January 31 - Franz Schubert; George Benjamin (The Musical Birthday Series)

Franz Schubert (31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828) was one of the greatest nineteenth century composers.

In seinem Armen

A father went out on a ride

With his sickly young son at his side.

The kid saw a ghost,

And knew he was toast….

He screamed for his father and died.

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

George Benjamin (b. 31 January 1960) is an important British composer with a large catalog of works. 

Written on Love and Violence

George Benjamin of late

Has decided to create

    Two operas lurid and shocking.

No matter how you feel

About the scandal appeal,

   They certainly got people talking.

(If you enjoy these posts, please consider helping me by sharing.)      

January 30 - Johann Joachim Quantz; Thomas Tallis (The Musical Birthday Series)

Johann Joachim Quantz (30 January 1697 – 12 July 1773) composed hundreds of compositions, mostly for flute, but is now remembered for his treatise on flute-playing.

Enough is Enough

Surely no one really wants

To hear another work by Quantz.

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

Thomas Tallis (c. 1505 – 23 November 1585) was an extremely important English composer. We do not, in fact, know when he was born, but some sources cite tentative evidence pointing to 30 January, so... why not?

Challenge Accepted

Thomas Tallis had the smarts

To write motets in forty parts.

Thomas Tallis was unbaffled

By this contrapuntal scaffold.

Thomas Tallis won the laurel

In the sweepstakes polychoral.

******************************

Reasonable Question

When forty parts sing at one time

Is the sound just a mess or sublime?

Is it gorgeous sonority

Produced with authority,

Or noise without reason or rhyme?

*****************************************

Reasonable Answer

Just many parts can you get

In the loft for a choral motet?

Said Tallis,”I’m sporty,

I’ll try to do forty.

The tallest score I’ve written yet.”

(If you enjoy these posts, please consider helping me by sharing.)    

January 29 - Daniel François Esprit Auber (The Musical Birthday Series)

Daniel François Esprit Auber (29 January 1782 – 12/13 May 1871) was an enormously successful French opera composer.

Shhhhh

When Daniel François Esprit Auber

Decided to hire a new au pair,

He knew she’d be his sort if she

Had just arrived from Portici.

He specified the new recruit

Should do her duties as a mute.

When she was hired, in good time,

She raised his kids in pantomime.

And now, no doubt, you’re glad that I’m

Finished with this silly rhyme.

(If you enjoy these posts, please consider helping me by sharing.)       

January 28 - John Tavener (The Musical Birthday Series)

John Tavener (b. 28 January 1944) is a widely performed composer best known for his sacred choral music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iconic

John Tavener, musical mystic,

Brought religion to matters artistic.

He sought to give solace

To nations gone lawless,

And faith when they went anarchistic.

(If you enjoy these posts, please consider helping me by sharing.)