July 31 - George Liberace (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

George Liberace (31 July 1911 – 16 October 1983) was an American musician and television performer.

 [For last year's thoughts on Jakob Handl (Gallus) click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh Brother!

George Liberace,  (perhaps you may know),

Played violin, and appeared with his bro.

Later he parlayed his musical name,

And headed a dubious publishing game.

And that is the story, (a little bit splotchy)

Concerning the brother of the Liberace.

 

 

 

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July 30 - Nannerl Mozart (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Nannerl Mozart (30 July 1751 – 29 October 1829) was a musician and the older sister of Wolfgang Mozart.

[For last year's verse on Gerald Moore click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family Matters

Nannerl was Wolfgang’s

  Very talented sister.

She performed throughout Europe

  And none could resist her.

But Leopold told her

  To give up that life

When she reached the age to

  Become someone’s wife

Nannerl and Wolfgang 

  Were carefully schooled

In spite of the fact that

  They giggled and fooled,

(Their letters, with rude 

  Scatological scribblings,

Gave endless delight to 

  The talented siblings.)
Their joking, their music, 

  Their love for each other

Spoke to the bond between

  Sister and brother

And yet (we are told) that

  In spite of their start,

When each of them married

  They drifted apart.

 

 

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

 

 

July 29 - Sigmund Romberg (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer, best known for his operettas.

[For last year's thoughts on Peter Schreier click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acquiring a Taste

Romberg’s music, in its period,

Had admirers that were myriad.

But tastes have changed, and people wince

At Desert Song or Student Prince.

Audiences are apt to chuckle

At such ardor and swashbuckle,

And the fervors and vendettas

In the plots of operettas

Cannot hold attention long

Even with the help of song.

Yet, it’s true, revived productions

Have insidious seductions.

 

 

 

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July 28 - Ignaz Bösendorfer (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Ignaz Bösendorfer (28 July 1796 – 14 April 1859) was an Austrian piano manufacturer and musician. 

[For last year's verse on Rudy Vallée click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then and Now

Bösendorfer worked with Liszt

To build a piano to assist

Piano players at the keys

To play with virtuoso ease.

He succeeded, by the way,

And you can buy them to this day.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

July 27 - Bobbie Gentry (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Bobbie Gentry (b. 27 July 1942) is a retired singer-songwriter, most active in the 1960s and 70s.

[For last year's post on Enrique Granados click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do Not Go Gentry

One 2016 news report stated that Gentry lives in a gated community near Memphis, Tennessee. According to another, Gentry lives in a gated community in Los Angeles. -- Wikipedia

Though once a big star, Bobbie Gentry,

Disappeared in the previous cent’ry.

To those who ask: Is it

Permitted visit? --

You can try, but you’ll never get entry.

 

 

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July 26 - John Field (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

John Field (26 July 1782 – 23 January 1837) was an Irish pianist, composer, and teacher.

[For last year's thoughts on Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Night Piece

John Field, in a quiet way,

Is still remembered to this day.

He’s the reason why they had

A nineteenth century nocturne fad.

Chopin heard what Field had written,

And imported it from Britain;

Soon the genre would enhance 

All the best soirées in France.

Envoi 

Though Field had shown the way to go,

Chopin’s nocturnes stole the show.

Chopin’s genius revealed

The harvest latent of the Field.

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

July 25 - Yvonne Printemps (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Yvonne Printemps (25 July 1894 – 19 January 1977) was a French singer and actor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rite of Spring

Yvonne Printemps is pert and charming,

With a presence most disarming,

But when her moment comes to sing,

Then we know her name is ”spring.”

 

 

 

 

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