Synopsis
Music Played in Today's Program
Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) Psalm 148 Angelina Reaux, mezzo-soprano; Barry Snyder, piano Naxos 8.559407
Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) Hashkiveinu soloists; BBC Singers; Avner Itai, cond. Naxos 8.559407
On This Day
Births
1791 - Bohemian composer Jan Václav (Johann) Voríšek(Worzischek), in Vamberk;
1855 - Russian composer Anatoly Liadov, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: April 29);
1888 - American popular song composer Irving Berlin (Isidore Balin) inTemun, Russia (Julian date: April 29);
1895 - American composer William Grant Still, in Woodville, Miss.;
1954 - Scottish composer Judith Weir, in Aberdeen;
Deaths
1849 - German composer Otto Nicolai, age 38, in Berlin;
1916 - German composer, Max Reger, age 43, in Leipzig;
1947 - Swedish composer Ture Rangström, age 62, in Stockholm;
Premieres
1728 - Handel: opera "Tolomeo, re d'Egitto" (Julian date: April 30);
1917 - Busoni: opera "Arlecchino" (Harlequin) and "Turandot" in Zürich at the Stadttheater;
1945 - Bernstein: "Hashkiveinu" (text from the Sabbath Evening Service) for Cantor, Choir and Organ, at Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City, by Cantor David Puttterman, Max Heffman conducting;
1948 - Cowell: "Hymn, Chorale, and Fuguing Tune" No. 8 for strings, at Florida State University Recital Hall by the School of Music Faculty String Quartet;
1955 - Bliss: Violin Concerto, in London;
1963 - William Grant Still: opera "A Southern Interlude," by the University of Miami Opera; This opera was later revised as "Highway 1, U.S.A.";
1966 - Andrew Imbrie: Symphony No. 1, by the San Francisco Symphony;
1981 - Andrew Lloyd-Webber: musical "Cats" (after T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats") in London at the New London Theatre; This enormously popular and long-running musical opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982;
1984 - John Harbison: "Ulysses' Bow," by the New Haven Symphony, Murry Sidlin conducting;
1995 - John Adams: musical "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky"at the Zellerbach Playhouse in Berkeley, California, with the Paul Dresher Ensemble conducted by Grant Gershon;
2000 - Colin Matthews: "Pluto The Renewer" (as a new contribution to Gustav Holst's "The Planet"), in Manchester, by the Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano conducting;
2002 - Kenneth Frazelle: "Concerto for Chamber Orchestra," in Glendale, Calif., by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Kahane conducting.
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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.