (1928 – 1996): Prism New York Philharmonic; Zubin Mehta, cond. New World 335 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Marc-Antoine Charpentier On Jacob Druckman More on Druckman ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1660—Baptism of French composer André Campra, in Aix-en-Provence; 1667—Baptism of French composer and theorist Michel Pignolet de Montéclair, in Andelot; 1879—Irish composer and conductor (Sir) Hamilton Harty, in Hillsborough, County Down; Deaths: 1935—Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen, age 71, in Oslo; 1953—American composer and writer on music Daniel Gregory Mason, age 80, Greenwich, Conn.; 1976—British composer Benjamin Britten, age 63, in Aldeburgh; 1993—American composer and guitarist Frank Zappa, age 52, in Los Angeles; Premieres: 1693 — M.-A, Charpentier: opera, "Médée," in Paris; 1816 — Rossini: opera "Otello," in Naples at the Teatro del Fondo; 1920 — Korngold: opera "Die tote Stadt," simultaneously in Hamburg and Cologne; The Hamburg premiere was conducted by Egon Pollak, the Cologne premiere by Otto Klemperer; 1845 — R. Schumann: Piano Concerto in a, Op. 54, in Dresden, Ferdinand Hiller conducting, with Clara Schumann the soloist; 1881 — Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto, in Vienna by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Hans Richter, with Adolf Brodsky as soloist; 1885 — American premiere of Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 in d, at the Old Metropolitan Opera House in New York, during an afternoon public rehearsal by the New York Symphony Society, with the 23-year old Walter Damrosch; The “official” concert occurred the following evening; This was the first time any Bruckner Symphony was performed in America; In his Preface to a 1942 book by Werner Wolff entitled “Anton Bruckner: Rustic Genius,” Damrosch incorrectly states it was Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony (in E-flat Major, subtitled “Romantic”) that he performed on Dec. 5, 1885; 1895 — Rachmaninoff: “Caprice bohémien” (Capriccio on Gypsy Themes), in Moscow, with the composer conducting (Julian date: Nov. 22); 1898 — Dvorák: symphonic poem "Hero's Song," Op. 111, in Vienna; 1909 — Wolf-Ferrari: opera, "Il segreto di Susanna," in Munich, at the Hoftheater; 1922 — Bax: Symphony No. 1, in London; 1949 — Dallapiccola: opera "I Prigioniero" (The Prisoner), in a broadcast concert performance in Turin by the Italian Radio; The first staged performance of this opera took place on May 20, 1950, in Florence.
Friday, December 5
Libby Larsen for Strings ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Libby Larsen (b. 1950): Symphony No. 4 (String Symphony) Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Joel Revzen, cond. Koch International 7481 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Libby Larsen Libby Larsen on THE COMPOSERS VOICE ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1687—Baptism of Italian composer, violinist and theorist Francesco Geminiani, in Lucca; 1870—Czech composer Vitezslav Novák, in Kamenice nad Lipou; Deaths: 1791—Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadé (aka Amadeus) Mozart, age 35, in Vienna; Premieres: 1749 — Rameau: opera "Zoroastre," in Paris; 1830 — Berlioz: "Symphonie fantastique" in Paris, with François-Antoine Habaneck conducting; 1837 — Berlioz: "Requiem," in Paris, François Habeneck conducting (Berlioz later claimed that at one point he had to jump on stage and take over when Habeneck stopped to take snuff, but some eyewitnesses denied this happened); 1865 — Brahms: Horn Trio in Eb, Op. 40, in Karlsruhe, with two musicians identified only as Strauss (violin) and Segisser (horn), with the composer at the piano; The latest edition of the Grove Dictionary lists an earlier performance in Zürich, Swizterland, on November 28 that same year, however; 1911 — Rachmaninoff: Piano Preludes, Op. 32 (Gregorian date: Dec. 18); 1927 — Janácek: "Slavonic Mass," in Brno; 1930 — Milhaud: Concerto for Percussion and Small Orchestra, in Paris; 1930 — Sessions: "The Black Maskers" Suite, in Cincinnati; 1947 — Barber: "Medea" Ballet Suite, Op. 23, by Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1952 — Menotti: Violin Concerto, with Efrem Zimbalist, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1991 — Zwilich: Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchesra, by the Louisville Orchestra with Lawrence Leighton Smith conducting, and soloists Jaime Laredo (violin) and Sharon Robinson (violoncello); 1998 — Libby Larsen: "String Symphony," in Minneapolis by the Minnesota Orchestra, Eiji Oue conducting Other: 1704—George Frideric Handel (age 19) refuses to turn over the harpsichord to Johann Mattheson (age 23) during a performance of Mattheson's opera "Cleopatra," leading to a sword duel between the two; It is said that during the swordplay, Handel was saved by a button on his coat that deflected Mattheson's mortally-directed blade; The two reconciled on December 30 that year, dining together and attending a rehearsal of Handel's opera "Almira," becoming, as Mattheson put it: "better friends than ever."
Saturday, December 6
Bright Sheng says:"What's in a name" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Bright Sheng (b. 1955): Postcards Singapore Symphony; Lan Shui, cond. BIS 1122 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Bright Sheng ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1550—Baptism of Italian composer Orazio Vecchi, in Modena; 1920—American jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, in Concord, Calif.; 1933—Polish composer Henryk Górecki, in Czernica; 1955—Chinese-American composer Bright Sheng, in Shanghai; Premieres: 1841 — R. Schumann: Symphony No. 4 (as his Symphony No. 2), by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Ferdinand David conducting; Schumann withdrew the score, revised it, and reintroduced it in 1853 with the Düsseldorf Municipal Orchestra as his Symphony No. 4 (his "other" Symphony No. 2 and a Symphony No. 3 have been premiered in the meantime); 1842 — Schumann: Piano Quintet in Eb, Op. 44, at a private concert in the Leipzig home of Carl and Heinrich Voigt; Schumann’s wife, Clara, was to perform, but took ill, and Felix Mendelssohn stepped in for the informal performance, reading the work at sight; Mendelssohn’s critic of the work’s original second movement led Schumann to write a livelier replacement (see also Dec. 8, 1844); 1846 — Berlioz: dramatic legend, "The Damnation of Faust," at the Paris Opéra-Comique, with the composer conducting; 1876 — Tchaikovsky: opera "Vakula the Blacksmith," at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Nov. 24); 1880 — Tchaikovsky: "Capriccio italien," in Moscow (Gregorian date: Dec. 18); 1890 — Berlioz: opera "La Prise de Troie" (The Capture of Troy), Acts 1 & 2 of "Les Troyens" (The Trojans), first staged performance in Karlsruhe, Germany at the Hoftheater; 1892 — Tchaikovsky: ballet, "The Nutcracker" and opera "Iolanta," in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Dec. 18); 1919 — Stravinsky: symphonic suite, "Le chant du rossignol," in Geneva, Ernest Ansermet conducting; 1929 — Stravinsky: "Capriccio" for Piano and Orchestra, at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, with the Paris Symphony conducted by Ernest Ansermet, with the composer as soloist; 1937 — Boris Blacher: "Concertante Musik," in Berlin; 1940 — Schoenberg: Violin Concerto, by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski, with Louis Krasner the soloist; 1949 — Prokofiev: Cello Sonata, Op. 119, at a private performance in Moscow, at the House of the Union of Composers, by cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and pianist Sviatoslav Richter; This first public performance, with the same artists, took place at the Moscow Conservatory on March 1, 1950; 1957 — Sessions: Symphony No. 3, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting; 1974 — Wuorinen: Piano Concerto No. 2, in New York, with the composer as soloist on an amplified piano; 1977 — Corigliano: Clarinet Concerto, in New York; 1997 — Kernis: "Ecstatic Meditations," in Minneapolis, by the Plymouth Music Series, Philip Brunelle, conducting; Other: 1786—Mozart finishes his Symphony No. 38 in D, K.504 "Prague";
Sunday, December 7
Harrison's "Elegiac" Symphony ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Lou Harrison (1917-2003): Symphony No. 2 (Elegiac) American Composers Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, cond. MusicMasters 60204 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Harrison "American Mavericks" Interview (June 2002) Lou Harrison Documentary Project ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1637—Italian composer Bernardo Pasquini, in Massa da Valdinievole, Lucca; 1840—German composer Hermann Goetz, in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad); 1863—Italian composer Pietro Mascagni, in Livorno; 1887—Austrian-born American composer Ernst Toch, in Vienna; 1910—American composer and bandmaster Richard Franko Goldman, in New York City; 1912—Welsh composer Daniel Jones, in Pembroke; Premieres: 1861 — Brahms: "Handel Variations," Op. 24, in Hamburg, by pianist Clara Schumann; 1873 — Tchaikovsky: symphonic fantasia "The Tempest", in Moscow (Gregorian date: Dec. 19); 1879 — Berlioz: opera "La Prise de Troie" (The Capture of Troy), Acts 1 & 2 of "Les Troyens" (The Trojans), posthumously, in a concert performance in Paris at the Théatre du Châtelet; 1889 — Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta, "The Gondoliers." at the Savoy Theatre in London; 1890 — Tchaikovsky: opera, "Pique Dame," in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Dec. 19); 1898 — Rimsky-Korsakov: opera "Mozart and Salieri," in Moscow, Truffi conducting (Julian date: Nov. 25); 1924 — Carl Ruggles: "Men and Mountains," in New York City; 1939 — Walton: Violin Concerto, by the Cleveland Orchestra, Artur Rodzinski conducting, with Jascha Heifetz (who commissioned the work) as the soloist; 1975 — Lou Harrison Symphony No. 2 ("Elegiac"), by the Oakland Youth Symphony, Denis de Coteau conducting; 1999 — Gunther Schuller: Saxophone Sonata, in New York, by members of the Washington Square Contemporary Music Society; Other: 1732—John Rich opens his "Theatre Royal, Covent Garden" in London (Gregorian date: Dec. 18); Five years earlier, in 1728, Rich had launched English-language “ballad opera” as a genre when he staged John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera at Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London (as contemporary wags put it, the wildly successful Beggar’s Opera ”made Gay Rich and Rich Gay”); Even though The Beggar’s Opera parodied the prentions of Italian opera seria, it was Rich who gave Handel’s beleaguered opera company a home at Covent Garden in 1734-1737; Handel’s Ariodante, Alcina, Atalanta, Arminio, Giustino and Berenice were first staged at Rich’s theater; 1842—First concert by The Philharmonic Society of New York (now the New York Philharmonic Orchestra), in the Apollo Rooms at 410 Broadway, program including Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Weber's "Oberon" Overture. |
