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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.  |
June 4-10, 2007
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Monday, June 4
Oliver Nelson ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Oliver Nelson (1932 – 1975) arr. Eley: Sonata Marcus Eley, clarinet; Lucerne DeSa, piano Arabesque 6703 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Oliver Nelson More on Nelson ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1770—possible birthdate of the British-born early American composer, conductor, and music publisher James Hewitt, in Dartmoor; 1932—American composer and jazz arranger Oliver Nelson, in St. Louis; Deaths: 1872—Polish opera composer Stanislaw Moniuszko, age 53, in Warsaw; 1907—Norwegian composer Agathe Backer-Groendahl, age 59, in Kristiania (now Oslo); 1951—Russian-born American double-bass player, conductor and new music patron, Serge Koussevitzky, age 76, in Boston; Premieres: 1811 — Weber: opera, "Abu Hassan." In Munich; 1883 — Tchaikovsky: "Festival Coronation March," in Moscow (Julian date: May 23); Tchaikovsky conducted this march at the gala opening concert of Carnegie Hall (then called just "The Music Hall")in New York on May 5, 1891; 1912 — Chadwick: tone poem "Aphrodite" in Norfolk, Conn., at the Litchfield Festival; 1914 — Sibelius: "Oceanides," in Norfolk, Conn., at the Litchfield Festival, with the composer conducting; 1935 — Shostakovich: ballet "The Limpid Stream," in Leningrad at the Maliiy Opera Theater; 1935 — R. Strauss: opera "Die schweigsame Frau" (The Silent Woman), in Dresden at the Staatsoper; 1994 — Philip Glass: opera "La Belle et la Bête" (Beauty and the Beast) based on the film by Jean Cocteau), by the Philip Glass Ensemble at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville (Spain), with Michael Riesman conducting; 1997 — Richard Danielpour: ballet "Urban Dances," at New York State Theater by the New York Ballet, choreographed by Miriam Mahdaviani; 1999 — Esa-Pekka Salonen: "Five Images after Sappho" for voice and orchestra, at the Ojai Festival in California, with soprano Dawn Upshaw and the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, conducted by the composer.
Tuesday, June 5
Mussorgsky (and friends) ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Modest Mussorgsky (1839 – 1881): Khovanschina Prelude Montreal Symphony; Charles Dutoit, cond. London 417 299 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Mussorgsky ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1882—Russian-born American composer Igor Stravinsky, in Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov), near St Petersburg, (Gregorian date: June 17); In the 19th century, the Julian calendar lagged behind the Gregorian by 12 days, and in the 20th century by 13 days; For most of the 20th century, Stravinsky chose to celebrate his birthday on June 18th, but "officially" it was celebrated on June 17th; 1905—Estonian-born Swedish composer Eduard Tubin, in Kalaste, near Tartu (Gregorian date: June 18); 1923—American composer Daniel Pinkham, in Lynn, Mass.; Deaths: 1625—English composer Orlando Gibbons, age 41, in Canterbury; 1722—German composer Johann Kuhnau, age 61, in Leipzig; 1816—Italian opera composer Giovanni Paisiello, age 76, in Naples; 1826—German composer Carl Maria von Weber, age 39, in London; 1944—Italian opera composer Riccardo Zandonai, age 61, in Pesaro; Premieres: 1715 — Handel: opera "Amadigi di Gauli" (Julian date: May 25); 1913 — Paris premiere of Mussorgsky: opera, "Khovantschina," in a version completed and orchestrated by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Igor Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel; 2003 — Oliver Knussen: Symphony No. 4, by the New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel conducting. Other: 1717—For the last performance of Handel's opera "Rinaldo" at the King's Theater, the French dancer Marie Sallé appears as a performer for the first time in one of Handel's works (Greogorian date: June 16); 1971—Conductor James Levine makes his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, conducting Puccini's "Tosca"; In 1973, Levine became the Met's principal conductor and in 1976 its music director.
Wednesday, June 6
Cowell in Paris ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Henry Cowell (1897 – 1965): Synchrony Polish National Radio Orchestra; William Strickland, cond. Citadel 88122 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Slonimsky On Cowell ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1840—English composer Sir John Stainer, in London; 1869—German composer and conductor Siegfried Wagner, in Triebschen (near Lucerne), Switzerland; He was the third of three children born out-of-wedlock to Richard Wagner and Cosima Liszt-von Bulow; Cosima's marriage to Hans von Bulow was annulled in 1870, and she married Wagner in 1870; 1903—Soviet-Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian, in Tiflis (Julian date: May 24); 1915—American composer Vincent Perischetti, in Philadelphia; 1922—Scottish composer Iain Hamilton, in Glasgow; 1939—Dutch composer Louis Andriessen, in Utrecht; Deaths: 1881—Belgian composer and violinist Henri Vieuxtemps, age 61, in Mustapha, Algiers; 1915—Russian composer Sergei Taneyev, in Dyud'kovo, near Zvenigorod (Gregorian date: June 19); Premieres: 1921 — Hindemith: one-act opera "Mörder, Hoffnung der Frauen" (Murder, Hope of Women) and Burmese puppet-play "Nusch-Nuschi," in Stuttgart at the Württembergisches Landstheater; 1921 — Milhaud: ballet "L'Homme et son désir" (Man and His Desire), in Paris; 1924 — Schoenberg: one-act melodrama "Erwartung" (Expectation), in Prague at the New German Theater; 1925 — Prokofiev: Symphony No. 2, in Paris, with Serge Koussevitzky conducting; 1928 — R. Strauss: opera "Die aegyptische Helena" (The Egyptian Helen), in Dresden at the Staatsoper, conducted by Fritz Busch, and with vocal soloists Elisabeth Rethberg (Helena) and Curt Taucher (Menelas); 1931 — Henry Cowell: "Synchrony," in Paris, at the first of two concerts of modern American music with the Orchestre Straram conducted by Nicholas Slonimsky and funded anonymously by Charles Ives; On the same program, Slonimsky also conducted the Orchestre Straram in the European premieres of works by Adolph Weiss ("American Life"), Ives ("Three Places in England"), Carl Ruggles ("Men and Mountains"), and the Cuban composer Amadeo Roldan ("La Rehambatamba"); See June 11, 1931 for the program of the second concert of chamber works; 1943 — Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 2, in Moscow, by the composer; 1947 — Leroy Anderson: "Irish Suite" by the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall, Arthur Fiedler conducting (commissioned by the Eire Society of Boston for its annual "Irish Night" at the Pops); 1998 — Esa-Pekka Salonen: "Gambit" at the Holland Festival, by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic conducted by the composer; Other: 1727—The opera season of the Royal Academy in London ends early, when rival prima donnas Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni come to blows on stage during a performance of Bononcini's opera "Astianatte" (Gregorian date: June 17); 1922—The American Academy in Rome awards American composer Randall Thompson its third two-year composition fellowship; The first fellowship was awarded to Leo Sowerby on October 4, 1921, and the second to Howard Hanson on November 9, 1921; The fellowship awards continue to this day; 1962—The Beatles audition with music producer George Martin at their first recording session at London's famous Abbey Road Studios.
Thursday, June 7
Copland goes Latin ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990): Latin American Sketches Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Hugh Wolff, cond. Teldec 46314 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Copland Collection at the Library of Congress The Copland House website MPR's Copland Centenary webpage ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1897—Hungarian born American conductor and occasional composer/arranger George Szell, in Budapest; He was led the Cleveland Orchestra from 1946 until the time of his death in 1970; Deaths: 1863—Austrian composer Franz Xaver Gruber, age 75, in Hallen (near Salzburg); He composed the famous Christmas Carol, “Silent Night” (Stille Nacht), in 1818, while serving as a church organist and schoolmaster in Oberndorf; Premieres: 1896 — Hugo Wolf: opera "Der Corregidor" (The Governor) (1st version) in Mannheim at the Nationaltheater; 1920 — Gershwin: musical revue, "George White's Scandals of 1920," at the Globe Theater in New York City; 1922 — American premiere of Vaughan Williams: "Pastoral" Symphony (no.3), at the Litchfield County Choral Festival in Norfolk, Conn., with the composer conducting.; The world premiere had taken place in London on Jan. 26, 1922; 1927 — Prokofiev: ballet, "Pas d'Acier," in Paris, by the Ballet Russe; 1933 — Weill: "The Seven Deadly Sins of the Bourgeoisie," in Paris; text by Bertolt Brecht; 1945 — Britten: opera "Peter Grimes," in London at Sadler's Wells Theater; 1951 — Dutilleux: Symphony No. 1, in Paris; 1972 — Copland: "Three Latin American Sketches," at Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fisher Hall) in New York City, by New York Philharmonic conducted by André Kostelanetz; 1984 — Crumb: "A Haunted Landscape," by the New York Philharmonic, Arthur Weisberg conducting.
Friday, June 8
A "glorious" Britten opera? ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Benjamin Britten (1913 – 1976): Courtly Dances, from Gloriana English Symphony; William Boughton, cond. Nimbus 5295 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Benjamin Britten More on Britten ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1671—Italian composer Tomaso Albinoni, in Venice; 1810—German composer Robert Schumann, in Zwickau; 1894—Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff, in Prague; He died in a Nazi concentration camp in Wülzburg, Bavarian, in 1942; Deaths: 1612—German composer Hans Leo Hassler, age 47, in Frankfurt; 1884—American composer Henry Clay Work, age 51, in Hartford, Conn.; A printer by trade, he wrote some famous popular songs, including "Grandfather's Clock," "Father, Come Home," and "Marching Through Georgia"; 1908—Russian composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, in Lyubensk, near Luga (now Pskov district) (Gregorian date: June 21); 1940—American composer Frederick Shepherd Converse, age 69, in Westwood, Mass.; 1984—English composer Gordon Jacob, age 88, in Saffron Walden; 1998—German-born American composer Margaret Buechner, age 76, in Midland, Mich.; Premieres: 1912 — Ravel: ballet, "Daphnis et Chloé," at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, by Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe, Pierre Monteux conducting; 1929 — Hindemith: "Neus vom Tage" (News of the Day), in Berlin at the Krolloper; 1937 — Carl Orff:: scenic canata "Carmina Burana," in Frankfurt at the Opernhaus; 1941 — Harold Shapero: "Nine Minute Overture," in New York City; 1950 — Hindemith: Horn Concerto, in Baden-Baden, Germany, with the composer conducting and Dennis Brain the soloist; 1953 — Britten: opera "Glorianna," in London at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; 1968 — Harrison Birtwistle: opera "Punch and Judy" at the Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh, by the English Opera Group, David Atherton conducting; 1974 — Henry Brant: "An American Requiem," in Mt. Lebanon, Pa.
Saturday, June 9
Bax at Carnegie Hall ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Sir Arnold Bax (1883 – 1953): Symphony No. 7 London Philharmonic; Raymond Leppard, cond. Lyrita 232 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Bax On the 1939 World's Fair (and America in the 1930s) ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1810—German composer and conductor Otto Nicolai, in Königsberg (Kaliningrad); 1865—French composer Alberic Magnard, in Paris; He was killed by German soldiers while defending his home in Baron, Oise, on Sept. 3, 1914; 1865—Danish composer Carl Nielsen, in Sortelung, near Norre Lyndelse, Funen; 1891—American composer Cole Porter, in Peru, Ind.; 1912—German-born American composer and pianist, Ingolf Dahl, in Hamburg; 1938—American composer Charles Wuorinen, in New York; Deaths: 1656—burial date of English composer Thomas Tomkins, age c. 84, in the village of Martin Hussingtree, near Worcester; Premieres: 1860 — R. Schumann: Cello Concerto, posthumously, by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, at a concert commemorating the late composer's 50th birthday anniversary (see June 8), with soloist Ludwig Ebert; 1902 — Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in Krefeld, Germany, at the Festival of the Allgemeiner Deutsche Musikverein, with the composer conducting; 1912 — At the home of L. Láloy in Bellevue, Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky perform a four-hand piano version of the latter’s new ballet score for “The Rite of Spring,” which the Ballet Russe would premiere the following year in Paris (May 29, 1913); 1939 — Bax: Symphony No. 7 (dedicated to the American people), at Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic, with Sir Adrian Boult conducting; This work was commissioned by the British Council as part of the British Exhibition at 1939 World's Fair; 1940 — Copland: "Our Town" orchestral suite (from the film score), on a CBS radio broadcast; A revised version of the suite was given its first public performance by the Boston Pops conducted by Leonard Bernstein on May 7, 1944; 1951 — Haydn: opera "Orpheus and Eurydice," posthumously, in Florence at the Teatro della Pergola; Haydn composed this opera in 1791 for performance in London, but the work was never staged in his lifetime; 1966 — Britten: church opera "The Burning Fiery Furnace," in Orford Church, near Aldeburgh; Other: 1840—Franz Liszt gives a solo performance at the Hanover Square Rooms in London billed as "Recitals"; This was the first time the term "recital" was used to describe a public musical performance, and it caused much discussion and debate at the time; Liszt is credited with both inventing and naming the now-common solo piano "recital"; 1904—The London Symphony gives its first concert, with Hans Richter conducting; 1912—At the home of L. Láloy in Bellevue, Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky perform a four-hand piano version of the latter's new ballet score for "The Rite of Spring," which the Ballet Russe would premiere the following year in Paris (see May 29, 1913); 1968—Leonard Bernstein conducts the New York Philharmonic in the "Adagietto" movement from Mahler's Symphony No. 5 at a memorial concert for Robert Kennedy at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.
Sunday, June 10
Poulenc's Organ Concerto ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Francis Poulenc (1899 – 1963): Organ Concerto Maurice Durufle, organ; French Radio Orchestra; Georges Pretre EMI 47723 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Francis Poulenc More on Poulenc ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1904—German-born American musical composer Frederick Loewe, in Berlin; 1913—Soviet composer Tikhon Khrennikov, in Elets (Julian date: May 28); 1960—English composer Mark Anthony Turnage, in Grays, Essex; Deaths: 1899—French composer Ernest Chausson, age 44, after a bicycle accident near Limay; 1918—Italian opera composer and librettist Arrigo Boito, age 76, in Milan; 1934—British composer Frederick Delius, age 72, in Grez-sur-Loing, France; 1964—American composer Louis Gruenberg, age 75, in Los Angeles; Premieres: 1732 — Handel: opera "Acis and Galetea" (in an English/Italian version), in London at the King's Theater in the Haymarket, at the request of Princess Anne (Gregorian date: June 21); 1865 — Wagner: opera "Tristan and Isolde," in Munich at the Hoftheater, conducted by Hans von Bülow; 1921 — Stravinsky: "Symphonies of Wind Instruments" (in memory of Claude Debussy), in London at Queen's Hall, with Serge Kousevitzky conducting; Three days earlier, on June 7, 1921, Stravinsky had attended the British premiere of the concert version of his ballet score "The Rite of Spring," also at Queen's Hall, with Eugene Goossens conducting; 1939 — Bliss: Piano Concerto (with Solomon the soloist) and Vaughan Williams: "Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus," at Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic, with Sir Adrian Boult conducting; These works (Along with Bax's Seventh Symphony, which premiered the previous day) were all commissioned by the British Council as part of the British Exhibition at 1939 World's Fair; 1941 — Poulenc: first public performance of Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani, in Paris; 1968 — Britten: church opera "The Prodigal Son," in Orford Church, near Aldeburgh. |
