Composers Datebook®

"A Child's Reliquary" by Danielpour

Composers Datebook for April 13, 2017

Synopsis

On today's date in the year 2000, at the University of Iowa, the Kalichstein-Robinson-Laredo Piano Trio gave the premiere performance of a chamber work written for them by the American composer Richard Danielpour.

Subtitled, "A Child's Reliquary," this was a musical response to every parent's worst nightmare: the death of a young child—specifically the drowning death of the 18-month old son of Danielpour's friend Carl St. Clair, the conductor of the Pacific Symphony in California.

"I know of nothing more tragic or heartbreaking…" explained Danielpour, adding, "[My Trio] was intended as a kind of 'Kindertotenlieder' without words—and everything in the piece, including references to the Brahms Cradle Song—relates to its initial inspiration."

In the Middle Ages, a reliquary was a container, often made of silver or gold, used to hold holy objects, the "relics" of a saint perhaps. In our own time, concert-goers would recognize emotional allusions to the famous lullaby—or cradle song—by Brahms in Danielpour's score, as well as echoes of Mahler's "Kindertotelieder" song cycle dealing with similar parental loss.

In 2006, Danielpour reworked "A Child's Reliquary" into a concerto for violin, cello, and full orchestra, and this new version was premiered by violinist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson with the Pacific Symphony led by Carl St. Clair—for the conductor, a remarkable act of loving memory and proof, perhaps, of the healing power of music.

Music Played in Today's Program

Richard Danielpour (b. 1956) A Child's Reliquary(Trio version) Kalichstein Laredo Robinson Trio Arabesque 6767

Richard Danielpour A Child's Reliquary(Concerto version) Joseph Kalichstein, vn; Sharon Robinson, vcl.Vermont Symphony; Sharon Hicks, cond Bridge 9354

On This Day

Births

  • 1810 - French composer Felicien David, in Cadenet, Vaucluse;

  • 1816 - English composer Sir William Sterndale Bennett, in Sheffield;

  • 1938 - American composer and pianist Frederic Rzewski, in Westfield, Mass.;

Deaths

  • 1756 - Burial date of the German composer and keyboard virtuoso Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, age c. 29, in Dresden;

  • 1826 - German composer Franz Danzi, age 62, in Schwetzingen;

  • 1944 - French composer and pianist Cécile Chaminade, age 86, in Monte Carlo;

Premieres

  • 1742 - Handel: oratorio, "Messiah,"in Dublin (Gregorian date: April 24);

  • 1789 - Mozart: Divertimento in Eb (K. 563) for string trio, in Dresden, by Anton Teiber (violin), Anton Kraft (cello), and the composer (viola);

  • 1943 - Randall Thompson: "A Testament of Freedom" for men's voices and piano, at the University of Virginia; The orchestral version of this work premiered in Boston on April 6, 1945;

  • 1952 - Morton Gould: Symphony No. 4 ("West Point Symphony") for band, during the West Point Military Academy Sesquicentennial Celebration in West Point, N.Y, by the Academy Band, with the composer conducting;

  • 1961 - Luigi Nono: opera "Intolerance 1960," in Venice at the Teatro La Fenice;

  • 1992 - Schnittke: opera "Life with an Idiot," in Amsterdam at the Dutch Opera;

  • 1997 - Morten Lauridsen: "Lux Aeterna"for chorus and chamber orchestra, at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Paul Salamunovich conducting;

  • 2000 - Danielpour: Piano Trio ("A Child's Reliquary"), at Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa, by the Kalichstein-Robinson-Laredo Trio;

Others

  • 1823 - Franz Liszt, age 11, performs at the Imperial Redoutensaal in Vienna; Legend has it that Beethoven attended this performance and planted a kiss on the young performer's forehead, but in fact Beethoven did not attend the concert; According to Liszt, the incident occurred a few days before at Beethoven's home, after Liszt had performed one of Beethoven's works; See Dec. 1, 1822, for Liszt's Vienna debut;

  • 1896 - The American Guild of Organists is founded in New York City;

  • 1958 - American pianist Van Cliburn wins the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the first American to do so.

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About Composers Datebook®

Host John Birge presents a daily snapshot of composers past and present, with timely information, intriguing musical events and appropriate, accessible music related to each.

He has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.

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