Synopsis
Today we dip into the “Composers Mailbag” for two letters, neither of them dealing with significant musical matters, but both (coincidentally) with wine.
In a note dated Nov. 2, 1894, Giuseppe Verdi wrote (in his typically blunt style): “Dear Sig. Melani, I received yesterday the cases of wine. Now what is left is to pay for them. Please send me the bill for what I owe you minus the empty cases and returned bottles. Do it as soon as possible as I am going to the country and want to send you a check before I leave. As always, G. Verdi."
The second letter is dated Nov. 2, 1748, and was penned by Johann Sebastian Bach to his cousin, and reads: “That you and your dear wife are well I am assured by the note I received from you yesterday accompanying the little cask of wine you sent, for which much thanks. Regrettably the cask was damaged by being shaken in the wagon or some other way, for when opened for the usual customs inspection, it was 2/3 empty. It is a pity that even the least drop of this noble gift of God should have been spilled. (Signed) Your devoted cousin, J.S. Bach.”
Music Played in Today's Program
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901): Libiamo (Brindisi), from La Traviata; Frank Chacksfield Orchestra; London 436 849
On This Day
Births
1739 - Austrian composer and violinist Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, in Vienna
1752 - Russian diplomat, violinist and music lover Count (later Prince) Andrei Razumovsky, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Oct. 22) Razumovsky was the Russian ambassador to Vienna from 1783 to 1809. Beethoven dedicated his three String Quartets, Op. 59, to him, and (with Prince Lokowitz) his Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6.
1880 - English composer and conductor John Foulds, in Manchester
1915 - New Zealand composer Douglas Lilburn, in Wanganui
1929 - American composer and conductor Harold Farberman, in New York
1946 - Italian conductor and composer Giuseppe Sinopoli, in Venice. Sinopoli died of a heart attack on April 20th, 2001, while conducting Verdi’s Aida at the German Opera in Berlin.
Deaths
1960 - Greek conductor and composer Dimitri Mitropoulos, 64, of a heart attack, while rehearsing Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with the La Scala Orchestra in Milan
Premieres
1723 - Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 194 (Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest) for the dedication of the Störmthal church and organ; Bach was in Störmthal to inspect the new organ
1739 - Handel completes his Concerto Grosso No. 10 (see Julian date: Oct. 22)
1873 - Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Felix Otto Dessoff conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
1877 - Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 4, in Paris, composer at piano
1882 - Dvorák: String Quartet No. 11, in Berlin
1928 - American premiere of Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1, by Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting
1945 - Menotti: Piano Concerto, by the Boston Symphony with Richard Burgin conducting with Rudolf Firkusny the soloist
1959 - Henry Cowell: Variations for Orchestra, by the Houston Symphony, Leopold Stokowski conducting
1978 - Druckman: Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, soloist Sol Greitzer, with James Levine conducting
1990 - Lou Harrison: Symphony No. 4, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, by the Brooklyn Philharmonic (with tenor Damon Evan), Dennis Russell Davies conducting
Others
1748 - J.S. Bach writes a letter to his cousin, J.E. Bach of Schweinfurt, regarding a mishap concerning a cask of wine his cousin sent to Leipzig as a gift
1900 - French composer Vincent d'Indy reorganizes the Schola Cantorum of Paris as a music school
1937 - Artur Rodzinski conducts a dress rehearsal broadcast of the NBC Symphony, an orchestra formed specifically for Arturo Toscanini. Pierre Monteux led the first official broadcast on Nov. 13, 1937. Toscanini’s debut concert with the NBC Symphony occurred on Christmas Day, 1937. Toscanini’s final NBC Symphony broadcast, an all-Wagner program, occurred on April 4, 1954.
1979 - Peter Shaffer’s drama Amadeus premieres at the National Theatre in London, directed by Peter Hall, starring Simon Callow as Mozart and Paul Scofield as Salieri. British composer Harrison Birtwistle acted as music director for this production.
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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.
