Composers Datebook®

Clarinet works by Poulenc and Tower

Synopsis

Music Played in Today's Program

Francis Poulenc (1899 - 1963) Clarinet Sonata Richard Stoltzman, clarinet; Irma Vallecillo, piano BMG 60198

Joan Tower (b. 1938) Clarinet Concerto David Shifrin, clarinet; The Louisville Orchestra D'Note 1016

On This Day

Births

  • 1864 - Scottish-born German composer and pianist Eugéne d'Albert, in Glasgow;

  • 1892 - Italian composer and conductor Victor de Sabata, in Trieste;

Deaths

  • 1911 - Lithuanian painter and composer Mikolajus Konstantinas Ciurlionis, age 35, in Pustelnik-Minski, near Warsaw (Julian date March 28);

Premieres

  • 1868 - Brahms: "A German Requiem," at a Good Friday concert at Bremen Cathedral conducted by the composer;

  • 1886 - Chabrier: opera "Gwendoline," in Brussels;

  • 1913 - Montemezzi: opera "L'Amore dei tre re" (The Love Three Kings), in Milan at the Teatro della Scala, with Tullio Serafin conducting;

  • 1919 - Fauré: "Masques et bergamasques" (Masks and Bergamascas), in Monte Carlo;

  • 1927 - Antheil: "A Jazz Symphony," at Carnegie Hall in New York, by members of the W.C. Handy with the composer at the piano;

  • 1935 - Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4, in London, by the BBC Symphony, Sir Adrian Boult conducting;

  • 1936 - Carlos Chavez: "Sinfonia India," by the Boston Symphony with the composer conducting;

  • 1963 - Poulenc: Clarinet Sonata, at Carnegie Hall (posthumously) with clarinetist Benny Goodman and pianist Leonard Bernstein;

  • 1984 - Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: "Prologue and Variations" for strings, by the Chattanooga Symphony, Richard Cormier conducting;

  • 1988 - Joan Tower: Clarinet Concerto, with soloist Charles Neidich and the American Symphony Orchestra, Jorge Mester conducting;

  • 1992 - Michael Torke: "Music on the Floor," for chamber ensemble, in Milwaukee, Wisc., by the Present Music ensemble, Kevin Stalheim conducting;

  • 1996 - Stanislaw Skrowaczewski: "Passacaglia Immaginaria," in Minneapolis by the Minnesota Orchestra, Eiji Oue conducting.

  • 2005 - Gabriela Lena Frank: “Ghosts in the Dream Machine” for piano quintet, in Philadelphia, by pianist Simone Dinnerstein and the Chiara Quartet.

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

Roumain's 'Ghetto Strings'

Daniel Bernard Roumain (b. 1970): ‘Haiti’ from ‘Ghetto Strings’; Minneapolis Guitar Quartet; innova CD 858

2:00
Get Composers Datebook in your inbox
YourClassical

Mahler and Schoenfield at the Vaudeville?

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): Symphony No. 2 (‘Resurrection’); London Symphony; Gilbert Kaplan, conductor; Conifer 51337 Paul Schoenfield (1947-2024): ‘Vaudeville’; New World Symphony; John Nelson, conductor; Argo 440 212

2:00
YourClassical

Ravel and Zaimont

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): ‘La Valse’ Boston Symphony; Charles Munch, conductor; RCA 6522 Judith Lang Zaimont (b. 1945): Symphony No. 1; Czech Radio Symphony; Leos Svarovsky, conductor; Arabesque 6742

2:00
YourClassical

Bizet and Menotti on TV in the 1950s

Georges Bizet (1838-1875): ‘Carmen Suite No. 1’; Orchestre National de France; Seiji Ozawa, conductor; EMI 63898 Giancarlo Menotti (1911-2007): ‘March’ from ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’; New Zealand Symphony; Andrew Schenck, conductor; Koch 7005

2:00
YourClassical

Morton Gould

Morton Gould (1913-1996): ‘Spirituals for Strings’; London Philharmonic; Kenneth Klein, conductor; EMI 49462

2:00
YourClassical

A sequel by Berlioz

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869): ‘Fantasy on Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’’ from ‘Lelio London Symphony’; Pierre Boulez, conductor; Sony 64103

2:00
YourClassical

Beethoven and Kernis in a somber mood

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No. 7; Vienna Philharmonic; Carlos Kleiber, conductor; DG 447 400 Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960): ‘Meditation (in memory of John Lennon)’; Eberli Ensemble; Phoenix 142

2:00
YourClassical
2:00
YourClassical

Brubeck's birthday

Dave Brubeck (1920-2012): ‘Blue Rondo a la Turk’; The Dave Brubeck Quartet; Columbia 40585 Dave Brubeck: ‘La Fiesta del Posada’; Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, conductor; Columbia Legacy 64669

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