February 28 - Tommy Tune; John Alden Carpenter (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 28th are here: Jean-Baptiste Arban (2020) and Geraldine Farrar (2021)

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Tommy Tune (b. 28 February 1939) is an American actor, dancer, singer, theater director, producer, and choreographer.  

 

Ten Tonys for Tommy: A Tale

Tommy Tune has won ten Tonys

(That’s a lot of ceremonies!)

Acting, choreography, and direction

(On his shelf it’s quite a collection!)

No Tony voter is immune

To the charms of Tommy Tune.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

John Alden Carpenter (28 February 1876 – 26 April 1951) was an American composer, now remembered for a few art songs, and some very occasionally played orchestral pieces.

 

 

Krazy

 

His ballet Krazy Kat: A Jazz Pantomime was the first work by a concert composer to use the word 'jazz' in its title. -- adapted from Wikipedia

John Alden Carpenter has

  The moderate reason for fame:

He was first to include the word “jazz”

   In a classical piece’s name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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February 27 - Elisabeth Welch; Johann Philipp Krieger (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 28th are here: Hubert Parry (2020) and Marian Anderson (2021)

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Elisabeth Welch (27 February 1904 – 15 July 2003) was an American singer, actor, and entertainer, whose career spanned seven decades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Chances

 

She followed other black entertainers who had gone off to Europe, where there were more opportunities than in their segregated homeland. ---- Michael Freedland, "Elisabeth Welch [obituary]", Guardian, 16 July 2003

 

Elisabeth Welch was mixed of race,

And lived in London as her base,

For there a singer got less flack

When they identified as Black.

She took the London stage by storm,

When in the West End to perform

And patrons lined the streets in queues

For tickets to her stage revues.

Then, late in life she could exult

In new attention from a cult

Of eager fans who found that they

Adored her brand of cabaret.

 

 

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

 

 

Johann Philipp Krieger (bapt. 27 February 1649 ^- 7 February 1725) was a significant German organist and composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Namesakes

He was the elder brother of Johann Krieger. – Wikipedia

Johann Philipp and Johann Krieger

Had success (and that not meager),

It’s hard to know one from the other,

But we can blame that on their mother.

 

 

 

 

 

February 26 - Franz Strauss; Johnny Cash (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 26th are here: Frank Bridge (2020) and Fats Domino; Betty Hutton (2021)

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Franz Strauss (26 February 1822 – 31 May 1905) was a German horn player, and father of the composer Richard Strauss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s My Boy!

Richard Strauss's father, Franz Strauss, was one of the leading horn players of his day, and the fact that Richard grew up with the sound of the horn in his house led to his exploration of the great potential of the horn as both a solo and orchestral instrument. – adapted from Wikipedia, s.v. “Horn Concerto No. 1 (Strauss)”

Papa Strauss, who played the horn,

Was giddy when his son was born.

He told his drooling little son

That someday he should have some fun

And write a Horn Concerto #1,

And some years later, it was done.

 

 

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

 

Johnny Cash (26 February 1932 – 12 September 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black and White

Opposites come to a clash

In the career of the great Johnny Cash –

Religion and drugs,

Believers and thugs,

And a manner both humble and brash.

 

 

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

 

February 25 - Enrico Caruso (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 25th are here: Myra Hess (2020) and George Harrison; Enrico Caruso (2021)

 

Enrico Caruso (25 February 1873 – 2 August 1921) was an Italian tenor generally acknowledged as one of the greatest tenors of all time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Record 1

 

One of the first major singing talents to be commercially recorded, Caruso made 247 commercially released recordings from 1902 to 1920, which made him an international popular entertainment star. - Wikipedia

Said Caruso, a star in the States

Because of his 78s,

“I’ll give no apology

For using technology

For the palpable buzz it creates.”

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For the Record  2 

Caruso, whose name was a byword

For “opera tenor” looked skyward,

And sang with the passion

That then was in fashion.

(It’s recorded, you needn’t take my word.)

 

 

 

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