Corigliano Dances

Synopsis

Merriam-Webster’s defines a “gazebo” as “a freestanding roofed structure usually open on the sides.

To most Americans, however, “gazebo” conjures up warm, summer days spent out-of-doors: If you imagine yourself inside a gazebo, you’re probably enjoying a cool beverage while gazing out at the greenery—or, if you fancy yourself outside one, you’re probably seated in a lawn chair, gazing at a group of gazebo-sheltered band musicians playing a pops concert for your entertainment.

In the early 1970’s, the American composer John Corigliano wrote a series of whimsical four-hand piano dances he dedicated to certain of his pianist friends, and then later arranged these pieces for concert band, entitling the resulting suite “Gazebo Dances. “

“The title,” explained Corigliano, “was suggested by the pavilions often seen on village greens in towns throughout the countryside, where public band concerts are given in the summer. The delights of that sort of entertainment are portrayed in this set of dances, which begins with a Rossini-like Overture, followed by a rather peg-legged Waltz, a long-lined Adagio, and a bouncy Tarantella.”

The concert band version of Corigliano’s “Gazebo Dances” was first performed in Indiana on today’s date in 1973, by the University of Evansville Wind Ensemble, with Robert Bailey conducting.

Music Played in Today's Program

John Corigliano (b. 1938) Gazebo Dances University of Texas Wind Ensemble; Jerry Junkin, cond. Naxos 8.559601

On This Day

Births

• 1882 - Russian-born American composer Igor Stravinsky, in Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov), near St Petersburg, (Gregorian date: June 17); In the 19th century, the Julian calendar lagged behind the Gregorian by 12 days, and in the 20th century by 13 days; For most of the 20th century, Stravinsky chose to celebrate his birthday on June 18th, but "officially" it was celebrated on June 17th;

• 1905 - Estonian-born Swedish composer Eduard Tubin, in Kalaste, near Tartu (Gregorian date: June 18);

• 1923 - American composer Daniel Pinkham, in Lynn, Mass.;

Deaths

• 1625 - English composer Orlando Gibbons, age 41, in Canterbury;

• 1722 - German composer Johann Kuhnau, age 61, in Leipzig;

• 1816 - Italian opera composer Giovanni Paisiello, age 76, in Naples;

• 1826 - German composer Carl Maria von Weber, age 39, in London;

• 1944 - Italian opera composer Riccardo Zandonai, age 61, in Pesaro;

Premieres

• 1715 - Handel: opera "Amadigi di Gauli" (Julian date: May 25);

• 1913 - Paris premiere of Mussorgsky: opera, "Khovantschina," in a version completed and orchestrated by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Igor Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel;

• 2003 - Oliver Knussen: Symphony No. 4, by the New York Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel conducting.

Others

• 1717 - For the last performance of Handel's opera "Rinaldo" at the King's Theater, the French dancer Marie Sallé appears as a performer for the first time in one of Handel's works (Greogorian date: June 16);

• 1971 - Conductor James Levine makes his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, conducting Puccini's "Tosca"; In 1973, Levine became the Met's principal conductor and in 1976 its music director.