Synopsis
Music Played in Today's Program
François-Joseph Gossec (1734-1829) Symphony in D, Op. 5, no. 3 (Pastorella) London Mozart Players; Matthias Bamert, cond. Chandos 9661
John Corigliano (b. 1938) The Red Violin filmscore Joshua Bell, violin; Sony 63010
On This Day
Births
1709 - English composer and writer on music Charles Avison, in Newcastle upon Tyne;
1878 - Finnish composer Selim Palmgren, in Björneborg (now Pori);
1907 - American composer Alec Wilder (Alexander Lafayette Chew), in Rochester, N.Y.;
1938 - American composer John Corigliano, in New York;
Deaths
1829 - Belgian-born French composer François Joseph Gossec, age 95, in Paris;
1868 - Canadian composer Healey Willian, age 87, in Toronto;
1963 - Hungarian composer Laszlo Lajtha, age 70, in Budapest;
1987 - Soviet composer Dmitri Kabalevsky, age 82, in Moscow;
Premieres
1737 - Handel: opera “Giustino,” in London at the Covent Garden Theater (Gregorian date: Feb. 27);
1884 - Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 2, in Moscow (Julian date: Feb. 4);
1892 - Massenet: opera, "Werther," in Vienna at the Court Opera;
1893 - Sibelius: tone-poem "En Saga," in Helsinki;
1929 - Copland: "Vitebsky" Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello, at New York's Town Hall at a League of Composers concert featuring two members of the Pro Arte Quartet (violinist Alphonse Onnou and cellist Robert Mass) and the German pianist Walter Gieseking;
1936 - Varèse: "Density 21.5" for solo flute, in New York, by flutist Georges Barrère;
1956 - Leon Kirchner: "Toccata" for strings, winds and percussion, in San Francisco.
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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.