Johann Adam Reinken (1623-1722)
Friedrich von Flotow (1812-1883)
Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953)
Nicolas Slonimsky (1894-1995)
Guido Cantelli (1920-1956)
Igor Oistrakh (1931-2021)
Hamish Milne (1939-2020)
Jon Deak (1943)
Calvin Simmons (1950-1982)
Christian Zacharias (1950)
and
Edward Gibbon (1737-1794)
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)
Samuel Morse (1791-1872)
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885)
Ludwig Bemelmans(1898-1962)
C(ecil) Day Lewis (1904-1972)
Coretta Scott King (1927-2006)
August Wilson (1945-2005)
And from the former Writer's Almanac:
On this day in 1667, the poet John Milton sold the copyright for his masterpiece, Paradise Lost, for 10 pounds. Milton had championed the cause of Oliver Cromwell and the Parliament over the king during the English Civil War, and published a series of radical pamphlets in support of such things as Puritanism, freedom of the press, divorce on the basis of incompatibility, and the execution of King Charles I. With the overthrow of the monarchy and the creation of the Commonwealth, Milton was named Secretary of Foreign Tongues, and though he eventually lost his eyesight, he was able to carry out his duties with the help of aides like fellow poet Andrew Marvell.
When the monarchy was restored in 1660, Milton was imprisoned as a traitor and stripped of his property. He was soon released, but was now impoverished as well as completely blind, and he spent the rest of his life secluded in a cottage in Buckinghamshire. This is where he dictated Paradise Lost — an epic poem about the Fall of Man, with Satan as a kind of antihero — and its sequel, Paradise Regained, about the temptation of Christ.
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Friday, April 26, 2024
Review: Oregon Symphony and Simone Lamsma burnish Bruch's Violin Concerto
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| From Lamsma's Facebook page |
Sounding bolder and louder, the Oregon Symphony unleashed a triple whammy of a concert with superb performances of works by Bruch, Bartok, and Perry at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (April 20). Music Director David Danzmayr seems to be finding his groove with the orchestra, forging a distinct sonic style that is creating exhilarating results – especially when sharing the stage with a virtuosic guest artist like Simone Lamsma.
Lamsma, the phenomenal Dutch violinist who completed her third year and final year as an Artist-in-Residence with the orchestra, delivered a sublime performance of Bruch’s Violin Concerto No 1. Her impeccable technique elicited a lovely, rich tone throughout the piece. You could hear it right away, when the orchestra opened with deliciously murky fog of chords, and Lamsma’s violin emerged from it with a strong, silken voice. She expressed tender and sweet melodies with great sensitivity yet never overly sentimental, and her articulation in the fleetest of passages was stunningly immaculate. Wrapping it all up with the sweeping crescendo in the finale, the beauty of Lamsma’s playing brought the audience to its feet with loud and sustained applause.
To top everything off, Lamsma gave a jaw-dropping rendition of the last movement of Hindemith’s Sonata for solo violin, op. 11 No. 6. Besides being a devilishly tricky piece, if you were to pay her one dollar for every note that she played, it would empty most people’s bank accounts. Lamsma fearlessly tore into the piece and brought down the house a second time.
Danzmayr’s animated and passionate conducting ignited an outstanding performance of Bartók’s “Concerto for Orchestra.” The orchestra responded to his gestures with an impressive dynamic range, expressing each phrase with uncanny articulation. The jokey melodic line that passed through pairs of woodwinds and ended with menacing, muted trumpets while the violins and harps shimmered and swirled highlighted the second movement. The lush string sound in the fourth alternated deliciously with the circus-like passages, and the fifth movement sparkled with the strings generating a perpetual motion, the brass issuing a folksy, barn-dance-like motif, and the brief fugues in which phrases were exchanged.
Each section of the orchestra had multiple moments in the spotlight, and they made the most of it. Danzmayr got so caught up in the music-making that he voiced a couple of really odd groans while urging a couple of the huge crescendos. Nevertheless, this performance of the “Concerto for Orchestra” was a thrilling ride from beginning to end, and capped off the evening in a dramatic fashion.
The concert began with Julia Perry’s “A Short Piece for Orchestra,” which offered a lot of sonic delights in the space of a few minutes. After opening with a fanfare, the piece settled into a sequence of isolated, forlorn sounds that transitioned into an agitated, strident passage before subsiding to quieter mood. From a throbbing line in the double basses, a phrase was passed through the strings and to other sections of the orchestra, gathering steam along the way, until the entire ensemble was going full-blast into a quick finale. That piqued my interest to hear more of Perry’s works in the near future.
After talking with some friends, we all agreed that the orchestra under Danzmayr is playing with more volume. That, in turn, creates more opportunities for larger dynamic contrasts. Ergo, in my opinion, the OSO concerts are becoming even more exciting to hear…
Lamsma, the phenomenal Dutch violinist who completed her third year and final year as an Artist-in-Residence with the orchestra, delivered a sublime performance of Bruch’s Violin Concerto No 1. Her impeccable technique elicited a lovely, rich tone throughout the piece. You could hear it right away, when the orchestra opened with deliciously murky fog of chords, and Lamsma’s violin emerged from it with a strong, silken voice. She expressed tender and sweet melodies with great sensitivity yet never overly sentimental, and her articulation in the fleetest of passages was stunningly immaculate. Wrapping it all up with the sweeping crescendo in the finale, the beauty of Lamsma’s playing brought the audience to its feet with loud and sustained applause.
To top everything off, Lamsma gave a jaw-dropping rendition of the last movement of Hindemith’s Sonata for solo violin, op. 11 No. 6. Besides being a devilishly tricky piece, if you were to pay her one dollar for every note that she played, it would empty most people’s bank accounts. Lamsma fearlessly tore into the piece and brought down the house a second time.
Danzmayr’s animated and passionate conducting ignited an outstanding performance of Bartók’s “Concerto for Orchestra.” The orchestra responded to his gestures with an impressive dynamic range, expressing each phrase with uncanny articulation. The jokey melodic line that passed through pairs of woodwinds and ended with menacing, muted trumpets while the violins and harps shimmered and swirled highlighted the second movement. The lush string sound in the fourth alternated deliciously with the circus-like passages, and the fifth movement sparkled with the strings generating a perpetual motion, the brass issuing a folksy, barn-dance-like motif, and the brief fugues in which phrases were exchanged.
Each section of the orchestra had multiple moments in the spotlight, and they made the most of it. Danzmayr got so caught up in the music-making that he voiced a couple of really odd groans while urging a couple of the huge crescendos. Nevertheless, this performance of the “Concerto for Orchestra” was a thrilling ride from beginning to end, and capped off the evening in a dramatic fashion.
The concert began with Julia Perry’s “A Short Piece for Orchestra,” which offered a lot of sonic delights in the space of a few minutes. After opening with a fanfare, the piece settled into a sequence of isolated, forlorn sounds that transitioned into an agitated, strident passage before subsiding to quieter mood. From a throbbing line in the double basses, a phrase was passed through the strings and to other sections of the orchestra, gathering steam along the way, until the entire ensemble was going full-blast into a quick finale. That piqued my interest to hear more of Perry’s works in the near future.
After talking with some friends, we all agreed that the orchestra under Danzmayr is playing with more volume. That, in turn, creates more opportunities for larger dynamic contrasts. Ergo, in my opinion, the OSO concerts are becoming even more exciting to hear…
Today's Birthdays
Erland von Koch (1910-2009)
Pierre Pierlot (1921-2007)
Teddy Edwards (1924-2003)
Wilma Lipp (1925-2019)
Ewa Podleś (1952)
Patrizia Kwella (1953)
and
David Hume (1711-1776)
John James Audubon (1785-1851)
Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903)
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951)
Anita Loos (1889-1981
Bernard Malamud (1914-1986)
I. M. Pei (1917-2019)
Pierre Pierlot (1921-2007)
Teddy Edwards (1924-2003)
Wilma Lipp (1925-2019)
Ewa Podleś (1952)
Patrizia Kwella (1953)
and
David Hume (1711-1776)
John James Audubon (1785-1851)
Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903)
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951)
Anita Loos (1889-1981
Bernard Malamud (1914-1986)
I. M. Pei (1917-2019)
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Today's Birthdays
Ella Fitzgerald (1918-1998)
Astrid Varnay (1918-2006)
Siegfried Palm (1927-2005)
Digby Fairweather (1946)
Truls Mørk (1961)
Gottlieb Muffat (1690-1770)
and
Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903)
Howard R. Garis (1873-1962)
Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937)
Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965)
David Shepherd (1931-2017)
Ted Kooser (1939)
Padgett Powell (1952)
And from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1841, at a fund-raising concert in Paris for the Beethoven monument to be erected in Bonn, Franz Liszt performs Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto with Berlioz conducting. Richard Wagner reviews the concert for the Dresden Abendzeitung. The following day, Chopin gives one of his rare recitals at the Salle Pleyel, and Liszt writes a long and glowing review for the Parisian Gazette Musicale.
Astrid Varnay (1918-2006)
Siegfried Palm (1927-2005)
Digby Fairweather (1946)
Truls Mørk (1961)
Gottlieb Muffat (1690-1770)
and
Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903)
Howard R. Garis (1873-1962)
Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937)
Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965)
David Shepherd (1931-2017)
Ted Kooser (1939)
Padgett Powell (1952)
And from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1841, at a fund-raising concert in Paris for the Beethoven monument to be erected in Bonn, Franz Liszt performs Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto with Berlioz conducting. Richard Wagner reviews the concert for the Dresden Abendzeitung. The following day, Chopin gives one of his rare recitals at the Salle Pleyel, and Liszt writes a long and glowing review for the Parisian Gazette Musicale.
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Article about Young Musicians and Artists in Oregon ArtsWatch
Today's Birthdays
Giovanni Martini (1706-1784)
Charles O'Connell (1900-1962)
Violet Archer (1913-2000)
John Williams (1941) - guitarist
Barbara Streisand (1942)
Norma Burrowes (1944)
Ole Edvard Antonsen (1962)
Augusta Read Thomas (1964)
Zuill Bailey (1972)
Catrin Finch (1980)
and
Anthony Trollope (1815-1882)
Willem De Kooning (1904-1997)
Robert Penn Warren (1905-1989)
Stanley Kauffmann (1916-2013)
Sue Grafton (1940)
Clare Boylan (1948-2006)
Eric Bogosian (1953)
Judy Budnitz (1973)
From the former Writer's Almanac:
On this day in 1800, the Library of Congress was established. In a bill that provided for the transfer of the nation's capital from Philadelphia to Washington, Congress included a provision for a reference library containing "such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress — and for putting up a suitable apartment for containing them therein ..." The library was housed in the Capitol building, until British troops burned and pillaged it in 1814. Thomas Jefferson offered as a replacement his own personal library: nearly 6,500 books, the result of 50 years' worth of "putting by everything which related to America, and indeed whatever was rare and valuable in every science."
First opened to the public in 1897, the Library of Congress is now the largest library in the world. It houses more than 144 million items, including 33 million catalogued books in 460 languages; more than 63 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world's largest collection of films, legal materials, maps, sheet music, and sound recordings.
Charles O'Connell (1900-1962)
Violet Archer (1913-2000)
John Williams (1941) - guitarist
Barbara Streisand (1942)
Norma Burrowes (1944)
Ole Edvard Antonsen (1962)
Augusta Read Thomas (1964)
Zuill Bailey (1972)
Catrin Finch (1980)
and
Anthony Trollope (1815-1882)
Willem De Kooning (1904-1997)
Robert Penn Warren (1905-1989)
Stanley Kauffmann (1916-2013)
Sue Grafton (1940)
Clare Boylan (1948-2006)
Eric Bogosian (1953)
Judy Budnitz (1973)
From the former Writer's Almanac:
On this day in 1800, the Library of Congress was established. In a bill that provided for the transfer of the nation's capital from Philadelphia to Washington, Congress included a provision for a reference library containing "such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress — and for putting up a suitable apartment for containing them therein ..." The library was housed in the Capitol building, until British troops burned and pillaged it in 1814. Thomas Jefferson offered as a replacement his own personal library: nearly 6,500 books, the result of 50 years' worth of "putting by everything which related to America, and indeed whatever was rare and valuable in every science."
First opened to the public in 1897, the Library of Congress is now the largest library in the world. It houses more than 144 million items, including 33 million catalogued books in 460 languages; more than 63 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world's largest collection of films, legal materials, maps, sheet music, and sound recordings.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Today's Birthdays
Robert Fayrfax (1464-1521)
Andrea Luchesi (1741-1801)
Ruggiero Leoncavallo (1857-1919)
Arthur Farwell (1872-1952)
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)
Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986)
Artie Shaw (1910-2004)
Jean Françaix (1912-1997)
Alicia de Larrocha (1923-2009)
Robert Moog (1934-2005)
Roy Orbison (1936-1988)
Joel Feigin (1951)
and
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
James Patrick (J. P.) Donleavy (1926-2017)
Coleman Barks (1937)
Barry Hannah (1942-2010)
Jane Kenyon (1947-1995)
Andrey Kurkov (1961)
From the former Writer's Almanac:
Today is the birthday of Roy Orbison (1936), born in Vernon, Texas. One day, during a songwriting session with his partner Bill Dees, Orbison asked his wife, Claudette Frady Orbison, if she needed any money for her upcoming trip to Nashville. Dees remarked, “Pretty woman never needs any money.” Forty minutes later, Orbison’s most famous hit, “Oh, Pretty Woman,” had been written. And from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1993, Morten Lauridsen's "Les Chanson des Roses"(five French poems by Rilke) for mixed chorus and piano was premiered by the Choral Cross-Ties ensemble of Portland, Ore., Bruce Browne conducting.
Andrea Luchesi (1741-1801)
Ruggiero Leoncavallo (1857-1919)
Arthur Farwell (1872-1952)
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)
Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986)
Artie Shaw (1910-2004)
Jean Françaix (1912-1997)
Alicia de Larrocha (1923-2009)
Robert Moog (1934-2005)
Roy Orbison (1936-1988)
Joel Feigin (1951)
and
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
James Patrick (J. P.) Donleavy (1926-2017)
Coleman Barks (1937)
Barry Hannah (1942-2010)
Jane Kenyon (1947-1995)
Andrey Kurkov (1961)
From the former Writer's Almanac:
Today is the birthday of Roy Orbison (1936), born in Vernon, Texas. One day, during a songwriting session with his partner Bill Dees, Orbison asked his wife, Claudette Frady Orbison, if she needed any money for her upcoming trip to Nashville. Dees remarked, “Pretty woman never needs any money.” Forty minutes later, Orbison’s most famous hit, “Oh, Pretty Woman,” had been written. And from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1993, Morten Lauridsen's "Les Chanson des Roses"(five French poems by Rilke) for mixed chorus and piano was premiered by the Choral Cross-Ties ensemble of Portland, Ore., Bruce Browne conducting.
Monday, April 22, 2024
Today's Birthdays
Giuseppe Torelli (1658-1709)
Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
Eric Fenby (1906-1997)
Kathleen Ferrier (1912-1953)
Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999)
Charles Mingus 1922-1979)
Michael Colgrass (1932-2019)
Jaroslav Krcek (1939)
Joshua Rifkin (1944)
Peter Frampton (1950)
Jukka-Pekka Saraste (1956)
and
Henry Fielding (1707-1754)
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977)
Louise Glück (1943-2023)
And from the Composers Datebook:
On this date in 2001, the Philharmonic Hungarica gives its final concert in Düsseldorf. The orchestra was founded by Hungarian musicians who fled to West Germany after the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. For London/Decca Records the Philharmonic Hungarica made the first complete set of all of Haydn's symphonies under the baton of its honorary president, the Hungarian-American conductor Antal Dorati.
Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
Eric Fenby (1906-1997)
Kathleen Ferrier (1912-1953)
Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999)
Charles Mingus 1922-1979)
Michael Colgrass (1932-2019)
Jaroslav Krcek (1939)
Joshua Rifkin (1944)
Peter Frampton (1950)
Jukka-Pekka Saraste (1956)
and
Henry Fielding (1707-1754)
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977)
Louise Glück (1943-2023)
And from the Composers Datebook:
On this date in 2001, the Philharmonic Hungarica gives its final concert in Düsseldorf. The orchestra was founded by Hungarian musicians who fled to West Germany after the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. For London/Decca Records the Philharmonic Hungarica made the first complete set of all of Haydn's symphonies under the baton of its honorary president, the Hungarian-American conductor Antal Dorati.
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Today's Birthdays
Randall Thompson (1899-1984)
Leonard Warren (1911-1960)
Bruno Maderna (1920-1973)
Locksley Wellington 'Slide' Hampton (1932-2021)
Easley Blackwood (1933-2023)
Lionel Rogg (1936)
John McCabe (1939-2015)
Iggy Pop (1947)
Richard Bernas (1950)
Melissa Hui (1966)
and
Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)
John Muir (1838-1914)
Elaine May (1932)
Nell Freudenberger (1975)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1937, Copland's play-opera for high school "The Second Hurricane," was premiered at the Grand Street Playhouse in New York City, with soloists from the Professional Children's School, members of the Henry Street Settlement adult chorus, and the Seward High School student chorus, with Lehman Engle conducting and Orson Welles directing the staged production. One professional adult actor, Joseph Cotten, also participated (He was paid $10).
Leonard Warren (1911-1960)
Bruno Maderna (1920-1973)
Locksley Wellington 'Slide' Hampton (1932-2021)
Easley Blackwood (1933-2023)
Lionel Rogg (1936)
John McCabe (1939-2015)
Iggy Pop (1947)
Richard Bernas (1950)
Melissa Hui (1966)
and
Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)
John Muir (1838-1914)
Elaine May (1932)
Nell Freudenberger (1975)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1937, Copland's play-opera for high school "The Second Hurricane," was premiered at the Grand Street Playhouse in New York City, with soloists from the Professional Children's School, members of the Henry Street Settlement adult chorus, and the Seward High School student chorus, with Lehman Engle conducting and Orson Welles directing the staged production. One professional adult actor, Joseph Cotten, also participated (He was paid $10).
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