Bostic's 'State of Grace'

Synopsis

Today’s date in 1945 marks the birthday in Pittsburgh of great American playwright August Wilson. He chronicled the experiences of the Great Northward Migration of African-Americans decade by decade across the 20th century in a series of ten powerful and poetic plays collectively called The Pittsburgh Cycle. Plays in the series include Fences and The Piano Lesson, both of which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Wilson was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame and a Broadway theater is named after him.

American composer Kathryn Bostic provided theatrical scores for several of his plays, working closely with him. Because of her collaboration, she also scored the PBS American Masters documentary August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand, which ultimately led her to create The August Wilson Symphony, which was premiered by the Pittsburgh Symphony in 2018.

One of the major quests in Wilson’s plays is what he called “finding one’s song,” and music — especially the blues — figures large in his work. Perhaps with that in mind, Bostic composed a song, “State of Grace” as her personal memorial to Wilson, a song she has recorded, accompanying herself at the piano.

Music Played in Today's Program

Kathryn Bostic (b. 1970): “State of Grace”; Kathryn Bostic, vocal and piano; Pittsburgh Symphony strings; KBMusic digital download

On This Day

Births

• 1812 - German opera composer Friedrich von Flotow, in Toitendorf (Teutendorf) estate, near Neu-Sanitz, Mecklenburg-Schwerin

• 1894 - Russian-born America composer and famous musical lexicographer Nicolas Slonimsky, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: April 15)

Deaths

• 1871 - German composer and piano virtuoso Sigismond Thalberg, 59, in Posillipo, Italy

• 1915 - Russian composer and pianist Alexander Scriabin, 43, in Moscow (Julian date: April 14)

• 1992 - French composer, organist and teacher Olivier Messiaen, 83, in Paris

Premieres

• 1720 - Handel: opera Radamisto (first version), in London at the King’s Theater in the Haymarket, during the first season of operas presented by the Royal Academy of Music (Gregorian date: May 8). The performance is attended by King George I and the Prince of Wales (Handel dedicates the score to the King). The singer Margherita Dursastanti appears in a Handel work for the first time in London.

• 1735 - Handel: opera Alcina (Julian date: April 16)

• 1736 - Handel: anthem Sing unto God, in London at the German Chapel of St. James’ Palace, during the wedding of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Augusta, Princess of Saxe-Gotha (Gregorian date: May 8)

• 1749 - Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks performed during fireworks display in London (Gregorian date: May 8)

• 1867 - Gounod: opera Romeo and Juliet, in Paris at the Théatre-Lyrique

• 1877 - Massenet: opera Le Roi de Lahore (The King of Lahore), in Paris

• 1893 - Rachmaninoff: opera Aleko, in Moscow (Gregorian date: May 9)

• 1907 - Stravinsky: Symphony No. 1, at a private performance in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: May 10). The first public performance took place in St. Petersburg on January 23, 1908, conducted by F. Blumenfield (Gregorian date: Feb 5).

• 1927 - Weinberger: opera Schwanda the Bagpiper, in Prague at the National Theater

• 1928 - Stravinsky: ballet, Apollon Musagète, in Washington, D.C., choreographed by Adolf Bohm. The European premiere of this ballet occurred on June 12 in Paris, choreographed by Georges Balanchine.

• 1937 - Stravinsky: ballet, Jeu de Cartes (Card Game), by the American Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with the composer conducting. This work was part of a Stravinsky-Balanchine matinée consisting of Apollon Musagète, Le Baiser de la Fée, and the premiere of Jeu de Cartes.

• 1987 - Daniel Pinkham: Sonata No. 3 for Organ and Strings, at St. Peter’s Church in Osterville, Massachusetts, by organist Richard Benefield, with a string quartet conducted by the composer

• 1992 - George Tsontakis: Perpertual Angelus (No. 2 of Four Symphonic Quartets after poems by T.S. Eliot), by the Tuscaloosa Symphony, Ransom Wilson conducting