Gyorgy Ligeti

Synopsis

Music Played in Today's Program

György Ligeti (1923 - 2006) Six Bagatelles London Winds Sony 62309

György Ligeti (b. 1923) Atmospheres Berlin Philharmonic; Jonathan Nott, cond. Teldec 88261

On This Day

Births

• 1737 - American bandmaster and music publisher Josiah Flagg, in Woburn, Mass.; He organized the first militia band in Boston, published music engraved by Paul Revere, and in 1773 organized a "Grand Concert" at Boston's Faneuil Hall involving 50 players, one of the first public concerts in America which presented European music;

• 1779 - Irish singer, poet and composer Thomas Moore, in Dublin;

• 1841 - Italian composer, conductor and pianist Giovanni Sgambati, in Rome;

• 1883 - English composer Sir George Dyson, in Halifax (Yorkshire);

• 1913 - Soviet composer Tikhon Khrennikov, in Elets (Gregorian date: June 10);

• 1923 - Hungarian composer György Ligeti, in Dicsöszentmartin (now Tirnaveni), Transylvania;

Deaths

• 1787 - Leopold Mozart, composer, and Wolfgang's father, age 67, in Salzburg;

• 1805 - Italian composer Luigi Boccherini, age 62, in Madrid;

• 1836 - Czech composer Anton Reicha, age 66, in Paris;

Premieres

• 1608 - Monteverdi: opera "Ariana," for a ducal wedding in Mantua; This opera now lost;

• 1904 - Puccini: “Madama Butterfly” (successful revised version), in Brescia; the opera’s original version, premiered on Feb. 17 at La Scala in Milan, was hissed;

• 1922 - Zemlinsky: opera "Der Zwerg" (The Dwarf), at the Cologne Opera;

• 1938 - Hindemith: opera "Mathis der Mahler," in Zurich at the Stadttheater, conducted by Robert Denzler;

• 1966 - Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 11, in Leningrad, by the Beethoven Quartet;

• 1993 - Stockhausen: opera "Dienstag aus Licht" (Tuesday from Light) at the Leipzig Opera;

• 1993 - Michael Torke: "Proverbs" for female voice and ensemble, at the Milwaukee Museum of Art, by the Present Music ensemble, conducted by the composer;

Others

• 1904 - Puccini: "Madama Butterfly" (successful revised version), in Brescia; the opera's original version, premiered on Feb. 17 at La Scala in Milan, was hissed.