Synopsis
Music Played in Today's Program
Virgil Thomson (1896 - 1989) Symphony on a Hymn Tune Monadnock Festival Orchestra; James Bolle, cond. Albany 017
On This Day
Births
1810 - Polish composer and pianist Frederic Chopin, in Zelazowa Wola (This is the date contained in the composer's baptismal certificate; Chopin himself gave March 1, 1810, as his birthdate);
1817 - Danish composer Niels W. Gade, in Copenhagen;
1961 - American composer Lowell Liebermann, in New York City;
Deaths
1903 - Austrian composer Hugo Wolf, age 42, in Vienna;
Premieres
1878 - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4, in Moscow, with Nikolai Rubinstein conducting (Julian date: Feb. 10);
1881 - Bruch: "Scottish Fantasy," Op. 46, in Liverpool, with the composer conducting and Joseph Joachim as soloist;
1890 - Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in Bb, Op. 8 (revised version), in Vienna, at one of the Rosé Chamber Concerts, with the composer at the piano; The first version of this Trio, composed in 1854, received one of its first public performances ever in New York City on November 27, 1855;
1907 - Ravel: "Introduction and Allegro," in Paris;
1938 - Kabalesvky: opera "Colas Breugnon," in Leningrad;
1941 - Paul Creston: Symphony No. 1, in New York City;
1941 - Morton Gould: "Latin American Symphonette," in Brooklyn, N.Y.;
1945 - Virgil Thomson: "Symphony on a Hymn Tune," in New York City, with the composer conducting;
1962 - Benjamin Lees: "Concerto for Orchestra" No. 1, in Rochester, N.Y.
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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.