Deems Taylor and David Del Tredici in Wonderland

Synopsis

In February of 1919, members of the New York Chamber Music Society gave the premiere performance of this music—an instrumental suite by the American composer Deems Taylor, titled Through the Looking Glass. A few years later, Deems Taylor landed a job as music critic for the New York World, and following that, became known coast-to-coast as the radio commentator for New York Philharmonic broadcasts, and as the host of a popular quiz-show titled Information, Please. His voice was also heard as the commentator for the 1940 Disney film, Fantasia.

On today's date in 1980, another American composer premiered a musical work inspired by Alice in Wonderland. This was David Del Tredici's In Memory of a Summer's Day, first presented by the St. Louis Symphony conducted by Leonard Slatkin. By 1980, Del Tredici had already composed several successful works inspired by the Lewis Carroll books, but In Memory of Summer's Day capped the lot, and won that year's Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Del Tredici was a protégé of Aaron Copland, and recalled how Copland would react to Del Tredici's compositions. "He'd say something noncommittal at first, such as 'It's very nice.' Then maybe an hour or so later, at dinner, he would turn to me, apropos of nothing, and say, 'I think the bass line is too regular, and the percussion should not always underline the main beat and would you please pass the butter.'"

Music Played in Today's Program

Deems Taylor (1885-1966) Through The Looking Glass Suite Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz , conductor. Delos 3099

David Del Tredici (b. 1937) In Memory of A Summer Day St. Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, conductor. Nonesuch 79043

On This Day

Births

• 1648 - (or possibly 1649) Baptismal date of English composer and organist John Blow, in Newark, Nottinghamshire;

• 1685 - German-born British composer George Frideric Handel, as "Georg Friedrich Händel," in Halle (Saxony);

• 1900 - American composer Elinor Remick Warren, in Los Angeles;

• 1920 - American composer Hall Overton, in Bangor, Michigan;

Deaths

• 1704 - Austrian composer and organist Georg Muffat, age 50, in Passau, Germany;

• 1934 - English composer Sir Edward Elgar, age 76, in Worcester;

• 1983 - English composer Henry Howells, age 90, in London;

Premieres

• 1732 - Handel: oratorio “Esther” in London at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, by an ensemble including the Children of the Chapel Royal, on the occasion (in England) of Handel’s 47th birthday (Gregorian date: Mar. 5);

• 1835 - Halévy: opera "La Juive" (The Jewess), at the Paris Opéra;

• 1854 - Liszt: symphonic poem, "Les Préludes," in Weimar, conducted by the composer;

• 1882 - Chadwick: Symphony No. 1, by the Boston Symphony;

• 1903 - Rachmaninoff: Piano Preludes Nos. 1, 2, and 5, from Op. 23 and “Variations on a Theme of Chopin,” Op. 22, in Moscow, by the composer (Julian date: Feb. 10);

• 1913 - Schoenberg: "Gurre-Lieder," in Vienna;

• 1916 - Griffes: "White Peacock" for piano, by Winifred Christie in New York City;

• 1923 - Ernest Schelling: "A Victory Ball," by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting;

• 1945 - Villa-Lobos: Choros No. 12 for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony with the composer conducting;

• 1956 - Leon Kirchner: Piano Concerto No. 1, in New York City, composer at the piano;

• 1962 - Stravinsky: "A Sermon, A Narrative and A Prayer," in Basle(Switzerland), conducted by Paul Sacher (to whom the work is dedicated).