July 31 - Ignacio Cervantes (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 31st are here: Jacob Handl (Gallus) (2019), George Liberace (2020), and Paul J. Christiansen (2021)

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Ignacio Cervantes (31 July 1847 – 29 April 1905) was a Cuban pianist and composer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've Got Rhythm

His dances for the piano were dubbed genuine musical gems by internationally renowned Cuban intellectuals. — adapted from naxos.com

When using his national dances

Cervantes was taking his chances,

But they met with success

Which was lovely, I’d guess,

For Cervantes's family finances.

 

 

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July 30 - John Duke (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 30th are here: Gerald Moore (2019), Nannerl Mozart (2020), and Paul Anka (2021)

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John Duke (30 July 1899 – 26 October 1984) was an American composer and pianist mostly remembered for his many art songs.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Practicality

I haven’t come here to rebuke

Recitalists who sing John Duke.

His songs can be attractive, and

Because they’re uniformly bland,

There’s nothing in them to offend

A colleague, relative, or friend.

 

 

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July 29 - Sigmund Romberg (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 29th are here: Peter Schreier (2019), Sigmund Romberg (2020), and Mikis Theodorakis (2021)

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, I Believe in Yesterday

Well into the 1950s, it was said that the sun never set on a Blossom Time or Student Prince company, referring to the fact that those two shows were being performed by professionals and/or amateurs somewhere in the world every night. – naxos.com

As the musical became grittier in content and the structure shifted to deeper integration of book and music, Romberg's style began to date and seem more like a throwback to a vanished era. – naxos.com

Except that’s it’s a easy rhyme

We wouldn’t mention Blossom Time;

And it’s been years, (well, decades) since

The public asked for Student Prince;

And it has been at least as long

Since Broadway saw The Desert Song.

Envoi

While faded sentiment still clings

To what the operetta brings,

And Hope, of course, eternal springs,...

The world has moved to other things.

 

 

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July 28 - Rudy Vallée (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 28th are here: Rudy Vallée (2019), Ignaz Bösendorfer (2020), and Carmen Dragon (2021)

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Rudy Vallée (28 July 1901 –3 July 1986) was an American singer and movie actor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vocational Training

He received a degree in philosophy from Yale University. -- Wikipedia

Rudy Vallée went to Yale

  (Which came as a surprise to me);

He took an esoteric trail

  And majored in Philosophy,

Then joined the ranks of those who fail

   To use their undergrad degree.

 

 

 

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July 27 - Mauro Giuliani (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 27th are here: Enrique Granados (2019), Bobbie Gentry (2020). and Vladimir de Pachmann (2021)

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Mauro  Giuliani (27 July 1781 – 8 May 1829) was an Italian guitarist, cellist, singer, and composer. He was a leading guitar virtuoso of the early 19th century. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six-String Wonder

Giuliani's 150 compositions for guitar with opus number constitute the nucleus of the nineteenth-century guitar repertory. - Wikipedia

I sometimes speculate who are

The greatest writers for guitar,

And also, I have often wondered,

Who were they pre-1900?

The 19th century had a few,

But they would make a shortish queue;

I asked a scholar, whereupon, he

Said he’d opt for Giuliani.

 

 

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July 26 - Mick Jagger; Darlene Love (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 26th are found here: Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart (2019), John Field (2020), and Mick Jagger; Angela Hewitt (2022)

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Mick Jagger (b. 26 July 1943) is the front man for the Rolling Stones (as if you didn't know that).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gathering No Moss

With hearing aids and brittle bones,

The geriatric Rolling Stones

Defy infirmity and age

While rocking an arena stage.

And though he’ll never see again

The age of three score years and ten,

You still can count on seeing Mick

Unflagging in his bad boy schtick.

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

 
Darlene Love (b. 26 July 26 1941) is an American singer and actress, especially known for background vocals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

de-Love-ly

Upon release, the song was not a huge success but it has gone on to become a Christmas standard. In 1986, Love was asked to sing "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" on David Letterman’s Christmas show, which became a yearly tradition. – Wikipedia, s.v. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and “Darlene Love”

Like many singers past their prime

Who come alive at Christmas time,

She has a trick, and this is it:

She had a minor Christmas hit,

Which, with the coming of December,

Folks nostalgically remember.

Of course, it helps to keep it big

When it becomes a yearly gig,

So it’s a pleasure here to mention

That Letterman gave it attention

And made a big production of

“Christmas” sung by Darlene Love.

 

 

 

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