Synopsis
In the summer of 1764, eight-year-old child prodigy Wolfgang Mozart was in England, accompanied by his 13-year-old sister, Nanerl, and their father, Leopold. The Mozarts had arrived in London wearing what back home in Salzburg would have passed as fashionable French-style clothing back home in Salzburg. But since England had just ended the Seven Years War with France, this faux pas resulted in the Mozarts receiving some rude comments and even ruder gestures from London street urchins, so Papa Leopold quickly acquired more “politically correct” attire for himself and the children.
On August 5, 1764, the family settled in at a quiet house in Chelsea, as Papa Leopold had taken ill. While his father recovered, Wolfgang was temporarily forbidden to practice piano or make any noise, so he decided to try his hand at writing his first symphony. Perhaps as compensation for having to keep so quiet, Mozart suddenly was keen on writing for as many instruments as possible. As Nanerl later recalled, “While he composed and I copied, he said to me, ‘Remind me to give the horn something worthwhile to do!’”
And so, Mozart’s first symphony is scored for two oboes, two horns and strings.
Music Played in Today's Program
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Symphony No. 1; Prague Chamber Orchestra; Charles Mackerras, conductor; Telarc 80256
On This Day
Births
1623 - Italian opera composer Marc Antonio Cesti, in Arezzo
1694 - Italian composer and organist Leonardo Leo, in San Vito degli Schiavi (near Brindisi). He was one of the founders of the Neapolitan School of composition.
1811 - French composer Ambroise Thomas, in Metz
1926 - French composer of American parentage Betsy Jolas, in Paris
Deaths
1891 - English-born French composer, pianist and music publisher Charles Henry Litolff, 73, in Bois-Colombes (near Paris)
1916 - English composer George Butterworth, 31, in France, as a British soldier during the battle of Pozières
Premieres
1956 - Ned Rorem: Symphony No. 2, at La Jolla, California
1972 - David Del Tredici: Vintage Alice for soprano and chamber ensemble (to a text by Lewis Carroll), in Saratoga, California
2000 - Richard Danielpour: Violin Concerto (A Fool’s Paradise), at the Saratoga Center for the Performing Arts, in Saratoga, New York, by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit, with soloist Chantal Juillet
Others
1717 - J.S. Bach appointed Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold at Coethen, but is at first prevented by his current employer, Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar, from taking up the post (Bach was even imprisoned for a time by Duke Wilhelm Ernst)
1978 - The citizens of Patowan, Utah, decided to name a local mountain Mr. Messiaen, in honor of the French composer, Olivier Messiaen, who spent a month in Utah in 1973 an composed a symphonic work, Des Canyons aux Etoiles (From the Canyons to the Stars), which glorified the natural beauty of the region
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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.
