A hostess with the most-est nabs Ravel AND Gershwin

Synopsis

Music Played in Today's Program

George Gershwin (1898-1937) Rhapsody in Blue Alicia Zizzo, piano Carlton 66005

On This Day

Births

• 1574 - Baptism of English madrigalist John Wilbye, in Diss (Norfolk);

• 1875 - French composer Maurice Ravel, in Ciboure;

• 1887 - Estonian composer Heino Eller, in Tartu;

Deaths

• 1786 - Bohemian-born composer and violinist Franz [František] Benda, age c. 77, in Nowawes, near Potsdam; He was active at the court of King Frederich II of Prussia;

• 1809 - Austrian composer and organist Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, age 73, in Vienna;

• 1979 - Norwegian composer Klaus Egge, age 72, in Oslo;

Premieres

• 1711 - Handel: opera, "Rinaldo," in London (Julian date: Feb. 24);

• 1730 - Handel: opera "Partenope," in London (Julian date: Feb. 24);

• 1819 - Rossini: opera "Mosè in Egitto" (Moses in Egypt) (2nd version in Italian), in Naples at the Teatro San Carlo;

• 1867 - Brahms: Scherzo in eb, Op. 4, for piano, in Vienna;

• 1883 - Balakirev: symphonic poem "Tamara" (Gregorian date: Mar. 19);

• 1884 - Chadwick: "Scherzo" in F (from Chadwick's Symphony No. 2, a work in progress), by the Boston Symphony, George Henschel conducting; The entire symphony was premiered by the same orchestra on Dec. 10, 1886, with the composer conducting;

• 1892 - Tchaikovsky: "The Nutcracker" Suite, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Mar. 19);

• 1896 - Gilbert & Sullivan: operetta "The Grand Duke" at the Savoy Theatre in London;

• 1899 - d'Indy: "Chansons et danses" for winds, in Paris;

• 1953 - Persichetti: "Pageant" for band, in Miami;

• 1958 - Piston: Viola Concerto, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting;

• 1965 - Easley Blackwood: Symphony No. 3, in Chicago;

• 1971 - Menotti: opera "The Most Important Man," at the New York City Opera;

• 1980 - Daniel Pinkham: "Serenades" for trumpet and winds, at Harvard University's Sanders Theater in Cambridge, Mass., by trumpeter Rolf Smedvig and the Harvard Wind Ensemble conducted by Thomas Everett;

• 2001 - Harbison: "Partita (Concerto for Orchestra)," in Minneapolis, by the Minnesota Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier conducting;

• 2002 - Colgrass: "Crossworlds" (Concerto for Flute, Piano and Orchestra), commissioned by the Boston Symphony for flutist Marina Piccinini and pianist Andreas Haefliger, with Hans Graf conducting;

Others

• 1897 - Johannes Brahms attends his last concerts and hears his Symphony No. 4 conducted by Hans Richter.