Synopsis
There’s nothing better than being outdoors on a glorious summer’s day, listening to live music. At least that’s what American composer Libby Larsen believes.
“I grew up on outdoor concerts,” she recalls. “There was a bandstand by my house in Minneapolis and all summer long orchestras and bands would play there. There's really something special about being outside and hearing music fill the air with sound...”
On today’s date in 1983, one of Larsen’s own musical works entitled “Deep Summer Music” received its premiere outdoors when the Minnesota Orchestra visited the tiny rural community of Terrace, Minnesota.
Larsen says, “’Deep Summer Music’ was written for an outdoor occasion. That's why there are long trumpet solos that can ring out over the hills. Terrace is a small town of 70 people, but for the concert 8000 people came from western Minnesota and eastern South Dakota. They brought lawn chairs and picnic baskets. The concert was paid for by those same communities and so they had a real stake in the whole experience.”
At first, says Larsen, she thought the large, festive crowd wouldn’t pay much attention to her new piece. Instead, she recalls, as the music began, “There was the most beautiful blanket of quiet you can imagine. And as the second trumpet solo happened a "V" formation of geese flew over and honked during the solo, seeming to echo the music. It was such a lovely and peaceful experience—and you couldn’t have cued the geese any better!”
Music Played in Today's Program
Libby Larsen (b. 1950) Deep Summer Music Colorado Symphony; Marin Alsop, cond. Koch 7520
On This Day
Births
1714 - German composer Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck, in Erasbach, Upper Palatinate
Deaths
1778 - French writer, music critic, and composer Jean-Jacques Rousseau, age 66, in Ermenonville
Premieres
1900 - Sibelius: tone poem "Finlandia," in Helsinki, with Robert Kajanus conducting; An earlier, vocal version of this music was first performed at the Swedish Theater in Helsinki on Nov, 4, 1899
1929 - Gershwin: musical "Show Girl," at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York; This show included the classic Gershwin song "Liza"
1949 - John Alden Carpenter: Symphony No. 2 (revised version), by the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia, with Fritz Busch conducting; The New York Philharmonic premiered the first version of this symphony on October 22, 1942, with Bruno Walter conducting
1983 - Libby Larsen: "Deep Summer Music" for orchestra, in Terrance, Minn., by the Minnesota Orchestra, Joseph Giunta conducting
Others
1723 - Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi agrees to write and rehearse the music for two concerts a month at the Pièta School for Orphaned Girls in Venice
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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.