Synopsis
Music Played in Today's Program
William Henry Fry (1813-1864) Santa Claus (A Christmas Symphony) Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Tony Rowe, cond. Naxos 559057
On This Day
Births
1879 - Russian composer and pianist Nicolai Medtner (see Jan. 5, 1880);
1881 - American composer Charles Wakefield Cadman, in Johnstown, Pa.;
1950 - American composer Libby Larsen, in Wilmington, Del.;
Deaths
1453 - English composer John Dunstable, age c. 65, in London;
1935 - Austrian composer Alban Berg, age 50, in Vienna;
1975 - American composer and conductor Bernard Herrmann, age 64, in Los Angeles, after completing the filmscore for Scorsese's "Taxi Driver";
Premieres
1739 - Handel: revival performance of oratorio "Acis and Galetea" (Julian date: Dec. 13);
1871 - Verdi: opera "Aida" in Cairo, Egypt, at the Khedival Theater;
1951 - Menotti: opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" as a TV broadcast on the NBC network; According to Opera America magazine, this is one of the most frequently-produced American operas during the past decade;
Others
1920 - Last operatic appearance ever of the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, in an evening performance of Halevy's "La Juive" (The Jewess) at the old Metropolitan Opera in New York City; Caruso would die in Naples (where he made his operatic debut on March 15, 1895) at the age of 48 on August 2, 1921;
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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.