Composers Datebook®

Bolcom's Bicentennial send-up

Synopsis

Music Played in Today's Program

William Bolcom (b. 1938) Piano Concerto William Bolcom, piano; Rochester Philharmonic; Sydney Hodkinson, cond. Vox Box 7509

On This Day

Births

  • 1714 - German composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (the third son of J.S. Bach), in Weimar;

  • 1904 - Greek composer Nikos Skalkottas, on the island of Euboca;

  • 1911 - American composer Alan Hovhaness, in Somerville, Mass.;

Deaths

  • 1869 - French composer Hector Berlioz, age 62, in Paris;

  • 1957 - Swiss composer Othmar Schoeck, age 70, in Zurich;

  • 1961 - British conductor and arranger Sir Thomas Beecham, age 81, in London;

  • 1983 - English composer and conductor Sir William Walton, age 80, in Ischia;

Premieres

  • 1752 - Handel: oratorio "Jephtha," in London (Julian date: Feb. 26);

  • 1896 - Rachmaninoff: symphonic fantasy "The Rock," in Moscow (Gregorian date: Mar. 20);

  • 1898 - R. Strauss: tone-poem "Don Quixote," in Cologne, Wüllner conducting;

  • 1902 - Sibelius: Symphony No. 2, by the Helsinki Philharmonic, with the composer conducting;

  • 1903 - Enescu: "Rumanian Rhapsodies" Nos. 1 and 2, in Bucharest, with the composer conducting;

  • 1934 - Piston: "Concerto for Orchestra," by the Boston Symphony, Serge Koussevitzky conducting;

  • 1954 - Stravinsky: "Three Songs from William Shakespeare," at an "Evenings on the Roof" concert in Los Angeles conducted by Robert Craft;

  • 1956 - David Diamond: Symphony No. 6, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting;

  • 1957 - Xenakis: "Pithoprakta," in Munich;

  • 1979 - Rihm: opera "Jakob Lenz," in Hamburg at the Opera stabile (Staatsoper);

  • 1991 - Daniel Asia: "At the Far Edge" for orchestra, by the Seattle Youth Symphony, Ruben Gurevich conducting;

  • 2000 - Karen Tanaka: "At the Grave of Beethoven" for string quartet, in London, by the Brodsky Quartet;

  • 2000 - John Tavener: "The Lord's Prayer," in Guildford (England), by the Tallis Scholars.

Love the music?

Donate by phone
1-800-562-8440

Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.

Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.

YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.

More Ways to Give

Your Donation

$5/month
$10/month
$15/month
$20/month
$

Latest Composers Datebook® Episodes

VIEW ALL EPISODES

Latest Composers Datebook® Episodes

YourClassical

Massenet (and Laurie Anderson)

Jules Massenet (1842-1912): ‘O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere’; from ‘Le Cid’; Ben Heppner, tenor; Munich Radio Orchestra; Roberto Abbado, conductor; RCA/BMG 62504

2:00
Get Composers Datebook in your inbox
YourClassical

New York City 'firsts' of Rossini and Cole Porter

Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868): Selections from ‘The Barber of Seville’; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor; Philips 412 266 Cole Porter (1891-1964): ‘Gay Divorce’ Overture; London Sinfonietta; John McGlinn, conductor; EMI 68589

2:00
YourClassical

Rachmaninoff and Hanson get romantic

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943): Piano Concerto No. 3; Martha Argerich, piano; Berlin Radio Symphony; Riccardo Chailly, conductor; Philips 446 673 Howard Hanson (1896-1981): Symphony No. 2 (‘Romantic’); RCA Symphony; Charles Gerhardt, conductor; Chesky 112

2:00
YourClassical

Spacey music by Strauss and Ligeti

Richard Strauss (1864-1949): ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’; Chicago Symphony; Fritz Reiner, conductor; RCA/BMG 60833 György Ligeti (1923-2006): ‘Atmospheres’; Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; John Mauceri, conductor; Philips 446 403

2:00
YourClassical
2:00
YourClassical
2:00
YourClassical

Two Tchaikovskys, one skull

Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): ‘Hamlet-Fantasy Overture’; Israel Philharmonic Orchestra; Leonard Bernstein, conductor (DG 477670)

2:00
YourClassical

Colorful music by Scriabin and Torke

Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915): Etude No. 4; Piers Lane, piano; Hyperion 66607 Michael Torke (b. 1961): ‘Bright Blue Music’; Baltimore Symphony; David Zinman, conductor

2:00
YourClassical
2:00
VIEW ALL EPISODES

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.

About Composers Datebook®
YourClassical Radio
0:00
0:00