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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.  |
August 13-19, 2007
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Monday, August 13
Martinu in California ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959): Sinfonietta “La Jolla” Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Christopher Hogwood, cond. London 433 660 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Martinu ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1879—English composer John Ireland, in Inglewood (Bowdon), Cheshire; Deaths: 1912—French opera composer Jules Massenet, age 70, in Paris; Premieres: 1841 — R. Schumann: "Concert Fantasy" for Piano and Orchestra, at a closed rehearsal of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Felik Mendelssohn, with Clara Schumann (8 and 1/2 months pregnant) as the soloist; This "Concert Fantasy" was revised as the first movement of Schumann's Piano Concerto in a, Op. 54, which Clara Schumann premiered in Dresden on December 4, 1845 at a concert conducted by Ferdinand Hiller; 1876 — First complete performance of Richard Wagner's "Ring" cycle begins at Bayreuth with a performance of "Das Rheingold" (this opera had received its premiere performance in Munich on Sept. 22, 1869); 1964 — Mahler: Symphony No. 10, arranged for performance by the English musicologist Deryck Cooke, is performed complete for the first time by the London Symphony conducted by Berthold Goldschmidt; With the assistance of Colin and David Matthews, Cooke revised his performing edition of Mahler's Tenth, and this revised version - known as "Cooke II" - was first performed on October 15, 1972, by the New Philharmonia under Wyn Morris; 1973 — Thea Musgrave: Viola Concerto at a London Proms Concert, with her husband, Peter Mark, the soloist; 1976 — Duke Ellington: ballet "Three Black Kings" (posthumously), at the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center in New York, by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Duke Ellington Orchesttra conducted by Mercer Ellington.
Tuesday, August 14
“Hot” new operas by Saariaho and Wagner ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Kaija Saariaho (b. 1952): …à la fumée Petri Alanko, f; Anssi Karttunen, vcl; Los Angeles Philharmonic; Esa- Pekka Salonen, cond. Ondine 804 & Richard Wagner (1813-1883): Magic Fire Music, fr Die Walküre Cleveland Orchestra; George Szell, cond. CBS/Sony 46286 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Wagner On Saariaho ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1892—English composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (Christian name Leon Dudley), in Chingford, to a Parsi father and Spanish-Sicilian mother); His major work, "Opus Clavicembalisticum," is one of the longest and most complex solo piano works ever written; 1910—French composer Pierre Schaeffer, in Nancy; He pioneered a style of electronic music known as "musique concrète"; Deaths: 1972—American composer and pianist Oscar Levant, age 65, in Beverly Hills, Calif.; 1987—American composer Vincent Persichetti, age 72, in Philadelphia; Premieres: 1814 — Rossini: opera, "Il Turco in Italia" (The Turk in Italy), in Milan at the Teatro alla Scala; 1876 — first complete performance of Richard Wagner's "Ring" cycle continues at Bayreuth with a performance of "Die Walküre" (The Valkyrie); This opera had received its premiere performance in Munich on June 26, 1870; 1942 — Rubbra: Symphony No.4, in London; 1952 — R. Strauss: opera "Die Liebe der Danae," (The Love of Danae) produced posthumously at the Salzburg Festival; A dress rehearsal of the opera attended by the composer had taken place at Salzburg on August 16, 1944, but the actual premiere was cancelled due to the war; Both performances were conducted by Clemens Krauss; 1954 — Malcolm Arnold: Harmonica Concerto, at a Proms Concert in London, by harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler; 1961 — Cowell: "Scherzo" (from "Air and Scherzo") for saxophone and piano, at the Camp Kinhaven in Weston, Vt., by saxophonist Sigurd Rascher; Cowell later arranged this work for saxophone and chamber orchestra; Other: 1703 —Johann Sebastian Bach begins his duties as organist at the Bonifaciuskirche in Arnstadt, where he would stay for four years (see also: August 4 and 9)
Wednesday, August 15
Timely music by Ligeti and Beethoven ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: György Ligeti (b. 1923): Poème symphonique Françoise Terrioux, metronomes Sony Classical 62310 & Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No. 8 in F, Op 83 Royal Philharmonic; Rene Leibowitz, cond. Chesky 69 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Ligeti ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1875—English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, in London; His father was from Sierra Leone and his mother English; He composed a very successful trilogy of oratorios based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Hiawatha": "The Song of Hiawatha" (1898), "The Death of Minnehaha" (1899) and "Hiawatha's Departure" (1900); 1890—French composer Jacques Ibert, in Paris; 1896—Russian inventor Lev Sergeivitch Termen (anglicized to Leon Theremin) in St. Petersburg (Julian date: August 3); He invented the theremin, an electronic instrument whose sound was used or imitated in a number of film scores (“Spellbound,” “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, etc.) and in the Beach Boys’ song “Good Vibrations” 1922—German-born American composer and conductor Lukas Foss, in Berlin (presumed date; Foss says his birth year is not authenticated and he has no birth certificate); Deaths: 1728—French composer and gamba virtuoso Marain Marais, age 72, in Paris; 1985—American composer Richard Yardumian, age 68, in Bryn Athyn, Pa.; Premieres: 1865 — Liszt: oratorio, "St. Elizabeth," in Pest, Hungary; 1935 — Grofé: "Hollywood" Suite, at the Hollywood Bowl; 1986 — Penderecki: opera "The Black Mask," at the Salzburg Festival in Austria; 2000 — Saariaho: opera "L'amour de loin," at the Salzburg Festival in Austria, with a cast including Dawn Upshaw, Dwayne Croft, and Dagmar Peckova; and Kent Nagano conducting the Southwest German Radio Orchestra of Baden-Baden; Other: 1772—Johannes Nepomuk Maelzel, German inventor credited with the creation of the metronome, is born in Regensburg; For a time he was the friend of Beethoven and collaborated with him on various projects; 1969—The three-day Woodstock Music and Arts Fair begins in Bethel, fifty miles south of Woodstock, N.Y., attended by nearly half a million rock 'n' roll enthusiasts.
Thursday, August 16
The King is Dead ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Michael Daugherty (b. 1954): Dead Elvis Charles Ullery, bassoon; London Sinfonietta; David Zinman, cond. Argo 458 145 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Daugherty ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1795—German opera composer Heinrich August Marschner, in Saxony; 1863—French composer, conductor and organist Gabriel Pierné, in Metz; 1929—American jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans, in Plainsfield, N.J.; Deaths: 1914—Russian composer Anatol Liadov (Gregorian date: August 28); 1977—Rock superstar Elvis Presley, age 42, in Memphis, Tennessee; Premieres: 1876 — First complete performance of Richard Wagner's "Ring" cycle continues at Bayreuth with the world premiere performance of "Siegfried"; 1932 — Gershwin: "Cuban Overture" (under the title "Rumba"), by the New York Philharmonic at a Lewisohn Stadium concert conducted by Albert Coates; 1936 — R. Strauss: "Olympic Hymn" at the opening of the Olympiad in Berlin; 1944 — R. Strauss: opera "Die Liebe der Danae" (The Love of Danae), in a dress rehearsal performance in Salzburg at the Festspielhaus; The premiere was cancelled due to the closing of all German theaters and the declaration of "total war"; The belated premiere occurred on August 14, 1952, during the Salzburg Festival; 1961 — Kodály: Symphony (dedicated to the memory of Arturo Toscanini), at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland; 1973 — Bernstein: "Dybbuk Variations," in Auckland, New Zealand, conducted by the composer; Bernstein's ballet, "Dybbuk," choreographed by Jerome Robbins, had premiered at the New York City Ballet on May 16, 1973; 1995 — Michael Torke: "July" for saxophone quartet, at Cardiff Bay by the Apollo Saxophone Quartet; 2001 — Lowell Liebermann: Violin Concerto, at Saratoga Arts Center, N.Y., by soloist Chantal Juillet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, Charles Dutoit conducting; 2001 — Kaija Saariaho: "Nymphea Reflection," at the Schlewswig-Holstein Festival in Germany, by Sinfonietta Cracova, Axelrod conducting; Other: 1613—Claudio Monteverdi becomes Master of Music, Republic of Venice; 1814—Beethoven finishes composing the Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 90; 1943 —La Scala Opera house in Milan, Italy, damaged by Allied bombers.
Friday, August 17
Atterberg’s “$10,000” Symphony ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Franz Schubert (1797-1828): Symphony No. 8 in b (Unfinished) Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Claudio Abbado, cond. DG 423 655 & Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974): Symphony No. 6 in C (Dollar) Norrköping Symphony; Jun'ichi Hirokami, cond. Bis 553 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Atterberg ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1903—American composer and pianist Abram Chasins, in New York City; 1928—American composer T.J. (Thomas Jefferson) Anderson, in Coatesville, Pa.; 1943—English composer Edward Cowie, in Birmingham; Deaths: 1786—Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, flute player and amateur composer, age 74, in Potsdam; 1958—French composer Florent Schmitt, age 87, in Neuilly-sur-Seine; 1961—French-born American composer and harpist Carlos Salzedo, age 76, in Waterville, Maine; 1973—French composer Jean Barraque, in Paris; 1981—American composer Robert Russell Bennett, age 87, in New York City; 1983—American lyricist Ira Gershwin, age 86, in Beverly Hills, Calif.; Premieres: 1876 — First complete performance of Richard Wagner's "Ring" cycle concludes at Bayreuth with a performance of "Götterdämmerung" (The Twilight of the Gods); 1937 — John Ireland: "A London Overture" at a Proms Concert conducted by Sir Henry Wood; 1946 — Honegger: "Symphonie Liturgique" (No. 3) in Zürich, conducted by Charles Munch, to whom the work is dedicated; 1953 — von Einem: opera "Der Prozess" (The Trial), at the Salzburg Festival in Austria; This opera is based on the novel by Franz Kafka; 1955 — Werner Egk: opera "Irische Legende" (Irish Legend), at the Salzburg Festival in Austria; 1974 — Penderecki: "Magnificat," for bass solo, chorus, and orchestra, in Salzburg, Austria; Other: 1928—Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg wins $10,000 Schubert Centenary Prize offered by Columbia Phonograph Company of New York for his Symphony in C; 1957—During lecture at the Tanglewood Festival, American composer Gunther Schuller coins the phrase "third stream" to describe a type of composition in which elements of jazz are organized within a classical musical structure.
Saturday, August 18
Salieri Slandered? ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791): Symphony No. 25 Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Fantasy 900 1791 & Antonio Salieri (1750-1825): La locandiera Overture London Mozart Players; Matthias Bamert, cond. Chandos 9877 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Salieri BBC feature on Salieri ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1750—Italian opera composer Antonio Salieri, in Legnago (near Verona); 1849—French composer Benjamin Godard, in Paris; 1893—Canadian composer and conductor Sir Ernest MacMillan, in Mimico, Ontario; Deaths: 1942—Austrian composer Erwin Schulhoff, age 48, in a German concentration camp in Wülzburg; Premieres: 1820 — Schubert: opera "Die Zauberharfe" (The Magic Harp) in Vienna; 1912 — Schreker: opera "Der ferne Klang" (The Distant Sound), in Frankfurt at the Opernhaus; 1938 — Britten: Piano Concerto, with the composer as soloist, at a Proms Concert conducted by Sir Henry Wood; 1956 — Henry Brant: "On the Nature of Things," for spatially grouped instruments and strings, in Bennington, Vt.; 1966 — Ulysseys Kay: "Markings" (dedicated to the late Secretary General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld), at the Meadow Brook Music Festival in Rochester, Michigan; Other: 1906—Gustav Mahler conducts the first of two performances of Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" in Salzburg, Austria, during a Mozart Festival that also included Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte" conducted by Richard Strauss.
Sunday, August 19
Bernstein’s air-conditioned urban jungle ... MUSIC PLAYED ON TODAY'S PROGRAM: Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990): Prologue, fr West Side Story orchestra and chorus: Leonard Bernstein, cond. DG 415 255 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: On Bernstein ALSO ON THIS DATE: Births: 1813—American composer and journalist, William Henry Fry, in Philadelphia (see also August 10); 1881—Rumanian composer, violinist, and conductor Georges Enesco (Enescu), in Liveni-Virnaz; Deaths: 1929—Russian ballet impressario Sergei Diaghilev, age 57, in Venice; Premieres: 1952 — Ginastera: ballet "Estancia," in Buenos Aires; 1957 — Bernstein: musical "West Side Story," as a trial run in Washington, D.C. at the National Theater, choreography and direction by Jerome Robbins, conducted by Max Goberman; The show opened in New York City at the Winter Garden on September 26, 1957; 1961 — Peggy Glanville-Hicks: opera "Nausicaa," in Athens, Greece; 1988 — Lutoslawski: Piano Concerto, at the Salzburg Festival in Austria; Other: 1990—At Tanglewood, Leonard Bernstein conducts the Boston Symphony in Britten's "Three Sea Interludes" from "Peter Grimes" and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 at his last concert appearance before his death; On the same program, Carl St. Clair conducted a performance of Bernstein's "Arias and Barcarolles" (as orchestrated by Bright Sheng); The Bernstein-led performances from this concert have been issued on compact disc on the Deutsche Grammophon label. |
