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Archives Find past shows by date:  Complete archive Your purchase from Public Radio Market helps support the American Composers Forum and Composers Datebook.  |
December 31, 2012-January 6, 2013
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Monday, December 31
(New Year's Eve)
Martinu and Hanson premieres ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Bohuslav Martinu (1890–1959): Violin Concerto No. 2 Josef Suk, violin; Czech Philharmonic; Vaclav Neumann, cond. Supraphon 11 0702 & Howard Hanson (1896–1981): Piano Concerto, Op. 36 Alfred Mouledous, piano; Eastman-Rochester Orchestra; Howard Hanson, cond. Mercury 434 370 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Martinu and Hanson ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1894—Anglo-Irish composer Ernest John Moeran, in Heston, Middlesex; 1899—Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, in Santiago, Papasquiaro; 1962 —American composer Jennifer Higdon, in Brooklyn, New York; Deaths: 1950—French composer Charles Koechlin, age 83, in Canadel, France; 1970—British composer Cyril Scott, age 91, in Eastbourne, England; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 122 ("Das neugeborne Kindelein") performed on the Sunday after Christmas as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1842 — Lortzing: opera "Der Wildschütz" (The Poacher), in Leipzig at the Stadttheater; 1865 — Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 1, in St. Petersburg, with Balakirev conducting (Julian date: Dec. 19); 1879 — Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta "The Pirates of Penzance," at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York, with the composer conducting (see also Dec. 30 above); 1943 — Martinu: Violin Concerto (No. 2), by the Boston Symphony with Serge Koussevitzky conducting and Micsha Elman the soloist; 1948 — Antheil: Symphony No. 5, by Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; 1948 — Howard Hanson: Piano Concerto, by the Boston Symphony with the composer conducting and Rudolf Firkusny the soloist.
Tuesday, January 1
(New Year's Day)
On the Mall with Goldman ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Edwin Franko Goldman (1878 - 1956): On the Mall Eastman Wind Ensemble; Frederick Fennell, cond. Mercury 434 334 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Edwin Franko Goldman ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1866—Russian composer Vassili Sergeievitch Kalinnikov (Gregorian date: Jan. 13); 1923—Jazz vibraphone virtuoso, Milt Jackson, in Detroit; He was a member of the famous Modern Jazz Quartet; Deaths: 1782—German composer Johann Christian Bach, in London, age 47; He was the youngest surviving son of J.S. Bach; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 190 ("Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied") performed (incomplete) on New Year's Day as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 41 ("Jesu, nun sei grepreiset") performed on New Year's Day as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle (1724/25); 1726 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 16 ("Herr Gott, dich loben wir") performed on New Year's Day as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1729 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 171 ("Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm") probably performed in Leipzig on News Year's Day as part of Bach's fourth annual Sacred Cantata cycle (to texts by Christian Friedrich Henrici, a.k.a. "Picander") during 1728/29; 1735 — Bach: Part 4 ("Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, in Leipzig; 1848 — Moniuszko: opera “Halka” (1st version in 2 acts in a concert version), in Vilnius; 1858 — Moniuszko: opera “Halka” (2nd version in 4 acts), in Warsaw at the Weilki Theater; 1873 — Rimsky-Korsakov: opera "The Maid of Pskov," in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Jan. 13); 1879 — Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77, by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, with soloist Joseph Joachim and the composer conducting; 1894 — Dvorák: String Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96 and String Quintet in Eb, Op. 97 (both nicknamed the "American"), in Boston, by the Kneisel Quartet (and violist M Zach in the Quintet); 1942 — Chavez: Piano Concerto, in New York City, by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Dimtri Mitropoulos, with soloist Eugene List; 1953 — Bloch: "Suite Herbaïque" in Chicago; 1954 — Walter Piston: “Fantasy” for English horn and orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting; Other: 1585—Composer Giovanni Gabrieli becomes the second organist at St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice; His uncle, the composer Andrea Gabrieli, is the first organist; 1791—Haydn arrives in England for a series of concerts at the invitation of orchestral conductor and impresario Johann Salomon; 1801—Eight members of the U.S. Marine band perform the first official music at the unfinished Executive Mansion (the "White House") at a New Year's Day reception hosted by President and Mrs. John Adams; 1908—Gustav Mahler makes his conducting debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, leading a performance of Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde."
Wednesday, January 2
Dvorak reviewed ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Antonín Dvorák (1841 –1904): String Quartet, Op 96 (American) Keller Quartet Warner 44355 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Dvorak ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1732—Baptism of Bohemian composer Frantisek Xaver Brixi, in Prague; 1837—Russian composer Mily Balakirev, in Nizhny-Novgorod (Julian date: Dec. 21, 1836); 1913—American composer Gardner Read, in Evanston, Illinois; 1905—British composer Sir Michael Tippett, in London; Deaths: 1780—German composer Johann Ludwig Krebs, age 65, in Altenburg; 1915—Austro-Hungarian composer Karl Goldmark, age 84, in Vienna; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 153 ("Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind") performed on the Sunday after New Year's Day as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1735 — Bach: Part 5 ("Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, in Leipzig; 1843 — Wagner: opera, "Der fliegende Holländer" (The Flying Dutchman), in Dresden at the Hoftheater, conducted by the composer; 1936 — Morton Gould: "Chorale and Fugue in Jazz," by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 2000 — Christopher Rouse: "Concert de Guadi" for guitar and orchestra, in Hamburg(Germany), by guitarist Sharon Isbin and the NDR (North German Radio) Symphony, Christoph Eschenbach conducting; On the same program was the premiere of Bright Sheng's "Nanking! Nanking!" for orchestra; Other: 1955—Canadian pianist Glenn Gould plays his first U.S. recital in Washington, D.C.
Thursday, January 3
HK Gruber ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: HK Gruber (b. 1943): Three Mob Pieces London Mob Ensemble; HK Gruber EMI 56441 & HK Gruber (b. 1943): Frankenstein!! HK Gruber, singer (?); Salzburg Camerata; Franz Welser-Most, cond. EMI 56441 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On HK Gruber ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1909—Danish pianist and musical humorist Victor Borge, in Copenhagen; 1943—Austrian composer, singer (?), and double bass player H.K. Gruber, in Vienna; Deaths: 1785—Italian composer Baldassare Galuppi, age 68, in Venice; 1942—Russian composer and violinist Julius Conus, age 72, in Malenski (USSR); Premieres: 1738 — Handel: opera "Faramondo" in London at the King's Theater in the Haymarket; This was the opening production of Handel's opera season that year, and featured the London debut of Gaetano Majorano (called "Caffarelli"), a male soprano castrato (Gregorian date: Jan. 14); 1843 — Donizetti: opera "Don Pasquale," in Paris; 1890 — Tchaikovsky: ballet, "Sleeping Beauty" (Gregorian date: Jan. 15); 1897 — Dukas: Symphony in C, in Paris; 1903 — Glazunov: Symphony No. 7, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Dec. 21, 1902); 1941 — Rachmaninoff: "Symphonic Dances," by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conducting; Other: 1925—German conductor and composer Wilhelm Furtwängler makes his Americandebut, conducting the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall.
Friday, January 4
Schuller and the MJQ ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Gunther Schuller (b. 1925): Conversation Modern Jazz Quartet and ensemble; Gunther Schuller, cond. Wounded Bird 1345 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Gunther Schuller On John Lewis and the Modern Jazz Quartet ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1710—Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, in Jesi, Marche; 1720—German composer, organist, singing teacher and writer on music Johann Friedrich Agricola, in Dobitschen, Saxe-Altenburg; 1874—Czech composer and violinist Josef Suk, in Krecovice; The famous contemporary Czech violinist and Supraphon recording artist Josef Suk (b. 1929) is this composer’s grandson; Premieres: 1869 — Symphony No. 1, at a Russian Musical Society Concert in St. Petersburg conducted by Mily Balakirev (Gregorian date: Jan. 16); 1880 — Brahms: Piano Pieces, Op. 76, in Leipzig; 1881 — Brahms: "Academic Festival Overture," in Breslau, with the composer conducting; 1961 — Gunther Schuller: jazz ballet "Variants," in New York City; 1996 — Richard Danielpour: "Toward the Splendid City" for Orchestra, by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Slatkin and commissioned by the Philharmonic for its 150th Anniversary; Other: 1840—The climax of Franz Liszt's triumphal return to his native land occurs at the old Hungarian National Theatre, where the composer is presented with a bejeweled "Sword of Honor"; Liszt delivers an impassioned speech that calls for Hungarian cultural and political independence; 1950—RCA announces it will produce long play records as Columbia did two years earlier (RCA had unsuccessfully attempted to compete with Columbia's new 33.3-rpm LPs by issuing some of their classical catalog as multiple disc 45-rpm sets).
Saturday, January 5
Milhaud at West Point ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974): West Point Suite, Op. 313 Liszt Academy Symphonic Band; Laszlo Marosi, cond Hungaroton 32066 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Milhaud ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1792—American composer Peter Wolle, in New Herrnhut, St. Thomas, West Indies; 1871—American composer Frederick Shepherd Converse, in Newton, Massachusetts; 1880—Russian composer and pianist Nicolai Medtner, in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 24, 1879); 1881—Russian composer Nicolai Roslavetz, in Dushatino, Chernigov region, Ukraine (Julian date: Dec. 24, 1880); Deaths: 1869 —Russian composer Alexander Dargomizhsky (Gregorian date: Jan. 17); 1970—Catalan-born British composer Roberto Gerhard, age 73, in Cambridge, England; 1979—American jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus, age 56, in Mexico City; Premieres: 1677 — Lully: opera "Isis," in Paris; 1727 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 58 ("Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid" II) performed on the Sunday after New Year's Day as part of Bach's third annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1725/27); 1745 — Handel: musical drama "Hercules" at the King's Theater in London (Gregorian date: Jan. 16); 1868 — Bruch: Violin Concerto in g, Op. 26 (final version), in Bremen, with Karl Martin Rheintahler conducting and Joseph Joachim the soloist; An earlier version of this work had been premiered on April 24, 1866, which Bruch substantially revised with the assistance of Joachim; 1884 — Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta, "Princess Ida," at the Savoy Theatre in London; 1932 — Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, in Vienna, with Vienna Symphony conducted by Robert Heger, with Paul Wittgenstein (who commissioned the work) as soloist; 1941 — Mark Blitzstein: opera "No for an Answer," in New York City; 1949 — Henry Cowell: Symphony No. 5, at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., by the National Symphony, Hans Kindler conducting; 1949 — Morton Gould: symphonic suite, "Fall River Legend," Pierre Monteux conducting San Francisco Symphony Orchestra; 1961 — Easley Blackwood: Symphony No. 2, in Cleveland (commissioned by music publisher G. Schirmer to celebrate its centenary); 1962 — Ross Lee Finney: Piano Quintet No. 2, in Los Angeles; 1973 — Pierre Boulez: ". . . explosante/fixe" at a concert by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York City.
Sunday, January 6
Concertos by Poulenc and Carter ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Francis Poulenc (1899 –1963): Piano Concerto Pascal Roge, piano; Philharmonia Orchestra; Charles Dutoit, cond. London 436 546 & Elliot Carter (b. 1908): Piano Concerto Ursula Oppens, piano; SWF Symphony; Michael Gielen, cond. Arte Nova 27773 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Poulenc On Carter Other Boston Symphony premieres ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1835—Russian composer César Cui (Gregorian date: Jan. 18); 1838—German composer Max Bruch, in Cologne; 1850—German composer and pianist Xaver Scharwenka, in Samter; 1872—Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 25, 1871); 1920—American composer Earl Kim, in Dinuba, Calif.; Premieres: 1724 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 65 ("Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen" performed on the Feast of the Epiphany as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24); 1725 — Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 123 ("Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen") performed on the Feast of Epiphany as part of Bach's second annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1724/25); 1735 — Bach: Part 6 ("Herr, wenn die stoltzen Feinde schnauben") of the 6-part "Christmas Oratorio," S. 248, on the Feast of the Epiphany in Leipzig; 1755 — Karl Heinrich Graun: opera "Montezuma" (with a French libretto by Frederick the Great) at the Royal Opera House in Berlin; 1863 — Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3 in f, in Vienna; 1888 — Dvorák: Piano Quintet No, 2 in A, Op. 81, in Prague; 1924 — Ibert: "Escales" (Ports of Call), in Paris; 1950 — Poulenc: Piano Concerto, in Boston, by the Boston Symphony conducted by Charles Munch with the composer as soloist; 1967 — Elliott Carter: Piano Concerto, by the Boston Symphony conducted by Erich Leinsdorf, with Jacob Lateiner the soloist; 1991 — Michael Torke: "Bronze" for piano and orchestra, at Carnegie Hall in New York, by the American Composers Orchestra conducted by David Zinman and the composer as the piano soloist; 1999 — Christopher Rouse: "Kabir Padavali" for soprano and orchestra, in Minneapolis by the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by David Zinman, with Dawn Upshaw the soloist; 2000 — Bright Sheng: "Red Silk Dance" for piano and orchestra, by the Boston Symphony conducted by Robert Spano, with Emanuel Ax the soloist; Other: 1733—This notice appears in the Leipzig newspaper Nachtricht auch Frag u. Anzeiger: "Tonight at 8 o'clock there will be a Bach Concert at the Zimmermann Coffeehouse on Catharine Street"; This presumably featured secular vocal works, chamber music and concertos performed by the Leipzig Collegium, an ensemble directed by J.S. Bach. |
