Musical Carpentry?

Synopsis

On today’s date in 1942, Bruno Walter conducted the New York Philharmonic in the premiere of the Second Symphony of the American composer John Alden Carpenter.

Like Charles Ives, Carpenter led a double life as a composer and successful businessman. He was born into a wealthy family, and from 1906 until his retirement in 1936, served as Vice President of George B. Carpenter & Co., his father’s railroad and shipping supply company.

Carpenter studied music at home and abroad, and even took composition lessons from Sir Edward Elgar. In 1914, Carpenter scored a national success with his first big orchestral work, a whimsical symphonic suite titled “Adventures in a Perambulator,” and in 1921 wrote a very popular jazz-inspired ballet titled “Krazy Kat,” based on a wildly popular newspaper comic strip of the day.

By the 1940s, Carpenter’s works were being performed by America’s leading orchestras and famous maestros like Bruno Walter and Fritz Reiner. To celebrate his 75th birthday, the newly-formed National Arts Foundation promoted performances of his music in the U.S, Europe, and Australia.

But in the decades following his death in 1951, much of Carpenter’s work has been forgotten. This first-ever recording of his Symphony No. 2 was released by Naxos of America in 2001 — 59 years after the work’s 1942 premiere.

Music Played in Today's Program

John Alden Carpenter (1876-1951) Symphony No. 2 National Symphony of Ukraine; John McLaughlin Williams, cond. Naxos 8.559065

On This Day

Births

• 1811 - Hungarian composer and piano virtuoso Franz Liszt, in Raiding (near Oedenburg);

Deaths

• 1725 - Italian opera composer Alessandro Scarlatti, age 65, in Naples; He was the father of composer Domenico Scarlatti;

• 1764 - French composer and violinist Jean Marie LeClair, age 67, in Paris, stabbed in his own home;

• 1859 - German composer, violinist and conductor Ludwig Spohr, age 75, in Kassel;

• 1973 - Spanish cellist (and occasional composer) Pablo (Pau) Casals, age 96, in San Juan, Puerto Rico;

• 1979 - French composition teacher Nadia Boulanger, age 92, in Paris; She taught several generations of American composers, ranging from Aaron Copland to Philip Glass;

Premieres

• 1727 - Handel: "Coronation Anthems," in London at Westminster Abbey during the coronation of King George II and Queen Caroline (see Julian date: Oct. 11);

• 1888 - Rimsky-Korsakov: "Scheherazade," in St. Petersburg by the Russian Symphony, with the composer conducting (Gregorian date: Nov. 3);

• 1899 - Rimsky-Korsakov: opera "The Tsar's Bride," at the Solodovnikov Theatre in Moscow, Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov conducting (Gregorian date: Nov. 3);

• 1920 - American premiere of Ravel: “Le Tombeau de Couperin,” by the Boston Symphony, Pierre Monteux conducting;

• 1942 - John Alden Carpenter: Symphony No. 2 (original version), by New York Philharmonic, Bruno Walter conducting;

• 1962 - Otto Luening: Trio for piano, cello and flute, at the inaugural concert of the Group for Contemporary Music at the McMillin (now Miller) Theater of Columbia University in New York City;

• 1967 - Penderecki: "Capriccio" for violin and orchestra, at the Donaueschingen Festival in West Germany, with Wanda Wilkomriska as soloist;

• 1987 - John Adams: opera "Nixon in China" at Houston Grand Opera;

• 1990 - Michael Colgrass: "Snow Walker" for organ and orchestra, on a CBC radio broadcast during the Calgary Organ Festival Competition, with the competition winner, Jonathan Biggers, as soloist.

• 1993 - John Harbison: "The Most Often Used Chords (Gli Accordi Piu Usati), in Los Angeles, by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Christopf Perick conducting;

Others

• 1739 - Handel completes in London his Concerto Grosso in d, Op. 6, no. 10 (Gregorian date: Nov. 2);

• 1881 - First concert of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the old Boston Music Hall, with George Herschel conducting; The program included Beethoven's "Consecration of the House" Overture, and works by Gluck, Haydn, Schubert, Bruch and Weber;

• 1883 - Grand Opening of the original Metropolitan Opera House in New York City with performance of Gounod's "Faust" with Auguste Vianesi, conducting;

• 1983 - Celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Metropolitan Opera presents a daylong concert with some of the world's greatest opera stars, including Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti and many others.