Synopsis
Music Played in Today's Program
Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) Symphony of Psalms The Monteverdi Choir; London Symphony; John Eliot Gardiner, cond. DG 436 789
On This Day
Births
1676 - French composer and organist, Louis Nicolas Clérambault, in Paris;
1825 - American composer George Frederick Bristow, in Brooklyn, N.Y.;
1894 - German composer Paul Dessau, in Hamburg;
Premieres
1865 - Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 1, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Dec. 31);
1873 - Tchaikovsky: symphonic fantasia "The Tempest" (after Shakespeare), in Moscow (Julian date: Dec. 7);
1890 - Tchaikovsky: opera, "Pique Dame," in St. Petersburg, at the Mariinsky Theatre, Eduard Napravnik conducting (Julian date: Dec. 7);
1919 - Griffes: "The White Peacock" (orchestral version), by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting;
1930 - American premiere of Stravinsky: "Symphony of Psalms," by the Boston Symphony under Serge Koussevitzky (who commissioned the work to celebrate the Boston Symphony's 50th Anniversary); The world premiere had occurred in Brussels on December 13, 1930, conducted by Ernest Ansermet;
1991 - Corigliano: opera "The Ghosts of Versailles," in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera;
2002 - Rodion Shchedrin: “The Enchanted Wanderer” for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra, by the New York Choral Artists and New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel conducting;
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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.