October 31 - Philippe de Vitry (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for October 31st are here: Ethel Waters; Philippe de Vitry (2019), Phillippe de Vitry (2020), Philippe de Vitry (2021), and Philippe de Vitry (2022)

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

 

Philippe de Vitry (31 October 1291 – 9 June 1361) was a composer, music theorist, 

and churchman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ars Isn’t Easy

The important music treatise Ars nova notandi (1322) is usually attributed to Vitry. – Wikipedia

In spite of its great innovations

In the writing of music notations,

Ars nova notandi

Contains no glissandi,

Or any odd pitch deviations.

 

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

 

Vitry’s Vita

 

Details of his early life are vague. – Wikipedia

His life on this earth was begun,

In the autumn of 1291,

And the archives and fate

Have provided the date,

From a time when there’s usually none.

 

 

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

 

 

October 30 - Frans Brüggen (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for October 30th are here: Peter Warlock; Frans Brüggen (2019), Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge (2020),  Peter Warlock (2021), and Peter Warlock; Unico Wilhelm, Count van Wassenaer Obdam (2022)

+++++++++++++++++++++ 

Frans Brüggen (30 October 1934 – 13 August 2014) began his career largely as a recorder player.  Later, he became a leading conductor in the Early Music performance practice movement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Answer is Blowing in the Wind

Brüggen introduced a flexibility of tone and rhythm to solo recorder playing that was novel to historically informed performance practice at the time. Such approaches provoked some controversy at the time, but in part due to his use of them, have since become more commonplace.  – Wikipedia

Frans Brüggen, with scarcely a rival,

Assured the recorder’s revival.

With ideas of his own

He refreshed what was prone

To be dry, deadly dull, and archival.

 

 

 

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

 

 

October 29 - Dan Emmett (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for October 29th are here: Jon Vickers (2019), Vivian Ellis (2020), Jon Vickers (2021), and Natalie Sleeth (2022)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Dan Emmett (29 October 1815 – 28 June  1904) was an American composer and entertainer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Away, Away

 

"If I had known to what use they [Southerners] were going to put my song ["Dixie"], I will be damned if I'd have written it." -- Dan Emmett, qtd. Wikipedia

When “Dixie”, which he had begotten,

Was used by the South, it was rotten;

He said,”It is wrong

That they’re using my song,

I’d prefer that the thing were forgotten!”

 

 

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

 

 

October 28 - Josef Gingold (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for October 28th are here: Howard Hanson; Cleo Laine (2019), Howard Hanson (2020), Howard Hanson; Dmitry Bortniansky (2021), and John Thomson; Howard Hanson (2022)

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

 

Josef Gingold (28 October 1909 – January 11, 1995) was a Russian-born American classical violinist and teacher who lived most of his life in the United States, teaching for many years at Indiana University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pentameters for a Pedagogue

Josef Gingold mentored Joshua Bell.

By all accounts he did it very well,

Instilling in the Indiana guy

The wisdom he had garnered from Ysaÿe.

He taught for years at Bloomington’s IU,

And troupes of gifted players cycled through

His studio to learn the outs and ins

Of virtuoso feats on violins.

 

 

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

 

 

October 27 - Helmut Walcha (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for October 27th are here: Niccolò Paganini; Conlon Nancarrow (2019), Niccolò Paganini (2020), Conlon Nancarrow (2021), and Conlon Nancarrow; Traugott Maximilian Eberwien (2022)

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

 

Helmut Walcha (27 October 1907 – 11 August 1991) was a German  organist, harpsichordist, music teacher and composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twice Bitten

 

Walcha recorded Bach's complete solo keyboard works twice, once in mono (1947–52), and again in stereo from 1956 to 1971. -- Wikipedia 

Helmut Walcha, who was blind,

Accepted what his fate assigned,

And used the powers of his mind

To learn the works of Bach, complete,

From memory, which was quite a feat,

(And being blind, he couldn’t cheat);

And then, he put them all on vinyl,

Which most of us would treat as final,

But someone gave him new advice,

And told him stereo was nice,

And mono sound would not suffice.

His faculties were still precise,

And bowing to the new device,

The daunting feat was managed twice.

 

 

 

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

 

October 26 - Henry Smart (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for October 26th are here: Domenico Scarlatti; Henry Smart; Mahalia Jackson (2019), Hans Leo Hassler (2020), Jacques Loussier; Domenico Scarlatti (2021), and Domenico Scarlatti (2022)

+++++++++++++++++++++ 

Henry  Smart (26 October 1813 – 6 July 1879) was an English organist and composer best known for his Christmas hymn tune "Regent Square" most often sung to the words "Angels from the Realms of Glory".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That Smarts!

Sing, oh sing, for Henry Smart

Who spent a lifetime at his art,

And had just one enduring hit,

Which counts for something, doesn’t it?

“Angels from the Realms of Glory”,

Got into the repertory;

Grab a hymn book, and it’s there,

Listed under “Regent Square”.

 

 

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