Sunday, December 8, 2019

December 8 - Bohuslav Martinů; Jean Sibelius (The Musical Birthday Series)


Bohuslav Martinů (8 December 1890 – 28 August 1959) was a Czech composer of music in a modern idiomatic which often retained Czech musical traits.

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 B.H.

Higgeldy-piggledy
Bohuslav Martinů
Moved to America
During the War.

Never returning to
Czechoslovakia,
Though he’s now buried there
Forevermore.


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







Jean Sibelius (8 December 1865 – 20 September 1957) was commonly regarded as the greatest Finnish composer.















Not a Double Dactyl for J.S.

Jean Sibelius,
Living in Finland,
Seeing the ocean
So weary and flat,

Said to himself,
“I’ll move farther inland
And won’t write more music as
Dreary as that.”


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