December 6 - Nikolaus Harnoncourt; Joseph Lamb (The Musical Birthday Series)

Nikolaus Harnoncourt (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was a conductor and cellist who was especially influential in the historical performance practice movement.

A double dactyl is a biographically inspired humorous poem with very strict structural rules.   

Here are links to two definitions for those who are curious.  The first from the  

Poetry Foundation is clearer but less accurate than the second, from Wikipedia.  Take 

your pick.  The classic statement is the book Jiggery-Pokery:  A Compendium of 

Double Dactyls by Anthony Hecht and John Hollander (New York, 1967).

 

 

 

 

Double Dactyl for N.H.

Higgledy-piggledy

Nicolaus Harnoncourt,

Looking through archives for

Works he could stage,

Tried to imagine the

Opernaufführungen

As he examined the

Notes on the page.

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

Joseph Lamb (6 December 1887 – 3 September 1960) was an important early composer of ragtime.

Syncopation 

The developing rhythmic traditions

Among the great ragtime musicians

Meant trochee and iamb

In novelties by Lamb

Kept changing to different positions.

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