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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive
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August 3-9, 2009
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Monday, August 3
Bennett and Sousa at Bat ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: John Philip Sousa (1854 - 1932): The National Game Royal Artillery Band; Keith Brion, cond. Naxos 8. 559092 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Robert Russell Bennett On John Philip Sousa ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1884—Russian-born American composer Louis Gruenberg, near Brest-Litovsk (Julian date: July 22); 1896—Russian inventor Lev Sergeivitch Termen (anglicized to Leon Theremin) in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: August 15) Deaths: 1784—Italian composer and teacher Giovanni Battista Martini, age 78, in Bologna; His students included Gluck, Mozart, Grétry, and Jommelli; Premieres: 1829 — Rossini: opera, "Guillaume Tell" (William Tell), at the Paris Opéra; 1941 — Robert Russell Bennett: Symphony in D ("For the Dodgers"), in New York; 1961 — John Cage: "Atlas Eclipticalis," at the "International Week of Today's Music," in Montréal; 1967 — Lalo Schifrin: cantata, "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" (adapted from the composer's filmscore) by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, with Lawrence Foster conducting; Other: 1668—German composer Dietrich Buxtehude marries the daughter of Franz Tunder, retiring organist at St. Mary's Church in Lübeck, as a condition to succeed Tunder in his position at St. Mary's; It is thought that both Handel and J.S. Bach were both interested in the position - but not in Tunder's daughter; 1778—Milan’s famous Teatro alla Scala (La Scala) opens with a performance of “L’Europa riconosciuta” by Italian opera composer Antonio Salieri, a work written specially for the occasion; The theater took its name from the site previously occupied by the church of Santa Maria della Scala (named after Bernabo Visconti’s wife, Beatrice della Scala); This same opera, conducted by Riccardo Muti, was performed on Dec. 7, 2004 at the Gala reopening of La Scala after three years of major renovation; 1779—Mozart finishes in Salzburg his "Posthorn" Serenade; 1795—The Paris Conservatory of Music is founded by the National Revolutionary Convention.
Tuesday, August 4
Mozart gets married ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Wolfgang Mozart (1756 - 1791): Mass in c Kathleen Battle, soprano; Vienna Philharmonic; James Levine, cond. DG 423 664 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Wolfgang Mozart ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1875—Italian opera composer Italo Montemezzi, in Vigasio (near Verona); 1901—Jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong, in New Orleans; Uncertain of the exact day (or year), Armstrong and his manager came up with the idea of saying he was born on the 4th of July in the year 1900; 1910—American composer William Schuman, in New York; He won the first Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1943 for his Walt Whitman cantata, "A Free Song"; 1912—American composer David Raksin, in Philadelphia, Pa.; He wrote more than 100 film scores, including the 1944 film noire classic "Laura"; Deaths: 1930—German opera composer and conductor Siegfried Wagner, age 61, in Bayreuth; He was the son of the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner, and little Siegfried's birth was celebrated musically in the elder Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll"; Premieres: 1940 — Milhaud: "Le Cortège funèbre" (Funeral March), on a CBS Radio broadcast conducted by the composer; 1972 — Wuorinen: Violin Concerto, for amplified violin and orchestra, at the Tanglewood Festival in Mass., by violinist Paul Zukofsky and the Boston Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas conducting; 1976 — Menotti: Symphony No. 1 ("The Halcyon"), at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1998 — Danielpour: Bassoon Quintet, by bassoonist Stephen Walt and the Muir String Quartet, in Williamstown, Mass.; 2001 — John Tavener: "Song of the Cosmos," at a Proms Concert in London, by soprano Patricia Rozario, baritone Father Meliton, The Bach Choir and the BBC Philharmonic, Hill conducting; Other: 1705—In Arnstadt, J.S. Bach and a bassoonist named Johann Heinrich Geyersbach cross paths late a night and an argument ensues; Geyerbach threatens Bach with a stick and Bach draws his sword; Both are hauled up before the city magistrate and reprimanded for their behavior (See also: August 9 and 14, 1703) 1782—Mozart marries Constanze Weber at St. Stephen's in Vienna, with the grudging consent of Mozart's father, Leopold. 1967—The scheduled local premiere at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires of Argentinean composer Alberto Ginastera's opera "Bomarzo" is cancelled by the military government due to the opera's unacceptable level of sex and violence depicted on-stage; The work had received its world premiere performance on May 19th in Washington, DC.
Wednesday, August 5
Bach gives notice ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: J. S. Bach (1685 - 1750): Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; David Shifrin, cond. Delos 3185 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Bach's life and music ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1623—Italian opera composer Marc Antonio Cesti, in Arezzo; 1694—Italian composer and organist Leonardo Leo, in San Vito degli Schiavi(near Brindisi); He was one of the founders of the Neapolitan School of composition; 1811—French composer Ambroise Thomas, in Metz; 1926—French composer of American parentage Betsy Jolas, in Paris; Deaths: 1891—English-born French composer, pianist and music publisher Charles Henry Litolff, age 73, in Bois-Colombes (near Paris); 1916—English composer George Butterworth, age 31, in France, as a British soldier during the battle of Pozières; Premieres: 1956 — Ned Rorem: Symphony No. 2, at La Jolla, Calif.; 1972 — David Del Tredici: "Vintage Alice" for soprano and chamber ensemble (to a text by Lewis Carroll), in Saratoga, California; 2000 — Richard Danielpour: Violin Concerto ("A Fool's Paradise"), at the Saratoga Center for the Performing Arts, in Saratoga, N.Y., by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit, with soloist Chantal Juillet; Other: 1717—J.S. Bach appointed Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold at Coethen, but is at first prevented by his current employer, Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar, from taking up the post (Bach was even imprisoned for a time by Duke Wilhelm Ernst); 1978—The citizens of Patowan, Utah, decided to name a local mountain Mr. Messiaen, in honor of the French composer, Olivier Messiaen, who spent a month in Utah in 1973 an composed a symphonic work, "Des canyons aux etoiles" (From the canyons to the stars), which glorified the natural beauty of the region.
Thursday, August 6
A dream situation for Mendelssohn ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847): A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; Kurt Masur, cond. Teldec 46323 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Mendelssohn More on Mendelssohn ALSO ON THIS DATE: Deaths: 1904—Austrian music critic and university professor Eduard Hanslick, champion of Brahms and enemy of Wagner, dies in Vienna, aged 78 1970—German-born American composer Ingolf Dahl, age 68, in Frutigen, Switzerland; Premieres: 1946 — American premiere of Britten: opera "Peter Grimes," at Berkshire Music Center (Tangelwood), with Leonard Bernstein conducting; 1947 — Villa-Lobos: "Bachianas Brasileiras" No. 8, in Rome, conducted by the composer; 1947 — Von Einem: opera "Dantons Tod" (The Death of Danton) at the Salzburg, Festival in Austria,with Ferenc Fricsay conducting; 1966 — Henze: "Die Bassariden" (after Euripides' play "The Bacchae") at the Salzburg Festival in Austria; 1967 — Piston: Clarinet Concerto, during the Fifth Congregation of the Arts at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire; 1988 — Ned Rorem: “Bright Music” for flute, two violins, cello and piano, at Presbyterian Church, Bridgehampton (New York), by the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Associates; 2000 — Joan Tower: "Big Sky" for piano trio, in LaJolla, Calif., at a SummerFest concert featuring Chee-Yun (violin), David Finckel (cello) and Wu Han (piano); Other: 1826—At his parent's mansion outside Berlin, the 17-year-old German composer Felix Mendelssohn completes his overture to Shakespeare's comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream" after reading the play the previous month; The first private performance (in a two-piano version) was given at the family mansion by Felix and his sister Fanny on November 19, 1826; The first public performance (in its orchestral version) was given in Stettlin on February 20, 1827, conducted by Carl Loewe; Mendelssohn returned to the play nearly two decades later after he had become court composer to the King of Prussia, creating a whole score of incidental music besides the overture, and himself conducted the concert premiere of the expanded incidental music in Berlin on November 14, 1842 in Berlin; The complete incidental music integrated into a staging of Shakespeare's play was performed at the Neue Palais at Potsdam on October 14, 1843.
Friday, August 7
Julian Orbon ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Julián Orbón (1925 - 1991): Concerto Grosso Latinoamericano Quartet; Simon Bolivar Symphony; Eduardo Mata, cond. Dorian 90178 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Julián Orbón ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1818—English-born French composer, pianist and music publisher Charles Henry Litolff, in London; 1868—British composer Sir Granville Bantock, in London; 1896—Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, in Havana; He composed a number of popular Latin pop melodies, including his famous "Malagueña"; 1921—Czech-born, American composer and conductor Karel Husa, in Prague; He became an American citizen in 1959; In 1969 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his String Quartet No. 3; 1925—Spanish-born American composer Julián Orbón, in Aviles; Deaths: 1893—Italian opera composer Alfred Caatalani, age 39, in Milan; 1913—Czech composer and cellist David Popper, age 69, in Baden (near Vienna); 1970—German-born American composer Ingolf Dahl, age 58, in Bernem Switzerland; Premieres: 1912 — Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1, in Moscow, with the composer (age 21) as soloist (Julian date: July 26); 1977 — Hanson: Symphony No. 7 ("A Sea Symphony") at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan; 1981 — Cerha: opera "Baal," at the Salzburg Festival in Austria; 1981 — John Harbison: Piano Quintet, at the Sante Fe Chamber Music Festival in New Mexico, with Edward Auer (piano), Ani Kavafian (violin), Walter Trampler (viola), Timothy Eddy (cello); 1991 — David Del Tredici: "An Alice Symphony" (first complete performance), during the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, Mass.; 2001 — Augusta Read Thomas: "Murmurs in the Mist of Memory," at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, by the International Sejong Soloists; Other: 1829—Mendelssohn visits Fingal's Cave in the Hebrides Islands west of Scotland coast and starts composing the 'Hebrides' Overture.
Saturday, August 8
Del Tredici through the looking glass ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: David Del Tredici (b. 1937): Acrostic Song Carol Wincenc, flute; David Del Tredici, piano Nonesuch 79114 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On David Del Tredici ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1857—French composer Cécile Chaminade, in Paris; 1905—French composer André Jolivet, in Paris; 1938 —Canadian composer Jacques Hétu, in Trois Rivières, Quebec; Deaths: 1950—Russian composer Nikolai Miaskovsky, age 69, in Moscow; 1967—Czech-born composer Jaromir Weinberger, age 71, commits suicide at his home in St. Peterburg, Florida (where he settled in 1939); Weinberger had composed one very popular work, his 1927 opera "Schwanda, the Bagpiper," but was reportedly despondent that he was unable to produce any other equally successful works; Premieres: 1882 — Tchaikovsky: "1812 Overture," in Moscow (Gregorian date: Aug. 20); 1942 — Poulenc: ballet "Les Animaux modèles" (The Model Animals), at the Paris Opéra; 1943 — Piston: “Prelude and Allegro” for organ and strings, on a CBS radio broadcast by organist E. Power Biggs with Arthur Fiedler conducting; 1976 — David Del Tredici: first version of “An Alice Symphony” (after Lewis Carroll) in San Francisco; See also Aug. 7, 1991; 1984 — Berio: opera "Un re in ascolto" (A King Listens), at the Salzburg Festival in Austria;
Sunday, August 9
Beatrice & Benedict & Berlioz ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869): Beatrice and Benedict Overture Dresden State Orchestra; Sir Colin Davis, cond. BMG 68790 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Hector Berlioz ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1781—Austrian composer, violinist, and conductor Michael Umlauff, in Vienna; He conducted the orchestra, chorus, and soloists assembled for the premiere performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at Vienna's Kärtnertor Theater on May 7, 1824; After the totally deaf Beethoven set the initial tempos for each movement, the performers were instructed to ignore Beethoven if he continued to beat time, and to follow Umlauf; 1874—Venezuelan-born French composer, conductor and music critic Reynaldo Hahn, in Caracas; 1875—English light music composer Albert William Ketèlbey, in Aston; Deaths: 1919—Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo, age 62, in Montecatini; 1975—Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich, age 68, in Moscow; 1988—Italian composer Giacinto Scelsi, age 83, in Rome; Premieres: 1862 — Berlioz: opera "Beatrice and Benedick," in Baden-Baden at the Neues Theater, with the composer conducting; The libretto (by Berlioz himself) is based on Shakespeare's comedy "Much Ado About Nothing"; 1949 — Orff: opera "Antigone," in Salzburg at the Felsenreitschile; 1972 — London premiere of Andrew Lloyd-Webber: musical "Jesus Christ Superstar"; 1978 — Dave Brubeck: oratorio “Beloved Son,” at the American Lutheran Women’s Convention in Minneapolis, Minn., with Richard Sieber conducting; 1979 — Hanson: ballet "Nymph and Satyr" in Chautauqua, Tennessee; 1988 — Peter Maxwell Davies: Symphony No. 5, during a BBC Proms Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, by the Philharmonia Orchestra, with the composer conducting; Other: 1703—J.S. Bach appointed organist at Neuekirche, Arnstadt (see also: August 4 and 14) 1928—Austrian-born American composer Percy Grainger marries Swedish poet and painter Ella Viola Strom at the Hollywood Bowl in front of an audience of 22,000 concert-goers; Grainger conducted the LA Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of his "To a Nordic Princess," dedicated to his bride. |
