December 31 - Donna Summer (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 31st are here date is unknown: Donna Summer; John Denver (2019), Jule Styne (2020), John Denver; Giulio Cesare Monteverdi (2021), and PSY (Park Jae-sang); Odetta (2022)

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Donna Summer (31 December 1948 – 17 May 2012) was one of the most important singers of the disco era.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enough Is (Not) Enough

Keep the beat, oh disco drummer

For this day of Donna Summer!

Light the floor at every disco

From NYC to San Francisco!

Get you disco era fixes

With her singles and remixes!

Search you closets and retrieve a

Feather boa for the diva!

It was glorious! It was splendid

Feeling joy the way we then did!

Dance as if it never ended,

As the disco gods intended!

 

 

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December 30 - Davy Jones; William Croft (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 30th are here: Paul Bowles (2019), (Mary) Frances Allitsen (2020), David Willcocks (2021), and William Croft (2022)

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Davy Jones (30 December 1945 – 29 February 2012) was an English actor and singer, best known as a member of The Monkees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m a…. Believer

Despite his initial high-profile after the Monkees disbanded, Jones struggled to establish himself as a solo music artist. – Wikipedia

The Monkees, of course, were synthetic,

And appealed to a period aesthetic,

But a career with the band

Was a career built on sand. —

And we are, Davy Jones, sympathetic.

 

 

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

William Croft (bapt. 30 December 1678 – 14 August 1727) was an English composer and organist.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope in Years to Come

In certain august choir lofts

The strains you hear are William Croft’s,

But even in a humble venue

You’ll find his music playing when you

Sing, beneath the organ’s blast,

“O God, Our Help in Ages Past.”

 

 

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

 

 

December 29 - Pablo Casals (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 29th are here: Pablo Casals (2019). 2020), Peggy Glanville-Hicks (2021), and Peggy Glanville-Hicks (2022)

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Pablo Casals (29 December 1876 – 22 October 1973) was a world-renowned cellist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Casals and His Gigs

In 1899, Casals played for  Queen Victoria, and in 1904, he was invited to play at the White House  for President Theodore Roosevelt.  He took part in a concert of chamber music in the White House in 1961 at the invitation of President John F. Kennedy. — heavily adapted from Wikipedia

He played for Queen Victoria,

And later in his story, a-

-ppeared for Teddy Roosevelt,

And then with that one in his belt

The decades flew until the day

He came to play for JFK.

 

 

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

 

December 28 - Roger Sessions (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 28th are here: Roger Sessions; Earl Hines (2019), Calixa Lavalée (2020), Christian Cannabich; Roger Sessions (2021), and Martha Wash (2022)

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Roger Sessions (28 December 1896 – 16 March 1985) was an important American composer and teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bull Sessions?

While critics persist in expressions

About the importance of Sessions,

The public thinks critics

Produce analytics

As arrogant microaggressions.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

December 27 - Anna Russell (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 27th are here: Marlene Dietrich (2019), Anna Russell (2020), Anna Russell (2021), and Oscar Levant (2022)

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Anna Russell (27 December 1911 – 18 October 2006) was an English–Canadian singer and comedian. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m Not Making This Up You Know

It’s quite a hilarious thing

When Miss Russell dismembers The Ring;

She dissolves the facades

Of Wagnerian gods

With a pointed affectionate sting.

 

 

 

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