January 28 - Johann Ernst Bach (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 28th are here: John Tavener (2020), Artur [Arthur] Rubinstein; Johann Ernst Bach (2021), Giovanni Battista Velluti; Ferdinand Hérold (2022), Gottfried Vopelius (2023), Ferdinand Hérold (2024), and Joey Fatone; Giovanni Battista Velluti (2025)

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Johann Ernst Bach (28 January 1722 – 1 September 1777) was a distant relation 

and student of J. S. Bach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serving God and Mammon

In 1748, he became his father Johann Bernhard Bach's official assistant, and in 1749 he was his successor. He continued to practice law as well. – adapted from Wikipedia

 

It concerned his good Lutheran employer,

When he heard that his organist-lawyer,

Called the "choir" the "jury,"

And compounded the worry,

By naming the "narthex" the "foyer."

 

 

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January 27 - Skitch Henderson; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 27th are here: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2020), Jerome Kern (2021), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Mikhail Baryshnikov (2022), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Jerome Kern (2023), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Jerome Kern (2024), and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Jerome Kern (2025)

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Skitch Henderson (27 January 1918 – 1 November 2005) was an American pianist, conductor, and composer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Least It's Not a Haiku

Today it's a limerick in which

I ran myself into a ditch

Since my verse was confined

To a form that's five lined

While sketching a portrait of Skitch.

 

 

 

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪  

 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was one of the greatest composers of all time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amadeus Redux

Though Mozart was duly assessed

As one whom the Muses had blessed,

His life in Alt Wien,

Which you've seen on the screen,

Was chaotic, and harried, and stressed.

 

 

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January 26 - Jimmy Van Heusen; William Hayes (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 26th are here: Alice Babs (2020), Maria von Trapp (2021), Stéphane Grappelli; Jimmy Van Heusen (2022), Emanuel Aloys Förster; Jimmy Van Heusen (2023), Maria von Trapp (2024), and Jimmy Van Heusen (2025)

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Jimmy Van Heusen (26 January 1913 – 6 February 1990) was an American composer of popular songs.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come Fly with Me

Said Jimmy to Sammy, "C'mon!

Let's write as van Heusen and Cahn."

And the songs from the team

Are still heard with esteem

As a piano bar's sine qua non.

 

 

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪  

 

William Hayes (bapt. 26 January 1706 – 27 July 1777) was an English composer, organist, singer and conductor.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hazy Thoughts

His wide knowledge of Handel left a strong impression on his own music, but by no means dominated it.  – Wikipedia

In George the Second's glorious days

There lived a man named William Hayes,

But though his music sometimes strayed

From under Handel's daunting shade,

His name was almost never heard

Beyond the reign of George the Third.

 

 

 

 

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January 25 - Witold Lutosławski; Harry Link (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 25th are here: Antônio Carlos Jobim (2020), Witold Lutosławski; Etta James (2021), Witold Lutosławski (2022), Robert Burns (2023), Florence Mills (2024), and Antônio Carlos Jobim (2025)

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Witold Lutosławski (25 January 1913 – 7 February 1994) was a major Polish composer and conductor. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polish Fantasy

In this way, the random elements within compositionally controlled limits defined by the term aleatory are carefully directed by the composer, who controls the architecture and harmonic progression of the piece precisely. – Wikipedia

A lot was ink a priori,

So it wasn't quite aleatory:

The workings of chance

Were controlled in advance,

Within predefined arcs of the story.

 

 

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Harry Link (25 January 1896 - 5 July 1956) was an American vaudeville actor and songwriter who wrote and co-wrote several well-known jazz standards. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linked In

Today's the day to stop and think

A thought or two on Harry Link,

A thing we've never done before,

Because he's easy to ignore.

So raise your glass, and let us drink

To celebrate this missing Link!

 

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.]