Synopsis
Music Played in Today's Program
Frederick Delius (1862-1934) Florida Suite Welsh National Opera Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras, cond. Argo 430 206
On This Day
Births
1824 - Bohemian composer Bedrich Smetana, in Leitomischl;
1900 - German-born American composer Kurt Weill, in Dessau;
1905 - American composer Marc Blitzstein, in Philadelphia;
1917 - British composer John Gardner, in Manchester;
1921 - British composer Robert Simpson, in Leamington;
Deaths
1959 - Finnish composer Yrjö (Henrik) Kilpinen, age 97, in Helsinki; He was the most famous Finnish composer of art songs (lieder);
2003 - Italian composer Goffredo Petrassi, age 98, in Rome;
2003 - Australian composer Malcolm Williamson, age 71, in Cambridge, England; In 1975 he became the first non-British born composer to serve as the Queen's Master of Music;
Premieres
1724 - Handel: opera "Giulio Cesare" in London (Julian date: Feb. 20);
1744 - Handel: oratorio "Joseph and his Brethren" in London at the Covent Garden Theater (Gregorian date: March 13);
1792 - Haydn: Symphony No. 98, conducted by the composer, at the Hanover-Square Concert Rooms in London;
1795 - Haydn: Symphony No. 103 ("The Drumroll"), conducted by the composer, at the King's Theater in London;
1874 - Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 3, in St. Petersburg, with the composer conducting; This was a benefit concert for the victims of the Volga famine, and marked Rimsky-Korsakov's debut as a conductor (Julian date: Feb. 18);
1887 - R. Strauss: "Aus Italien" (From Italy), in Munich;
1911 - Scriabin: Symphony No. 5 ("Prometheus: Poem of Fire"), in Moscow (Gregorian date: Mar. 15);
1961 - Copland: Nonet for Strings, at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C., by members of the National Symphony conducted by the composer;
1977 - Benjamin Lees: "Dialogue" for cello and piano, in New York City.
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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.