Synopsis
Music Played in Today's Program
Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857 – 1919) excerpts, fr Pagliacci Luciano Pavarotti, tenor; Philadelphia Orchestra; Riccardo Muti, cond. Philips 438 132
On This Day
Births
1904 - American composer and jazz pianist Thomas "Fats" Waller, in New York City;
Deaths
1895 - Austrian composer Franz von Suppé, age 76, in Vienna;
Premieres
1739 - Rameau: opera-ballet "Les Fêtes d'Hébé," in Paris;
1892 - Leoncavallo: opera "Pagliacci," in Milan at Teatro dal Verme, with Arturo Toscanini conducting;
1925 - Busoni: "Doctor Faust," posthumously, in Dresden (completed by Philip Jarnach);
1956 - Perischetti: Piano Sonata No. 7, at the Philadelphia Conservatory, by pianist Robert Smith;
1962 - Stockhausen: "Momente" for soprano, choruses, and instruments, in Cologne;
1980 - Jacob Druckman: "Prism" for orchestra, by the Baltimore Symphony, Sergiu Commissiona conducting;
1983 - Dave Brubeck: "Pange Lingua" Variations for chorus, jazz quartet, and orchestra, at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento, Calif., with Russell Gloyd conducting;
1987 - Harrison Birtwistle: opera "The Mask of Orpheus," at the London Coliseum by the English National Opera, Elgar Howarth and Paul Daniel conducting;
2000 - Bruce Adolphe: "Tyrannosaurus Sue (A Cretaceous Concerto)", at the Field Museum in Chicago, by the Chicago Chamber Players.
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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.