 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
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.  |
July 27-August 2, 2009
Playing audio requires the free RealPlayer from RealNetworks. See Audio Help for instructions.
Monday, July 27
Herrmann delivers a new symphony ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Bernard Herrmann (1911 – 1975): Symphony No. 1 National Philharmonic; Bernard Herrmann, cond. Unicorn- Kanchana 2063 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Bernard Herrmann ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1867 —Spanish composer and conductor Enrique Granados, in Lérida; He died at sea in 1916, a victim of the sinking by a German submarine of the S.S. Sussex in the English Channel during World War I) 1877—Hungarian composer and pianist Ernö (Ernst) von Dohnányi; He was the grandfather of the German-born conductor Christoph von Dohnányi 1899 —American composer Harl McDonald, near Boulder, Colorado; He worked as the business manager of the Philadelphia Orchestra for many years, and that orchestra performed a number of his pieces under both Leopold Stokowski and Eugene Ormandy 1912—Russian-born composer and conductor Igor Markevitch, in Kiev (Julian date: July 14) Deaths: 1924—Italian-German composer and pianist Ferruccio Busoni, age 58, in Berlin Premieres: 1941 — Paul Creston: "Prelude and Dance" and "A Rumor," in New York 1941 — Bernard Herrmann: Symphony No. 1, on a radio broadcast by the Columbia Symphony with the composer conducting Other: 1733—J.S. Bach sends a letter to Frederic Augustus, Elector of Saxony, requesting an official title to bolster his reputation in Leipzig; Accompanying the letter, Bach sends the "Kyrie" and "Gloria" from his Mass in b minor 1966—Alfred Hitchcock's thriller "Torn Curtain" opens in New York — without the film score that Bernard Herrmann had composed for it (The famous director fired Herrmann during the score's first recording sessions when Hitch discovered Herrmann had composed a "symphonic" score and not the "pop" score that Hitch had specifically requested)
Tuesday, July 28
Ligeti in Salzburg ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Gyorgy Ligeti (b. 1923) : Mysteries of the Macabre, fr Le Grand Macabre Sibylle Ehlert, soprano; Philharmonia Orchestra; Esa-Pekka Salonen, cond. Sony 62311 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Gyorgy Ligeti Philarmonia Orchestra's Gyorgy Ligeti Web page ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1893—Danish composer Rued Langgaard, in Copenhagen Deaths: 1750—German composer Johann Sebastian Bach, age 65, in Leipzig; He died "a little after" 8:15 p.m. and was buried at St. John's cemetery on either July 30 or 31; In 1894 his body was exhumed, examined, and reburied in the Leipzig's St. Thomas Church, where he had served as Kantor 1838—Finnish composer Bernard Henrik Crusell, age 62, in Stockholm 1969—American songwriter and musical composer Frank Loesser, age 59, in New York City Premieres: 1717 — Handel: "Water Music" on the river Thames (Julian date: July 17) 1823 — Spohr: opera "Jessonda," in Kassel 1840 — Berlioz: "Symphonie funebre et triomphale," in Paris, with the composer conducting (with a sword) over 200 marching musicians Other: 1741—In Vienna, burial of Italian composer and violinist Antonio Vivaldi 1850—To mark the centenary of the composer's death, The Bach Gesellschaft is founded in Leipzig; Their goal is to publish a complete edition of Bach's works 1954 —Premiere of Columbia Pictures film "On the Waterfront," with a score by Leonard Bernstein 1997—Ligeti: opera "La Grand Macabre" (revised version), in Salzburg at the Grosses Festpielhaus
Wednesday, July 29
Dvorak and friends ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Antonin Dvorák (1841 – 1904): String Quartet in Eb, Op. 51 Takacs Quartet London 466 197 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Antonin Dvorák Dvorák in America ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1865 —Russian composer Alexander Glazunov, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: August 10) 1887 —Hungarian born American operetta composer Sigmund Romberg, in Nagy Kanizsa; He came to the U.S. in 1909, and settled in New York City, where his over 70 operettas were produced from 1914-1945 1900 —Soviet composer Alexander Mosolov, in Kiev (Gregorian date: August 10) 1925 —Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, in Chios; He achieved international fame for his score for the 1965 film "Zorba the Greek" Deaths: 1856 —German composer Robert Schumann, age 46, at an insane asylum in Endenich (near Bonn Premieres: 1879 — Dvorák: String Quartet in Eb, Op. 51, in Berlin, by the Joachim Quartet 1962 — Gene Gutchë: Symphony No. 5 for strings, in Chautauqua, N.Y.
Thursday, July 30
Mendelssohn in Scotland ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Felix Mendelssohn (1809 – 1847): Symphony No. 3 (Scottish) London Symphony; Peter Maag, cond. London 466 990 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Mendelssohn's Life and Music ALSO ON THIS DATE: Deaths: 1968—Icelandic composer Jon Leifs, age 68, in Reykjavik Premieres: 1965 — Duke Ellington: "The Golden Broom and the Golden Apples," by the New York Philharmonic, with the composer conducting, on the same concert as the belated premiere of Ives: "From the Steeples and the Mountains," with Lukas Foss conducting 1983 — Michael Torke: "Ceremony of Innocence," for chamber quintet, at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Mass., by fellows of the Tanglewood Center, Gunther Schuller conducting Other: 1829—On a visit to Edinburgh, Mendelssohn visits Holyrood Palace and writes down the first measures of his "Scottish" Symphony
Friday, July 31
Morton Gould's "Pavanne" ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Morton Gould (1913 – 1996): Pavanne, fr American Symphonette No. 2 St. Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. RCA 60778 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Morton Gould ALSO ON THIS DATE: Deaths: 1886—Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt, age 74, in Bayreuth Premieres: 1922 — Hindemith: "Kammermusik" No. 1, Op. 42a, at Donaueschingen, Germany, with Hermann Scherchen conducting 1938 — Morton Gould: "Second American Sinfonietta," at a New York Philharmonic concert at Lewisohn Stadium conducted by the composer 1982 — Rochberg: opera "The Confidence Man" (after the novel by Hermann Melville), at the Sante Fe Opera in New Mexico 2004 — Jennifer Higdon: "Loco," at the Ravinia Festival, by the Chicago Symphony, Christoph Eschenbach conducting Other: 1750—Probable date of J.S. Bach's burial in Leipzig (see July 28).
Saturday, August 1
Zwilich's Horn Concerto ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939): Horn Concerto David Jolley, horn; MSU Symphony Orchestra; Leon Gregorian, cond. Koch 7487 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Ellen Taaffe Zwilich ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1779—Baltimore lawyer Francis Scott Key, who in 1814 wrote the words of "The Star-Spangled Banner," setting his text to the tune of a popular British drinking song of the day, "To Anacreon in Heaven," written by John Stafford Smith; The text and the tune became the official national anthem by and Act of Congress in 1931; 1858—Austrian composer Hans Rott, in Vienna; 1913—American composer Jerome Moross, in Brooklyn; 1930—British pop song and musical composer Lionel Bart, of "Oliver!" fame, in London; Deaths: 1973—Gian-Francesco Maliperio, Italian composer and first editor of collected works of Monteverdi and Vivaldi, age 91, in Treviso; Premieres: 1740 — Thomas Arne: masque, “Alfred” (containing “Rule, Brittania”), in Clivedon (Gregorian date: August 12); 1921 — Hindemith: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 16, by the Amar Quartet (which included the composer on viola) in Donaueschingen, Germany; 1968 — Webern: "Rondo" for string quartet, written in 1906, at the Congregation of the Arts at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire; 1993 — Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Concerto for Horn and String Orchestra, at the Bravo! Music Festival in Vail, Colo., by soloist David Jolley with the Rochester Philharmonic, Lawrence Leighton Smith conducting; Other: 1892—John Philip Sousa , age 37, quits the U.S. Marine Corps Band to form his own 100-piece marching band; 1893—In Spillville Iowa, Antonin Dvorák finishes his String Quintet in Eb, Op. 97 ("The American") during his summer vacation at the Czech settlement.
Sunday, August 2
Music for the Queen Mum ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Patrick Doyle (b. 1953): The Thistle and the Rose Marie McLaughlin, soprano & Patrick Gowers (b. 1936): Suite for Violin Jose Luis Garcia, violin & David Matthews (b. 1943): Romanza Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; English Chamber Orchestra; Raymond Leppard, cond all three pieces on EMI 54164 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Patrick Doyle On Patrick Gowers On David Matthews About the late Queen Mother Obit for the Queen Mother ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1891—English composer Sir Arthur Bliss, in London; 1905—German composer Karl Amadeus Hartmann, in Munich; 1936—British composer Anthony Payne, in London; Deaths: 1827—English-born early American composer James Hewitt, age 57, in Boston; 1945—Italian opera composer Pietro Mascagni, age 81, in Rome; 1945—Austrian composer Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek, age 85, in Berlin; 1978—Mexican composer and conductor Carlos Chavez, age 79, in Mexico City; Premieres: 1774 — Gluck: opera, "Orphee" (2nd version) in Paris at the Academie Royale; This is the French version of his Italian opera "Orfeo ed Euridice," which had premiered in Vienna in 1762; 1964 — Persichetti: Piano Concerto, at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire; 1990 — David Matthews: Romanza for cello and small orchestra (Mstislav Rostropovich, soloist); Patrick Gowers: Suite for solo violin and chamber orchestra (José-Luis Garcia soloist) and Patrick Doyle "The Thistle and the Rose" (soprano Maria McLaughlin soloist), at the ballroom of Buckingham Palace in London, by the English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Raymond Leppard; All three works were specially written for a concert celebrating the 90th birthday of HM Queen Elisabeth (aka the Queen Mother); 1993 — John Harbison: "Three City Blocks" for symphonic band, in Fort Smith, Ark., by the U.S. Air Force Band, Lt. Col. Alan Bonner conducting; Other: 1921—Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, age 48, dies in Naples; 1923—First festival of the International Society for Contemporary Music in Salzburg, Austria, offering chamber music by Schönberg, Berg and Bartók; Even though the Berg String Quartet, Op. 3 had premiered it Vienna on April 24, 1911, it was the 1923 Salzburg performance by the Havemann Quartet that established Berg's worldwide reputation in musical circles. |
