Palestrina by Palestrina (and Pfiztner)

Synopsis

Music Played in Today's Program

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525 — 1594) Pope Marcellus Mass Voices of Ascension; Dennis Keane, cond. Delos 3210

Hans Pfitzner (1869 — 1949) Palestrina Berlin State Orchestra; Otmar Suitner, cond. Berlin Classics 1001

On This Day

Births

• 1525 - earliest possible birth date for the Italian composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, who was probably born between February 3, 1525 and February 2, 1526, most likely at Palestrina (near Rome);

• 1809 - German composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, in Hamburg;

• 1842 - American poet, flutist and composer Sidney Lanier, in Macon, Ga.;

• 1904 - Italian composer Luigi Dallapiccola, in Pisino, Istria;

• 1910 - Mexican composer Blas Galindo Dimas, in San Gabriel, Jalisco;

• 1911 - French composer and organist Jehan Alain, in Paris;

Deaths

• 1814 - Bohemian composer Johann Antonin Kozeluch, age 75, in Prague;

Premieres

• 1823 - Rossini: opera "Semiramide," in Venice at the Teatro la Fenice;

• 1844 - Berlioz: "Roman Carnival" Overture, in Paris at the Salle Herz, with the composer conducting;

• 1867 - Brahms: String Sextet No. 2, Op. 36, in Vienna, by the Hellmesberger Sextet; This work had received some informal performances in Zürich the preceding year;

• 1868 - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1, in Moscow (Gregorian date: Feb. 15);

• 1884 - Tchaikovsky: opera “Mazeppa” in Moscow (Gregorian date: Feb. 15);

• 1894 - Glazunov: Symphony No. 4, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Jan. 22);

• 1945 - Stravinsky: "Scènes de ballet," in New York City by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by the composer; This work was commissioned by Broadway impresario Billy Rose for a 1944 revue titled "The Seven Lively Arts";

• 1956 - Elie Siegmeister: Clarinet Concerto, in Oklahoma City;

• 1989 - Michael Torke: "Ash," in St. Paul, Minn., by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, John Adams conducting;

• 2002 - Philip Glass: Symphony No. 6, at Carnegie Hall, by the American Composers Orchestra conducted by Dennis Russell Davies.