Tags
American composers, classical, classical music, composers, English composers, George Gershwin, German composers, German opera, Mozart, opera, orchestra, organ, Paris, philarmonic, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Wagner, Wolgang Amadeus
Johann Svendsen
In 1791 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart conducted the premier of his opera, “Die Zauberflöte” (The Magic Flute) in Vienna at the Freihaustheater auf der Wieden
In 1840 Johan Svendsen was born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. He studied composition with Carl Reinecke and would count as close friends Richard Wagner and Edward Grieg. His most famous piece was his Romance for violin and orchestra, Op. 26, but he also found great success with his String Quartets Op. 1, Op. 3 and Op. 5. An incident with his soon-to-be ex-wife was incorporated by Henrik Ibsen in his play Hedda Gabler. 1
Sir Charles Villers Stanford
In 1852 Sir Charles Villers Stanford was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was one of the founding professors of the Royal College of Music. He counted among his pupils Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams. 2.
In 1863 Georges Bizet’s opera “Les Pecheurs de perles” (The Pearl Fishers) premiered in Paris at the Théâtre Lyrique.
In 1935 George Gershwin’s opera “Porgy and Bess” was premiered as a trial run at Boston’s Colonial Theater. According to Opera America magazine, this is one of the most frequently-produced American operas.
In 1944 Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Oboe Concerto premiered with soloist Leon Goosens and the Liverpool Philharmonic conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.
In 1960 Samuel Barber’s “Toccata Festiva” for organ and orchestra was premiered at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy, with Paul Callaway the soloist.
In 1979 Krzysztof Penderecki’s “Te Deum” was premiered in Assisi, Italy.
In 1989 Daniel Asia’s Piano Quartet was premiered at Wigmore Hall in London, by the Domus ensemble.
Also in 1989 Virgil Thomson died at age 92, in New York City.
In 1999 Michael Tilson Thomas conducted the San Francisco Symphony in the premiered of his “Whitman Songs for Orchestra.”
1. Wikipedia contributors, “Johan Svendsen,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johan_Svendsen&oldid=667777060 (accessed September 30, 2015).
2. Wikipedia contributors, “Charles Villiers Stanford,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Villiers_Stanford&oldid=681950918 (accessed September 30, 2015).
My thanks to John Zech and his Composers Datebook.
Composers Datebook is produced by American Public Media in association with the American Composers Forum, with initial support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The creator of the series and its principal writer is John Michel of American Composers Forum. The Composers Datebook Web site is maintained by American Public Media with content provided by ACF.
The Classical Stream 