May 31 - Bruce Adolphe (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 31st are found here: Alfred Deller (2019), Marin Marais (2020), Louise Farrenc (2021), and Johnny Paycheck (2022)

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Bruce Adolphe (b. 31 May 1955) is a composer, author, and pianist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mix and Match

Each week on Performance Today,

They chose a contestant to play

Bruce Adolphe’s congenial game

Which asks said contestant to name

A composer and tune, as combined

By Bruce’s ingenious mind.

 

 

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May 30 - Pauline Oliveros (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 30th are found here: Benny Goodman (2019), Gustav Leonhardt (2020), Benny Goodman (2021), and Benny Goodman (2022)

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Pauline Oliveros (30 May 1932 – 24 November 2016) was an American experimental composer and accordionist. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listen, My Children

This aesthetic is designed to inspire both trained and untrained performers to practice the art of listening and responding to environmental conditions in solo and ensemble situations". – Jason Ankeny, qtd. In Wikipedia

Heidi Von Gunden names a new musical theory developed by Oliveros, "sonic awareness", and describes it as "the ability to consciously focus attention upon environmental and musical sound", requiring "continual alertness and an inclination to be always listening" – Wikipedia

Oliveros felt people should reap

The blessings of listening deep;

But I note, (with unfairness?)

That such “sonic awareness”

Would probably put me to sleep.

 

 

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May 29 - Iannis Xenakis (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 29th are available here: Isaac Albéniz (2019), Iannis Xenakis (2020), Erich Wolfgang Korngold (2021), and Iannis Xenakis (2022)

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Iannis Xenakis (29 May 1922 – 4 February 2001) was a Greek-French composer, music theorist  architect, and engineer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not SRO

The music of Iannis Xenakis

Is complex and unsparingly raucous;

When Xenakis is billed

The Hall won’t be filled

With folks driving in from Secaucus.

 

 

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May 28 - György Ligeti (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 28th are available here: György Ligeti (2019), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (2020), Riccardo Zandonai (2021). and Thomas Moore (2022)

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Hungarian composer György Ligeti (28 May 1923 – 12 June 2006) was one of the dominating figures of the late twentieth century avant-garde.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ligeti Splits

Though Ligeti’s work is intense,

And his textures are frightfully dense,

He musters emotion

From a cluster-filled ocean

Where each part is a piece of the sense.

 

 

 

 

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May 27 - Louis Durey; Ralph Carmichael (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 27th are available here: Celius Dougherty (2019), Harold Rome (2020), Joachim Raff (2021). and Fromental Halévy (2022)

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Louis Durey (7 May 1888 – 3 July 1979) was a French composer and member of Les Six.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Your Marx

After the war, he embraced hard-line communism and his uncompromising political attitudes hindered his career. – Wikipedia

Though his music was charming and deft,

He had no political heft,

And Durey pretty near

Put an end to his career

With his ties to the Communist Left.

 

 

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Ralph Carmichael (27 May 1927 – 18 October 2021) was an American composer and arranger. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harumph!

If you’re looking for someone to blame

For what music for worship became,

For its downward trajectory

In chancel and rectory,

The Carmichael name has a claim.

 

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May 26 - William Bolcom (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 26th are available here: William Bolcom (2019), Teresa Stratas (2020), Isadora Duncan (2021), and Miles Davis (2022)

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William Bolcom (b. 26 May 1938) is an American composer and pianist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buying in Bolcom

In the 1960s he gradually began to embrace an eclectic use of a wider variety of musical styles. His goal has been to erase boundaries between popular music and art music. – Wikipedia

The music of Bolcom is hectic,

Both heterodox and eclectic;

But there’s evident glee

In the whole potpourri,

And the effect, though acoustic, electric.

 

 

 

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