February 28 - Bernadette Peters (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 28th are here: Jean-Baptiste Arban (2020), Geraldine Farrar (2021), Tommy Tune; John Alden Carpenter (2022)

 

Bernadette Peters (b. 28 February 1948) is an American actress, singer, and children's book author.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Composer Knows

Sondheim has said of Peters, "Like very few others, she sings and acts at the same time," he says. "Most performers act and then sing, act and then sing ... Bernadette is flawless as far as I'm concerned. I can't think of anything negative." -- Wikipedia

A composer, sans gauges or meters,

Can distinguish the echt from the cheaters,

And Sondheim avers

That perfection occurs

In redoubtable Bernadette Peters.

 

 

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

 

 

February 27 - Josh Groban (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 28th are here: Hubert Parry (2020), Marian Anderson (2021), and Elisabeth Welch; Johann Philipp Krieger (2022)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Josh  Groban (b. February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attend the Tale,.. Or Not

Josh Groban Knows He's Not Your Typical Pick For Sweeney Todd – headline at playbill.com, February 1, 2023

Whenever a part

  Is cast against type,

It’s likely to start

  A lot of free hype.

Josh Groban was cast

  To play Sweeney Todd,

Which has to be classed

  As terribly odd. —

It’s a lot to get through

  Perhaps he can do it, 

There’s scenery to chew,

  Perhaps he can chew it.

But his baritone sound,

  So lyric and light,

Will likely be drowned

  By the end of the night.

So I think I’ll ignore

  His chair and his pies,

I’ve seen it before

  With more sinister guys.

 

 

 

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

 

 

February 26 - Anton Reicha (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 26th are here: Frank Bridge (2020), Fats Domino; Betty Hutton (2021), and Franz Strauss; Johnny Cash (2022)

++++++++++++++++++++

 

Anton Reicha (Rejcha) (26 February 1770 – 28 May 1836) was a Czech-born, Bavarian-educated, later naturalized French composer and music theorist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Legacy

The fame that Anton Reicha gets

Is for his fugues and wind quintets,

But ponder this before we close,

He mentored Liszt and Berlioz,

And Cesar Franck, Pauline Viardot,

Louise Farrenc, and Charles Gounod.

 

 

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

 

February 25 - Armand-Louis Couperin (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 25th are here: Myra Hess (2020), George Harrison; Enrico Caruso (2021), and Enrico Caruso (2022)

++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Armand-Louis Couperin (25 February 1727 – 2 February 1789) was a French composer, organist, and harpsichordist.  He was a member of the Couperin family of musicians, of which the most notable were his great-uncle Louis and his cousin Francois.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Man, A Clan

Though we’ve already taken a glance

At the Couperin family of France,

Let’s bring to the fore

One Couperin more —

So Armand-Louis, here’s your chance!

 

 

 

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

 

February 24 - Michel Legrand (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 24th are here: Arnold Dolmetsch (2020), Arrigo Boito (2021), and Samuel Wesley (2022)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Michel Legrand (24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz pianist. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Papa, Can You Hear Me?

Michel Legrand, who saw potential

In Barbra Streisand singing Yentl,

Wrote a song, sincere and gentle,

Not at all experimental, 

But oh so awfully sentimental,

Which Yentl sings to her parental.

 

 

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