July 7 - Gian Carlo Menotti (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 7th are here: Gustav Mahler (2019) and Doc Severinsen (2020)

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Gian Carlo Menotti (7 July 1911 – 1 February 2007) was an Italian-American composer, and stage director, primarily of operas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Middle Ground

A composer who purposefully chose to cater to the tastes of the general public, his use of tonal melodies often had a modal flavor, frequently used sequence and repetition; they are easily remembered. -- Wikipedia

 

"Menotti is a trivial artist, a sensationalist in the old style, and in fact a weak one, diluting the faults of Strauss and Puccini with none of their fugitive virtues." -- Joseph Kerman

Oh! Stifle the urge to be snotty,

And consider Gian Carlo Menotti.

He hoped to bring joy

To the low hoi polloi,

And not just the high literati.

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Before AirBNB

In the Christmassy show called Amahl

Three Kings from the East come to call;

But I wonder, how is it

That Kings on a visit

Would stop at a cottage so small?

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In Spite of It All

It’s been said that the score for Amahl

Is saccharine, tame, and banal,

While it's partially right

That it’s timid and trite,

It makes its effect, after all.

 

 

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