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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive
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December 15-21, 2008
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Monday, December 15
Thomas and the trombone ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Augusta Read Thomas (b. 1964): Meditation Christian Lindberg, trombone; BBC National Orchestra of Wales; Grant Llewellyn, cond. BIS 788 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Augusta Read Thomas Thomas on MPR's The Composer's Voice On trombonist Christian Lindberg ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1657—French composer Michel-Richard de Lalande, in Paris; Deaths: 1792—German-born Swedish composer Joseph Martin Kraus, age 36, in Stockholm; Premieres: 1807 — Spontini: opera, "La Vestale," at the Paris Opéra; 1893 — Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World") by the New York Philharmonic, Anton Seidl conducting, at a public rehearsal at Carnegie Hall, attended by the composers' children, among other members of the general public (the "official " premiere took place the following evening); 1900 — Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 (second and third movements only), in Moscow, with Ziloti conducting and the composer as soloist (Julian date: Dec. 2); The first complete performance of this concerto, with the same conductor and soloist, occurred in Moscow on 27 October (Julian)/November 9 (Gregorian)in 1901; 1901 — Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonata, Op. 19, in Moscow, by cellist Anatoly Brandukov, with the composer at the piano (Julian date: Dec. 2); 1910 — Reger: Piano Concerto in f, Op. 114, by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Arthur Nikisch, with Frieda Kwast-Hodapp as soloist; 1916 — American premiere of Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde," with vocal soloists Tilly Koenen and Johannes Sembach, with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1934 — Jean Françaix: Piano Concertino, in Paris, at a Lamoureux concert, with the composer as soloist; 1938 — Bloch: Violin Concerto, in Cleveland, Joseph Szigeti, violin and the Cleveland Orchestra, Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting; 1938 — Revueltas: "Sensemayá," in Mexico City; 1940 — Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No. 2, in New York City; 1986 — Bernstein: "Opening Prayer" for Baritone and Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic conducted by the composer, with Kurt Ollmann as the vocal soloist; 2000 — John Adams: oratorio "El Niño," at Le Châtelet in Paris, by soloists Dawn Upshaw, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and Willard White, with the Theatre of Voices and the Deutsches Symphonie conducted by Kent Nagano; The American premiere of this work occurred in San Francisco on January 11, 2001;
Tuesday, December 16
Reznicek of the Mounties? ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Emil von Reznicek (1860 – 1945): Donna Diana Overture Symphony Nova Scotia; Georg Tintner, cond. CBC 5167 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Emil von Reznicek More on old-time radio themes ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1770—German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, in Bonn; The date is not certain, but his birthday has been traditionally celebrated on this date; Beethoven was baptized the following day (Dec. 17, 1770); 1775—French opera composer François Boieldieu, in Rouen; 1847—French composer (of Irish parentage) Augusta Holmès (Holmes), in Paris; 1882—Hungarian composer Zoltán Kódaly, in Kecskemét; 1899—British playwright and songwriter Sir Noel Coward, in Teddington (Middlesex); 1932—Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin, in Moscow; Deaths: 1921—French composer and pianist Camille Saint-Saëns, age 86, in Algiers; Premieres: 1877 — Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 (2nd version), in Vienna, with the composer conducting; 1893 — Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"), at Carnegie Hall, by the New York Philharmonic, Anton Seidl conducting; This was the "official " premiere (a public dress rehearsal had taken place the previous afternoon); 1894 — Emil von Reznicek: opera "Donna Diana," in Prague; 1921 — Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3, by the Chicago Symphony conducted by Frederick Stock, with the composer as soloist; 1938 — Copland: "An Outdoor Overture," in New York City; 1946 — Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 3, in Moscow, by the Beethoven Quartet; Other: 1718—J.S. Bach examines the organ at the Paulinerkirche in Leipzig; 1944—American bandleader and trombonist Glenn Miller, age 40, dies in an air crash near England;
Wednesday, December 17
Schubert's "Unfinished" business ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Franz Schubert (1795 – 1828) arr. Brian Newbould : Symphony No. 8 Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields; Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Philips 412 176 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Schubert More on the Unfinished Symphony ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1749—Italian composer Domenico Cimarosa, in Aversa; 1894—American conductor Arthur Fiedler, in Boston; 1904 —Soviet composer Dimtri Kabalevsky, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Dec. 30); Deaths: 1562—Flemish composer Adrian Willaert, age. c. 72, in Venice; 1870—Italian composer Giuseppe Saverio Mercadante, age 75, in Naples; 1930—British composer Peter Warlock (Philip Heseltine), age 36, commits suicide in London; Premieres: 1737 — Handel: anthem “The Ways of Zion do Mourn” in London at King Henry VII’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey, during the funeral service for Queen Caroline , a major patroness of Handel’s (Gregorian date: Dec. 28); 1853 — Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 1 in C, Op. 1, and "Scherzo" in eb, at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, by the composer at his public debut during a chamber concert of the David Quartet; 1865 — Schubert: "Unfinished" Symphony in b (No. "8") in Vienna, Johann von Herbeck conducting; For this performance, the last movement of Schubert's Symphony No. 3 was appended as a finale; 1879 — Dvorák: String Quartet No. 10, Op. 51, in Prague; 1887 — Rimsky-Korsakov: “Capriccio Espagnol,” in St. Petersburg, by the Russian Symphony, with the composer conducting (see Julian date: Dec. 5); 1937 — Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 17, in Moscow; 1953 — Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10, by the Leningrad Philharmonic, Yevgeny Mravinsky conducting; 1954 — Persichetti: Symphony No. 4, by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting;
Thursday, December 18
Bruckner thinks big ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Anton Bruckner (1824 – 1896): Symphony No. 8 London Philharmonic; Klaus Tennstedt, cond. EMI 64849 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Anton Bruckner Bruckner on record ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1860—American composer and pianist Edward MacDowell, in New York City; Deaths: 1869—American composer and piano virtuoso Louis Moreau Gottschalk, age 40, in Tijuca (near Rio de Janerio); 1919—American composer and teacher, Horatio William Parker, age 56, in Cedarhurst, N.Y.; He became chairman of the Yale music department in 1894, where he taught the young Charles Ives; Premieres: 1795 — possible premiere of Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C, Op. 15 (or less likely, his Concerto No. 2 in Bb), in Vienna at a concert organized by Haydn to perform three of his "London" Symphonies in that city; 1880 — Tchaikovsky: "Capriccio italien," in Moscow, Nikolai Rubinstein conducting (Julian date: Dec. 6); 1892 — Bruckner: Symphony No. 8, with Vienna Philharmonic, Hans Richter conducting; This performance used a revised and cut version of Bruckner's original 1887 score prepared by the composer and his pupil Franz Schalk in 1889-90; The original 1887 score was first performed in 1973 by the Bournemouth Symphony for a BBC broadcast conducted by Hans-Hubert Schönzeler; The edition prepared by Robert Haas, which is based on the 1889-90 revised version but with the cuts restored, is the version most often performed today; 1892 — Tchaikovsky: ballet, "The Nutcracker," and opera "Iolanta," at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Dec. 6); 1911 — Rachmaninoff: 13 Piano Preludes, Op. 32, in St. Petersburg, by the composer (Julian date: Dec. 5); 1924 — Bliss: Concerto for Two Pianos, by the Boston Symphony, Serge Koussevitzsky conducting; 1926 — Janácek: opera "The Makropoulos Case," in Brno at the National Theater; 1929 — Webern: Symphony for Chamber Orchestra, in New York City; 1941 — Milhaud: Piano Concero No. 2, in Chicago, with the composer as soloist; 1962 — Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 ("Babi Yar"), by the Moscow Philharmonic, with basso Vitaliy Gromadsky, and the bass voices of the Republican State and Gnesin Institute Choirs, Kirill Kondrashin conducting; 1964 — Creston: Concerto for Koto and Orchestra, by Kimio Eto (Koto soloist), with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1994 — Morten Lauridsen: “O Magnum Mysterium” for chorus, at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Paul Salamunovich conducting; 1999 — André Previn: "Three Dickinson Songs," in Quebec, Canada, by soprano Renée Fleming and pianist Richard Bado; Other: 1732—John Rich opens his "Theatre Royal, Covent Garden" in London (Julian date: Dec. 7).
Friday, December 19
A Griffes premiere in Philadelphia ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884 – 1920): The White Peacock Dallas Symphony; Andrew Litton, cond. Dorian 90224 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Charles Tomlinson Griffes More on Griffes ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1676—French composer and organist, Louis Nicolas Clérambault, in Paris; 1825—American composer George Frederick Bristow, in Brooklyn, N.Y.; 1894—German composer Paul Dessau, in Hamburg; Premieres: 1865 — Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 1, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Dec. 31); 1873 — Tchaikovsky: symphonic fantasia "The Tempest" (after Shakespeare), in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 7); 1890 — Tchaikovsky: opera, "Pique Dame," in St. Petersburg, at the Mariinsky Theatre, Eduard Napravnik conducting (Julian date: Dec. 7); 1919 — Griffes: "The White Peacock" (orchestral version), by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1930 — American premiere of Stravinsky: "Symphony of Psalms," by the Boston Symphony under Serge Koussevitzky (who commissioned the work to celebrate the Boston Symphony's 50th Anniversary); The world premiere had occurred in Brussels on December 13, 1930, conducted by Ernest Ansermet; 1991 — Corigliano: opera "The Ghosts of Versailles," in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera; 2002 — Rodion Shchedrin: “The Enchanted Wanderer” for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra, by the New York Choral Artists and New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel conducting;
Saturday, December 20
Mouret's "Masterpiece" theme ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Jean-Joseph Mouret (1682 – 1738): Rondeau Wynton Marsalis, trumpet; English Chamber Orchestra; Anthony Newman, cond. SONY 66244 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Jean-Joseph Mouret PBS “Masterpiece Theater” website ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1871—American composer and conductor Henry Hadley, in Somerville, Massachusetts; 1909—Danish composer Vagn Holmboe, in Horsens, eastern Jutland; 1938—American composer and conductor John Harbison, in Orange, New Jersey; Deaths: 1738—French composer Jean Joseph Mouret, age 56, in Charenton; 1783—Spanish composer and organist Padre Antonio Soler, age 54, at the monastery of El Escorial; 1974—French composer André Jolivet, age 69, in Paris; Premieres: 1721 — Handel: opera "Floridante" (Julian date: Dec. 9); 1823 — Schubert: incidental music to "Rosamunde," in Vienna, at the Theater an der Wien; 1879 — Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 1, in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 8); 1886 — Brahms: Piano Trio No. 3 in c, Op. 101, in Budapest; The work was also presented in Vienna on February 26, 1887, by members of the Heckmann Quartet with the composer at the piano; 1890 — Glazunov: Symphony No. 3, in Sat. Petersbur (Julian date: Dec. 8); 1928 — Bloch: "America," in New York City; 1959 — Stravinsky: "Double Canon (Raoul Dufy in memoriam)" in New York at Town Hall, during a Stravinsky Festival; 1999 — Harbison: opera "The Great Gatsby," at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with a cast including Jerry Hadley as Gatsby and Dawn Upshaw as Daisy, with James Levine conducting; Other: 1775—Mozart finishes his Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, K. 219, in Salzburg; The work was probably premiered soon after, with the composer as soloist; 1915—Stravinsky's public debut as a conductor, leading a performance of his "Firebird" Ballet Suite at a benefit concert organized by Diaghilev in Geneva, Switzerland;
Sunday, December 21
Prokofiev's "Ode to Joe?" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953): Lieutenant Kije Suite Chicago Symphony; Claudio Abbado, cond. DG 447 419 & Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953): St. Petersburg Philharmonic Choir; New Philharmonia Orchestra; Alexander Titov, cond Beaux 38 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Sergei Prokofiev On Prokfiev under the Soviet regime ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1837—Russian composer Mily Balakirev (Gregorian date: Jan. 2); 1850—Bohemian composer Zdenek Fibich, in Vseborice; 1940—American composer and guitarist Frank Zappa, in Baltimore, Maryland; Deaths: 1864 —American composer and journalist William Henry Fry, age 51, in Santa Cruz, West Indies; 1890—Danish composer Niels W. Gade, in Copenhagen, age 73; 1957—British light-music composer Eric Coates, age 71, in Chichester; Premieres: 1890 — Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 (final version), in Vienna, Hans Richter conducting; 1900 — Frederick Converse: “The Festival of Pan” for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Wilhelm Gericke conducting; 1903 — Glazunov: Symphony No. 7, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Jan. 3); 1908 — Schoenberg: Quartet No. 2 for strings and soprano, in Vienna, by the Rosé Quartet with soprano Marie Gutheil-Schoder; 1934 — Prokofiev: "Lieutenant Kijé" Suite (from the film), on a Moscow radio broadcast; 1934 — Toch: “Big Ben (Variation Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes)” for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Serge Koussevitzky conducting; 1939 — Prokofiev: cantata "Zdravitza" (A Toast), in Moscow, to celebrate the 60th birthday of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin; |
