Composers Datebook

American Public Media
  • 0.0 (0)
  • MUSIC HISTORY
  • UPDATED DAILY

Composers Datebook™ is a daily two-minute program designed to inform, engage, and entertain listeners with timely information about composers of the past and present. Each program notes significant or intriguing musical events involving composers of the past and present, with appropriate and accessible music related to each.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Liszt vs. Thalberg

    Synopsis On today’s date in 1837, Princess Cristina Belgiojoso-Trivulzio, scored the social coup of the season at her Parisian salon. Ostensibly, it was the culmination of a three-day fundraiser in aid of Italian political refugees, but it really was the artistic equivalent of a prize fight — the fists in question pummeling the piano keyboard, a digital confrontation of the two leading virtuoso pianists of the day, Sigismund Thalberg and Franz Liszt. Thalberg was up first, playing his own Fantasy on Themes from Rossini’s opera, Moses.  Liszt followed with one of his fantasias based on operatic themes. The music critic for the prestigious Journal des Debats was present, and he wrote, “Never was Liszt more controlled, more thoughtful, more energetic, more passionate. Never has Thalberg played with greater verve and tenderness. Each used every one of his resources. It was an admirable joust. The most profound silence fell over the noble crowd assembled, and, finally, Liszt and Thalberg were both proclaimed victors by this glittering and intelligent assembly. Thus: two victors and no vanquished.” When asked for her verdict who had “won” the contest, the hostess, Princess Cristina replied with consummate diplomacy: “Thalberg is the first pianist in the  world — Liszt is unique,” she said. Music Played in Today's Program Sigismund Thalberg (1812-1871): Fantasy on Rossini’s ‘The siege of Corinth’; Francesco Nicolosi, piano; Marco Polo 8.223367 Franz Liszt (1811-1886): Fantasia on Italian Operatic Melodies; Andreas Pistorius, piano Capriccio 10076

    2 min

  2. 2 DAYS AGO

    The 'Naqoyqatsi' Cello Concerto by Philip Glass

    Synopsis In 2002, film director Godfrey Reggio released his latest movie. Naqoyqatsi — the Hopi word for “life as war” — was Reggio’s third and final installment in a trilogy of unusual, non-narrative films, all with Hopi titles, each comprised of visually striking, collage-like visuals set against hypnotic film scores by American composer Philip Glass. Naqoyqatsi may have been a non-narrative film, Reggio described his 2002 film as a symphony in three movements, and even provided descriptive titles: Movement 1 — “language and place gives way to numerical code and virtual reality”; Movement 2 — “life becomes a game”; Movement 3 — “a world that language can no longer describe.” Fast forward ten years to 2012, when Glass had been commissioned to turn his Naqoyqatsi film score into a concert work for cello and orchestra. In the film score, solos played by famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma featured prominently, so this “repurposing” of film score seemed a logical step. And so, on today’s date in 2012, Glass’ Cello Concerto No. 2, Naqoyqatsi, received its premiere performance with the Cincinnati Symphony conducted by Dennis Russell Davies and Matt Haimowitz as the cello soloist. Music Played in Today's Program Philip Glass (b. 1938): Cello Concerto No. 2 (Naqoyqatsi); Matt Haimovitz, cello; Cincinnati Symphony; Dennis Russell Davies, conductor; Orange Mountain Music CD 0087

    2 min

  3. 3 DAYS AGO

    David Dzubay's "Ra"

    Synopsis Ok, if you say, “band music,” most people think “marching bands; sporting events.”  So if someone tells you there is a band work titled Ra, you might automatically respond: “sis-boom-ba.” But that’s not at all what composer David Dzubay had in mind. He was thinking of Ra, the ancient Egyptian sun god. A major figure in Egyptian mythology, the sun god Ra was born anew each day and journeyed across the sky doing battle with his chief enemy, a serpent named Apep. Dzubay’s band composition, Ra is, as he described it, “a rather aggressive depiction of an imagined ritual of sun worship, perhaps celebrating the daily battles of Ra and Apep.” He arranged his piece — which was originally written for orchestra — for concert band, and in this incarnation won an annual competition for new bands works. Ra was first performed by the Indiana University Symphonic Band, led by Ray Cramer at the College Band Directors’ National Convention in Minneapolis on today’s date in 2003.  Both the venue and the performers selected for that premiere must have seemed particularly gratifying to Dzubay, since he was born in Minneapolis and received his Doctorate in Music at Indiana University. Music Played in Today's Program David Dzubay (b. 1964): Ra; University of North Texas Wind Symphony, Eugene Corporon, conductor; Klavier 11137

    2 min

  4. 4 DAYS AGO

    The Vienna Philharmonic and American composers

    Synopsis In Beethoven’s day, there were no independent symphonic orchestras in Vienna, so when Ludwig van wanted to put on an orchestral concert, the way he did it was to hire a theater orchestra for a night or two. Now, Viennese theaters were usually pretty busy and well booked up, but in Catholic Austria, they would shut down for a few weeks each year during Lent, which explains why a number of his symphonies premiered in April when the orchestras were available for hire. It wasn’t until today’s date in 1842 that Vienna’s most famous independent orchestra played its first concert, and even then, as it still does today, the Vienna Philharmonic also doubles as the orchestra of the Vienna Opera. German composer and conductor Otto Nicolai led that first concert of the Vienna Philharmonic. The program included Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and, not surprisingly, Beethoven remains core repertory for the Vienna Philharmonic, along with those other two Viennese “Bs” — Brahms and Bruckner. But in the 20th century, the Austrian orchestra presented important European premieres of works by Samuel Barber and Leonard Bernstein, two notable American “Bs.” And more recently, the Vienna Philharmonic premiered Diversions by the German-born, American composer and conductor, Andre Previn. Music Played in Today's Program Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No. 7; Vienna Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, conductor; DG 419 434 André Previn (1930-2019): Diversions Vienna Philharmonic; André Previn, conductor; DG 471 028

    2 min

  5. 5 DAYS AGO

    Symphonic Mayuzumi

    Synopsis One of the preeminent figures in 20th century Japanese concert music was composer Toshiro Mayuzumi, born in Yokohama in 1929. The range of his music reflects a curious turn of mind. He wrote pieces in a neo-Romantic mode, experimented with electronic music and jazz, composed aggressively avant-garde works, and scored music for theater, and both Japanese and American films. In 1958, he composed a Nirvana Symphony, inspired by the haunting sound of Japanese temple bells. “For the past few years, I feel as if I have been possessed by bells. I wonder why it is that, no matter how splendid a piece of music may be, it sounds totally faded and worthless when set beside the lingering resonance of a temple bell,” Mayuzumi wrote. The Nirvana Symphony of 1958 was followed up with another orchestral work inspired by Buddhist themes, a Mandala Symphony, which premiered in Tokyo on today’s date in 1960. Mayuzumi’s 1976 opera, Kinkakuji, or The Golden Pavilion, is based on a novel by Yukio Mishima, which, thanks to a New York City Opera production in 1995, became the first Japanese grand opera to be staged in the U.S. Toshiro Mayuzumi died in 1997 at 68. Music Played in Today's Program Toshiro Mayuzumi (1929-1997): Nirvana Symphony; Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony; Hiroyuki Iwaki, conductor; Denon 78839

    2 min

  6. 6 DAYS AGO

    Madeleine Dring

    Synopsis She’s been called a “British Gershwin” but perhaps a “British Poulenc” might more accurately describe the genial and graceful music of Madeleine Dring, a woman whose diverse and energetic creative life was cut short, when, at 53, she died suddenly on today’s date in 1977. Dring was born into a talented musical family in 1923, and she showed early promise. On her tenth birthday she won a scholarship to study at the Royal Conservatory of Music in London, and eventually studied composition with Herbert Howells, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Gordon Jacob. Dring was soon providing incidental music and songs for amateur and professional theatrics. She was also a gifted singer and actress, and performed occasionally on stage and television. She married British oboist Roger Lord, and a number of her chamber works feature that instrument. Six volumes of her songs were published after her death, largely through the persistence of her husband, and many of her other works have been published, performed, and recorded with increasing frequency, especially in the United States. Sadly, Dring died just when women composers began to receive increasing attention from music historians, performers, and audiences worldwide. A British survey of her life and music was published in 2000. Music Played in Today's Program Madeleine Dring (1923-1977): Three Piece Suite; Cynthia Green Libby, oboe; Peter Collins, piano; Hester Park 7707

    2 min

  7. 25 MAR

    Shostakovich in America

    Synopsis It’s all a matter of timing. In 1942, the Soviet Union was America’s wartime ally, and the Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich made the cover of TIME magazine. Seven years later, the war was over, but the Cold War was on — with a vengeance. On March 25, 1949, Shostakovich arrived in New York for his first visit to America as part of the Soviet delegation to a Cultural and Scientific Congress for World Peace. By then the anti-Communist tide of American public opinion resulted in pickets and protests.  Those who spoke at the congress, including the American composer Aaron Copland, felt compelled to preface their comments with unambiguously anti-Communist manifestos. Shostakovich nervously read the equally unambiguous speech prepared for him by his Soviet minders, attacking American imperialism in general and expatriate Russian composer, Igor Stravinsky, in particular. It was embarrassing for everyone concerned. But while he was in New York, Shostakovich got to play a piano reduction of the Scherzo from his Symphony No. 5 for a huge crowd at Madison Square Garden. That, at least, resulted in a big ovation — and maybe that was how he privately approached the whole, sad affair — as a kind of grim scherzo, or joke. Music Played in Today's Program Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975): Symphony No. 5; USSR Cultural Ministry Symphony; Gennady Rozhdestvensky, conductor; MCA 32128

    2 min

  8. 24 MAR

    Panufnik's 'Love Abide'

    Synopsis Dealing with the death of loved ones is never easy, but sometimes music can help — especially if music plays a role in the lives of both the departed and survivors. And some survivors find both meaning and consolation in commissioning a work of new music to honor the memory of those they have lost. On today’s date in 2007, the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia gave the premiere of such a memorial work, Love Abide. The work was commissioned by Paul Rowley, who for years had driven his wife Miriam to weekly Choral Society of Philadelphia rehearsals, where she sang alto, always, said her husband, “beaming with excitement.”  After her sudden death in 2003, Rowley asked the society’s artistic director to choose a composer to write a tribute to his wife. Rowley had a text in mind for the lyrics and wanted an alto solo and a female composer. The commission went to British composer Roxanna Panufnik and the selected text was the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians, which includes the lines: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things …  faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Music Played in Today's Program Roxanna Panufnik (b. 1968): Love Abide; London Oratory School Choir; London Mozart Players; Lee Ward, conductor; Signum 564

    2 min
See All (30)

About

Composers Datebook™ is a daily two-minute program designed to inform, engage, and entertain listeners with timely information about composers of the past and present. Each program notes significant or intriguing musical events involving composers of the past and present, with appropriate and accessible music related to each.

Information

  • Creator
    American Public Media
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Minnesota Public Radio
  • Show Website
    Composers Datebook

More From American Public Media

You Might Also Like