April 30 - Robert Shaw; Alfred Gaul (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 30th may be found here: Franz Lehár (2019) and Sheldon Harnick (2020)

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Robert Shaw (30 April 1916 – 25 January 1999) was an American conductor, especially known for his work with choirs.

 

Presence

When he stood at in front of a choir

His presence alone could inspire.

It’s a fact, Robert Shaw

Had a je ne sais quoi,

That could set a rehearsal on fire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Alfred Robert Gaul (30 April 1837 — 13 September 1913) was an English composer, conductor, teacher and organist. 

 

 

That’s Gaul Folks

 

"At the time of Gaul's death in 1913 The Holy City was the most performed work of English choral music in history." -- adapted from Wikipedia

You may not recall

One Alfred R. Gaul

    Who wrote The Holy City, 

Which fulfilled the desires

Of Victorian choirs

    For piety and pretty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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April 29 - Steve Norquist (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 29th may be found here: me (2019) and me (2020)

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Steve Norquist (b. 29 April 1954) writes this blog.  He performs obscure, undeservedly forgotten, and just plain odd piano music at his YouTube channel Piano Curiosities with Steve Norquist.

 

Proclamation

You will notice it’s year number three

Of limericks that celebrate me;

Such metrical preening

May seem overweening,

But nonetheless, thus it shall be!

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

April 28 - Blossom Dearie (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 28th may be found here: John Jacob Niles (2019) and Michael Daugherty (2020)

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Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 – February 7, 2009) was an American jazz singer, pianist, and Cabaret artist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flower Lady

"I have never been a singer who could stand up and sing like a theatrical singer. I sit down, and I've always used a microphone. I have a kind of microphone technique." -- Blossom Dearie

The style of the great Blossom Dearie

Has always made some people leery.

But her shy little voice

Was a personal choice,

And shouldn’t be subject to query.

 

 

 

 

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

 

April 27 - Johann Adam Reincken (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 27th may be found here: Friedrich von Flotow (2019) and Nicolas Slonimsky (2020)

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Johann Adam Reincken (27 or 26 April 1623 [sic] or bapt. 20 December [O.S. 10 December] 1643 – 24 November 1722) was a Dutch/German organist and composer. He was organist at St. Katharine's church in Hamburg, and was a close friend of Dietrich Buxtehude. 

[His birth date is very uncertain. The traditional date is 27 April, but more recently a date in December and twenty years later has been favored. Neither is supported by solid evidence.]

Organ Lofty

Did Johann Adam Reincken

  And his buddy Buxtehude

Pass the time with local beer

  And good imported Gouda?

Or was it strictly business

  On that chilly Hamburg seaboard,

With talk of chorale fantasies

  And toccatas for the keyboard?

Those consequential colloquies

  Near old St. Katharine’s church

Should be a pressing topic for

  Post-doctoral research.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

April 26 - Mikhail Fokine; Ma Rainey (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 26 may be found here: Conrad Susa (2019) and Ma Rainey (2020)

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Mikhail [Michael] Fokine [Fokin]  (23 April [O.S. 11 April] 1880 – 22 August 1942) was an innovative Russian choreographer, long active in Paris and New York.

 

Diaghilev & Cie.

The dances conceived by Fokine

Disrupted balletic routine,

And all Paris flocked

To be startled and shocked

By this new terpsichorean scene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ma Rainey (26 April 1886 – 22 December 1939) was an important early Blues singer. 

A.K.A.

Gertrude Pridgett, singing blues?

   Sounds unlikely, maybe zany,

But she paid her show biz dues --

   You may know her as Ma Rainey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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