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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive
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August 23-29, 2010
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Monday, August 23
Barney Google meets Igor Stravinsky? ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): Scènes de Ballet London Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, cond. RCA/BMG 68865 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Billy Rose On Stravinsky ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1854—German pianist and composer of Polish descent Moritz Moszkowski, in Brelau; 1900—Austrian-born American composer Ernst Krenek, in Vienna; 1905—English composer, conductor and writer Constant Lambert, in London; Deaths: 1937—French composer Albert Roussel, age 68, in Royan; 1960—American lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, age 65, in Doylestown, Pa.; 1962—American composer Irving Fine, age 47, in Boston; Premieres: 1735 — Rameau, opera-ballet "Les Indes galantes," in Paris; 1906 — R. Vaughan-Williams: "Norfolk Rhapsody," in London; 1913 — Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2 (first version), at Pavlovsk, conducted by A.P. Aslanov with the composer as soloist (Gregorian date: Sept. 5); A second version of this concerto premiered in Paris on May 8, 1924, conducted by Serge Koussevitzky, again with the composer a soloist; 1964 — Stravinsky: "Abraham and Isaac" (dedicated to the people and the state of Israel), in Jerusalem by the Israel Festival Orchestra conducted by Robert Craft; Other: 1934—The Berkshire Symphonic Festival in founded in Stockbridge, Mass., by American composer and conductor Henry Hadley, with the participation of the New York Philharmonic; The Festival later became associated with the Boston Symphony under Serge Koussevitzky.
Tuesday, August 24
Pomp and the MJQ ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Sir Edward Elgar (1857 - 1934): Pomp and Circumstance No. 4 London Philharmonic; Daniel Barenboim, cond. Sony Classical 60789 & Milt Jackson (1923 - 1999): Blues in c Modern Jazz Quartet Atlantic 1652 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Elgar On the Modern Jazz Quartet ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1803—French composer Adolphe Adam, in Paris; 1837—French composer and organist Théodore Dubois, in Rosnay; 1910—German-born American composer Bernhard Heiden, in Frankfurt; 1919—Danish composer Niels Viggo Bentzon, in Copenhagen; 1949—American composer Stephen Paulus, in Summit, N.J.; Deaths: 1985—American composer Paul Creston, age 78, in San Diego, Calif.; Premieres: 1846 — Suppé: operetta "Dichter und Bauer" (Poet and Peasant), in Vienna; 1907 — Elgar: "Pomp and Circumstance"March No. 4, in London; 1943 — Bernstein: song-cycle "I Hate Music!" at the Public Library in Lenox, Mass., with mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel and the composer at the piano; The New York premiere of this work occurred on November 13, 1943 (the day before his surprise conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic), with the same performers; 1980 — Lutoslawski: Double Concerto, for oboe, harp and chamber orchestra, in Lucerne, Switzerland by oboist Heinz Holliger, harpisy Ursula Holliger, and the Collegium Musicum conducted by Paul Sacher; Other: 1724—Handel performs on the organ at St. Paul's Cathedral in London before the royal princesses Anne and Caroline (Gregorian date: Sept. 4); 1968—Czech conductor and composer Rafael Kubelik launches an appeal to world musicians to boycott performances in the five nations which invaded Czechoslovakia on August 20-21 until their military forces evacuate the country; The appeal was joined by Igor Stravinsky, Arthur Rubinstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Otto Klemperer, Bernard Haitink, Claudio Arrau, and others.
Wednesday, August 25
Orchestral Rorem ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Ned Rorem (b. 1923): Sunday Morning Atlanta Symphony; Louis Lane, cond. New World 353 & Ned Rorem (b. 1923): Symphony No. 3 Utah Symphony; Maurice Abravanel, cond. Vox Box 5092 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Ned Rorem ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1880—Austrian operetta composer Robert Stoltz, in Graz; 1902—German-born American composer Stefan Wolpe, in Berlin; 1918—American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, in Lawrence, Mass.; Deaths: 1742—Portuguese composer José Antonio Carlos de Seixas, age 38, in Lisbon; 1774—Italian opera composer Niccolò Jommelli, age 59, in Naples; Premieres: 1830 — Auber: opera, "La muette de Portici" (aka "Masaniello"), in Brussels, igniting political riots leading to expulsion of Dutch and the Belgian Revolution of 1830; 1948 — Henze: Symphony No. 1 at Bad Pyrmont; 1978 — Rorem: "Sunday Morning" at Saratoga Springs, New York, by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy; Other: 1830 —Auber: opera, “La muette de Portici” (aka “Masaniello”), in Brussels, igniting political riots leading to expulsion of Dutch and the Belgian Revolution of 1830; 1870—Richard Wagner marries Cosima Liszt von Bulow; 1959—On his 41st birthday, Leonard Bernstein conducts a tour performance by the New York Philharmonic in Moscow; The program includes Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" and Ives' "The Unanswered Question."
Thursday, August 26
Mendelssohn and Glass for chorus ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): Elijah Overture Gürzenich Orchestra & Cologne Philharmonic; James Conlon, cond. EMI Classics 56475 & Philip Glass (b. 1937): Dedication of Merit, fr Symphony No. 5 Morgan State University Choir; Vienna Radio Symphony; Dennis Russell Davies, cond. Nonesuch 79618 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Mendelssohn On Glass ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1887—Nicaraguan composer Luis Delgadillio, in Managua; 1915—British composer Humphrey Searle, in Oxford; Deaths: 1958—British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, age 85, in London; Premieres: 1815 — Weber: Clarinet Quintet in Bb, Op. 34, in Munich, featuring clarinetist Heinrich Bärmann; 1846 — Mendelssohn: oratorio "Elijah," at Birmingham Festival in England, with composer conducting; 1954 — Alan Rawsthorne: "Practical Cats" (after T.S. Eliot), for speaker and orchestra, at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland 1956 — Martinu: "Frescoes of Piero della Francesca," for orchestra, at the Salzburg Festival in Austria 1957 — Panufnik: "Rhapsody" for orchestra, in London 2001 — André Previn: "Tango, Song and Dance," at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and pianist Lambert Orkis. Other: 1717—French flutist and composer Jacques-Martin Hotteterre is appointed royal flutist (“flutte de la chamber de Roy”) at a salary of 6000 livres
Friday, August 27
Copland does Mexico (and Mexico does Copland) ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Aaron Copland (1900-1990): El Salòn Mexico New Philharmonia; Aaron Copland, cond. CBS/Sony 46559 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Copland ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1886—English light music composer, Eric Coates, in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire 1886—English-born American composer and viola player Rebecca Clarke, in Harrow 1944—Australian composer Barry Conyngham, in Sydney; Deaths: 1521—Flemish composer Josquin Des Prez, age c. 81, in Condé-sur-Escaut 1611—Spanish composer Tomas Luis de Victoria, age c. 62, in Madrid; Premieres: 1748 — Rameau: opera-ballet "Pygmalion," in Paris; 1900 — Fauré: Prométhée," in Béziers, France; 1937 — Copland: "El Salon Mexico," in Mexico City, with Carlos Chávez conducting; 1940 — Meredith Wilson: Symphony No. 2 ("The Missions of California") during a San Francisco Symphony concert on Treasure Island conducted by the composer; On the same program was the premiere of Wilson's "Prelude to 'The Great Dictator'" (based on Wilson's film score to the Charlie Chapin film, whose musical themes were provided by Chaplin himself); 1979 — Bernstein: song "Piccola Serenata" (for Karl Böhm's 80th Birthday), at Salzburg Festival, with mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig and pianist James Levine Other: 1734—Handel and John Rich agree to hold the next opera season of Handel's "Royal Academy" at Rich's Covent Garden Theater in London (Gregorian date: Sept. 7).
Saturday, August 28
Liszt and Milhaud celebrate Goethe ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Franz Liszt (1811-1886): Tasso Orchestre de Paris; Sir Georg Solti, cond London 417 513 & Darius Milhaud (1892-1974): Aspen Serenade, Op 361 Stuttgart Radio Symphony; Gilbert Varga, cond. CPO 999114 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Liszt On Milhaud On the Aspen Festival ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1867—Italian opera composer Umberto Giordano, in Foggia; Deaths: 1572—Huguenot composer Claude Goudimel, age c. 52-58, in Lyons, sometime between August 28-31, during the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of Protestants by Catholic partisans; 1914—Russian composer Anatol Liadov, age 59, at his estate near Novgorod (Julian date: Aug 16); 1959—Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu, age 68, in Liestal, Switzerland; Premieres: 1733 — Pergolesi: one-act opera "La Serva Padrona," in Naples, as a comic interlude during the presentation of his serious opera, "Il Prigionier superbo"; The comic interlude became his most famous work, while the serious opera has been long forgotten; 1849 — Liszt: tone-poem "Tasso," in Weimarduring Goethe Centennery Festival; 1850 — Wagner: "Lohengrin," in Weimar at the Hoftheater, with Liszt conducting; 1922 — Gershwin: one-act opera "Blue Monday," as a part of "George White's Scandals of 1922" at the Globe Theater in New York City; The opera was cut from the "Scandals" after its one opening night performance; Reorchestrated by Ferde Grofe, it was given again as a concert performance by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra at Carnegie Hall on Dec. 29, 1925; 1954 — Persichetti: Symphony No. 5 for strings, by the Louisville Orchestra; 1956 — Martinu: "Frescoes of Piero della Francesca," for orchestra, at the Salzburg Festival in Austria, by the Vienna Philharmonic, Rafael Kubelik conducting; 1963 — Tippett: "Concerto for Orchestra," at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland; 1999 — Philip Glass: Symphony No. 5 ("Requiem, Bardo and Nirmanakaya"), at the Salzburg Festival in Austra, with Dennis Russell Davies conducting soloists, choruses, and the Vienna Radio Symphony; Other: 1949—Founding of the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado as part of a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Goethe's birth.
Sunday, August 29
John Cage at Woodstock ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: John Cage (1912-1992): Nos. 5 and 12, fr Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano Robert Miller, p. New World 80203 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Cage PBS on Cage ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1920—Virtuoso jazz saxophonist and "Be-bop" innovator, Charlie Parker, in Kansas City; 1936—French composer and conductor Gilbert Amy, in Paris; Deaths: 1661—French composer Louis Couperin, in Paris; His brother, Charles Couperin (1638-1679) was also a composer, as was his nephew - the famous François Couperin (1668-1733), nicknamed "Le Grand." 1972—French composer and conductor, René Leibowitz, age 59, in Paris; Premieres: 1720 — Handel: oratorio, "Esther," at Canons, county seat of the Duke of Chandos (Gregorian date: Sept. 9); 1853 — Josef Strauss: "The First and the Last" Waltz (his first composition), at Unger's Casino in Hernals (Austria) by the Johann Strauss Orchestra, conducted by the composer (who had taken over the family orchestra for a time due to the sickness of his older brother, Johann Strauss, Jr.); 1882 — Brahms: Piano Trio in C, Op. 97, at a private home in Bad Ischl; Brahms played a practical joke on the audience by introducing the trio as having been composed by his friend, the composer and pianist Ignaz Brull, who was also in Bad Ischl at the time; The official premiere of the Trio occurred in Frankfurt on December 29 that year, with a violinist named Heermann and a cellist name Müller, with Brahms at the pianist; 1952 — John Cage "4:33," for any instrument, in Woodstock, N.Y.; 1981 — Stephen Paulus: "Courtship Songs" for flute, oboe, cello and piano, in St. Paul, Minn.; 1995 — Kaija Saariaho: "Graal Théàtre" for violin and orchestra, in London by the BBC Symphony, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen with Gidon Kremer the soloist; 2000 — Wolfgang Rihm: "Deus Passus (after St. Luke)," at the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart, by the Gächinger Kantorei and Stuttgart Bach Collegium, conducted by Helmut Rilling; This work was one of four passion settings commissioned by the International Bach Academy to honor the 250th anniversary of Bach's death in the year 2000 (see also: Sept 1, 5 & 8). |
