Riegger in Paris

Synopsis

On today’s date in 1931, the Russian-born American composer Nicolas Slonimsky was in Paris, conducting the second of two concerts of modern music from the Americas bankrolled by a retired insurance executive named Charles Ives.

This second concert showcased Latin American composers like Pedro Sanjuan, Carlos Chavez, and Alejandro Caturla, as well as works by the Franco-American composers Carlos Salzedo and Edgard Varese. North America was represented by Wallingford Riegger’s “Three Canons” for flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon.

Normally, chamber music for just four players doesn’t require the services of a conductor, but in this case Slonimsky did beat time for the Parisian wind players hired for the gig. As Slonimsky put it, “Some instrumental parts were written in 5/8 and others in 2/8. I started beating time in 5/8, whereupon the binary musicians began to gesticulate at me to show their discomfort. What was I to do? OK, I said, I will conduct 5/8 with my right hand and 2/8 with my left. I was so delighted with my newly found ambidextrous technique that I applied it in other pieces as well, notably in the second movement of Ives’ Three Place in New England, played on the first of the two Parisian concerts. Someone quipped that my conducting was evangelical, for my right hand knew not what my left hand was doing.”

Music Played in Today's Program

Wallingford Riegger (1885 – 1961) Three Canons, Op. 9 Samuel Baron, fl.; Ronald Roseman, ob.; Charles Neidich, cl.; Donald MacCourt, bsn. Bridge 9068

On This Day

Births

• 1864 - German composer and conductor Richard Strauss, in Munich;

• 1899 - American composer George Frederick McKay, in Harrington, Wash.;

• 1926 - American opera composer Carlisle Floyd, in Latta, S.C.;

Premieres

• 1913 - Pizetti: incidental music for "La Pisanella," in Paris;

• 1921 - Honegger: cantata "Le Roi David" (King David), in Mézières;

• 1925 - Honegger: opera "Judith" (1st version), at the Théatre du Jorat in Mézières im Waadt;

• 1960 - Britten: opera "A Midsummer Night's Dream," in Aldeburgh at the Jubilee Hall;

• 1960 - Stockhausen: "Kontakte" for electronic instruments, piano and percussion, in Cologne;

• 1970 - Hovhaness: "And God Created Great Whales" for taped song of humpback whales and orchestra, at a New York Philharmonic Promenade concert conducted by André Kostelanetz;

• 1987 - Michael Torke: ballet "Purple," at the New York State Theater, by the New York City Ballet Orchestra, Lukas Foss conducting.

Others

• 1931 - Nicholas Slonimsky conducts in Paris the second of two concerts (both financed by Charles Ives) devoted to new music; The June 11 program includes works for chamber orchestra by the Spanish-Cuban composer Pedro Sanjuan ("Sones de Castilla"), Mexican Carlos Chaves ("Energia"), Franco-American Carlos Salzedo ("Preamble et Jeux"). Cuban Alejandro Caturla ("Bembe"), American Wallingford Riegger ("Three Canons"), and Franco-American Edgard Varese ("Integrales"); See also June 6, 1931.