Finger Finishes Fourth

Synopsis

LAUGH-IN was a popular TV comedy sketch program in the late 1960s and one of their recurring alliterative gag lines referred to “the fickle finger of fate.” Now, composers who enter – and lose – competitions, often mutter something similar – or stronger. 

In London in 1703, three English composers, John Weldon, John Eccles, Daniel Purcell, and the Moravian-born Gottfried Finger took part in a competition organized by wealthy opera fans.  All four composers were asked to set the same short English-language libretto, and the resulting works were all staged on today’s date for the audience to choose their favorite.

The grand prize of 100 guineas was won by Weldon, even though many bet on Eccles to win. Gottfried Finger came in dead last and was NOT happy about it. He left the country in disgust complaining that (quote), “He had thought to be judged by men, not boys,” and that the competition was rigged.

And in his defense, some recent recordings of Finger’s virtuoso viola da gamba works show him to have been, in fact, a very good composer. 

Even so, as the old LAUGH-IN hosts might put it, “Fun fact: fickle fans found Finger faulty. Finished fourth. Forthwith fuming foreigner fled.” 

Music Played in Today's Program

Gottfried Finger (ca. 1655-6 - buried 31 August 1730) Sonatae pro diversis instrumentis, Op. 1 Echo du Danube Accent CD 24264

On This Day

Births

• 1801 - Czech opera composer Franz (František) Škroup, in Osice; One of his songs was eventually used as the Czech national anthem;

• 1832 - French operetta composer Charles Lecocq, in Paris;

Deaths

• 1875 - French composer Georges Bizet, age 36, at Bougival (near Paris);

• 1899 - Austrian composer Johann Strauss, Jr., age 73, in Vienna;

• 1939 - Spanish composer and conductor Enrique Fernandez Arbos, in San Sebastian;

Premieres

• 1896 - Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5, in Paris, with the composer as soloist;

• 1915 - Chadwick: symphonic ballad "Tam O'Shanter" at the Norfolk Festival;

• 1922 - Stravinsky: opera "Marva," at the Paris Opéra;

• 1947 - Poulenc: opera "Les Mamelles de Tirésias" (The Breasts of Tiresias) in Paris at the Opéra-Comique;

• 1964 - Menotti: "Martin's Lie," at Bristol Cathedral in Bath, England;

• 1979 - Menotti: "La Loca," in San Diego, Calif.;

• 1988 - Michael Torke: "Copper" for brass quintet and orchestra, at the Midland (Michigan) Festival, with the Empire Brass and the Detroit Symphony conducted by Stephen Stein;

• 1999 - Tan Dun: "Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra (In Memory of Toru Takemitsu)," at Lincoln Center, with percussionist Christopher Lamb and the New York Philharmonic conducted by Kurt Masur.