Composers Datebook®

Lyricist and musical mentor Oscar Hammerstein II

Synopsis

Music Played in Today's Program

Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) excerpts fr Oklahoma! Broadway cast and orchestra RCA RCD1-3572

Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) excerpts fr Carousel Broadway cast and orchestra Angel 55199

On This Day

Births

  • 1861 - Russian composer Anton Arensky, in Novgorod; Under the Julian "Old Style" calendar still in use in Russia in that year, this date would be listed as June 30

  • 1885 - English composer George Butterworth, in London; As a British soldier, he was killed during battle of Pozieres in 1916

  • 1895 - American musical theater lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, in New York; He provided lyrics for Rudolf Friml's "Rose Marie" (1924), Siegmund Romberg's "The Desert Song" (1926), and Jerome Kern's "Show Boat" (1926); He collaborated with Richard Rodgers on several Broadway classics such as "Carousel" (1945), "South Pacific" (1949), and "The King and I" (1951); He was also the principal mentor of American composer Stephen Sondheim

Deaths

  • 1773 - German composer and flutist, Johann Joachim Quantz, age 76, in Postdam

  • 1953 - Belgian composer Joseph Jongen, age 79, at Sart-lez-Spa

Premieres

  • 1716 - Handel: Concerto Grosso in F, Op. 3, no. 4a (Julian date: July 1);

  • 1900 - Fauré: "Requiem," (orchestrated version) in Paris, at the Paris World Exhibition

  • 1922 - Hindemith: "Kleine Kammermusik" for winds, Op. 24, no. 2, in Cologne (Germany), by the Frankfurt Chamber Winds

  • 1940 - Ginastera: ballet "Pananbi," in Buenos Aires

  • 1946 - Britten: opera "The Rape of Lucretia" at the Glyndebourne Festival in England

  • 1972 - Peter Maxwell Davies: opera, "Taverner," in London at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

  • 1976 - Henze: opera, "We Come to the River," in London at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

  • 1992 - Christopher Rouse: Violin Concerto, at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, by the Aspen Festival Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin, with soloist Cho-Liang Lin

  • 1993 - William Bolcom: Violin Sonata No 3, at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, violin, and the composer at the piano;

  • 1993 - Andrew Lloyd-Webber: musical "Sunset Boulevard," in London; The musical opened in Los Angeles on December 2, 1993, and on Broadway on November 17, 1994

Others

  • 1971 - A touring production of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's rock musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" starts a cross-country American run; The musical would open on Broadway on October 12, 1971

Love the music?

Donate by phone
1-800-562-8440

Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.

Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.

YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.

More Ways to Give

Your Donation

$5/month
$10/month
$15/month
$20/month
$

Latest Composers Datebook® Episodes

VIEW ALL EPISODES

Latest Composers Datebook® Episodes

YourClassical

Graupner (and Haydn) in Boston

Franz Josef Haydn (1732-1808): Symphony No. 100 (‘Military’); London Classical Players; Roger Norrington, conductor; EMI 55192

2:00
Get Composers Datebook in your inbox
YourClassical

Del Tredici's 'In Wartime'

David Del Tredici (1937-2023): ‘In Wartime’; University of Texas Wind Ensemble; Jerry Junkin, conductor; Reference Recording 104

2:00
YourClassical

Herbert's earthquake benefit

Victor Herbert (1859-1924): Cello Concerto No. 1; Lynn Harrell, cello; St. Martin’s Academy; Sir Neville Marriner, conductor; London 417 672

2:00
YourClassical

Diamond's Elegy

David Diamond (1915-2005): ‘Elegy in Memory of Maurice Ravel’; Orchestra of St. Luke’s; John Adams, conductor; Nonesuch 79249

2:00
YourClassical

Nicholas Slonimsky, Date-Meister

Charles Ives (1874-1954): ‘Three Places in New England’; San Francisco Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; BMG 63703

2:00
YourClassical

Tchaikovsky in New York

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): Orchestral Suite No. 3; Detroit Symphony; Neeme Järvi, conductor; Chandos 9419

2:00
YourClassical

Prokofiev and Rochberg chamber premieres

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953): String Quartet No. 1; St. Petersburg String Quartet; Delos 3247 George Rochberg (1918-2005): Octet (‘A Grand Fantasia’); New York Chamber Ensemble; Stephen Rogers Radcliffe, conductor; New World 80462

2:00
YourClassical

Tower's Violin Concerto

Joan Tower (b. 1938): Violin Concerto; Elmar Oliveira, violin; Louisville Orchestra; Joseph Silverstein, conductor; D’Note 1016

2:00
YourClassical
2:00
VIEW ALL EPISODES

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.

About Composers Datebook®
YourClassical Radio
0:00
0:00